"C" stands for Cemetery, Chicago, and Capone - Part 2

To read Part 1 of this post, click here.

Continuing my post about Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, IL, and that it is filled with gangsters (24), religious figures (7) and baseball players (3), here is the beautiful Bishop's Hall, where five archbishops and two bishops of Chicago are buried.

side view

front view

Back to the gangsters.

From 1921-1925 a part of Chicago called "Little Italy" was run by a Sicilian Mob - The Genna Brothers, known as "The Terrible Gennas". There were six of them:  Angelo "Bloody Angelo", Antonio "The Gentleman", Mike "The Devil", Peter, Sam, and Vincenzo "Jim". (I like how many of the gangsters had nicknames!)

Angelo "Bloody Angelo"

Antonio (Tony) "The Gentleman"

Vincenzo "Jim"

Mike "The Devil"

Peter

Sam

The Genna gang was involved in bootlegging and were selling their alcohol outside of their territory for cheaper prices. This pissed off the Irish gang (of course!) Dion O'Banion, the Irish gang leader, went to the head of the Unione Siciliana, Mike Merlo, and John "Johnny the Fox" Torrio, head of the Chicago Outfit, to get them to stop the Genna's from doing this. John Torrio refused. This pissed of O'Banion even more. His gang started hijacking the Genna brothers shipments of whiskey. This was a big NO-NO.

John Torrio ordered the Gennas to murder O'Banion, and so it was to be. November 10, 1924 was the last day O'Banion walked on this earth. After his murder, all hell broke loose and started a five year gang war.

What I find ironic is that many of these gangsters who were enemies are all buried at the same cemetery!

This is the Genna family mausoleum.

A close up of the door. Notice the Italian flag!

I peeked in the window and took a picture of the beautiful stained glass window along the back of the mausoleum.

This is the O'Banion family grave site. These photos are from www.findagrave.com

Newspapers gave him the name of "Dion", but his real name was Dean.

On the way home from our big cemetery visit, my sisters and I stopped at one of our favorite hot dog joints, now famous for being named "BEST HOT DOG IN THE COUNTRY" (listed in Rachel Ray's magazine March 2010). We just know that we've been going there most of our lives, especially during our high school years, because it was not too far away from our school!

Hot dog with everything!

You will not find ketchup here.....in fact there is none available in the store! Customers have to go to the local McDonald's if they want ketchup!


SIDE NOTES:

We have moved locations and are now in central IL. The wi-fi here is very iffy. I can spend up to 8 hours trying to comment on blogs AND post on my blog. It is VERY frustrating! So just know that I am reading your posts, but may not comment as often as I like because I CAN'T!!

I stumbled across a "Cemetery Tour" of the two cemeteries I have spoken about - Mt. Carmel and Queen of Heaven. It will be on 10/1/11. I have made reservations for four: my daughter and I will drive up (about 2 hours) and my sister and aunt will meet us there. We will actually get to go inside Bishop's Hall (not open to the public), and see some other graves. The tour includes breakfast and lunch. Then the four of us plan to go BACK to the cemeteries and do our own exploring. I can't wait!