Joseph Aiello
Killed by machine-gun fire in front of 205 N. Kolmar Ave., Chicago, on October 23, 1930, according to a Chicago police entry printed as Exhibit 10 of the 1963 Senate hearings. Valachi testified that Aiello sent $5,000 a week to the Maranzano side and was the one man that side lost.
- Died
- 1930-10-23
- Aliases
- Joe Aiello
- Role
- "gang leader and partner of 'Bugs Moran'," in a Chicago police entry (police entry printed as a 1963 hearing exhibit)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 15 February 1929 — A United Press story printed in the Washington Daily News the day after the Chicago garage killings said that Capone and Joe Aiello were absent from the city. Newspaper report.
- 23 October 1930 — Exhibit No. 10 (printed p. 195), a Chicago police entry: "October 23, 1930. Aiello, Joseph: Age 39, Italy, married, gang leader and partner of 'Bugs Moran' was riddled with machinegun bullets in front of 205 N. Kolmar Ave., when he left the home of Pasquale Prestigiocomo, alias Presto to enter a cab." Fire came from a "machinegun nest" at 202 Kolmar Ave. and a second at 4518 West End Ave. Presto was booked as an accessory, and on 1-29-31 the case was nolle prossed. Police entry.
- 1 October 1963 — Valachi testified (printed pp. 193–194) that "there was $5,000 a week coming from Chicago, Joe Aiello," which he learned "from being in the house with Maranzano," until Aiello was killed; he said "I didn't even know Joe Aiello." Earlier (printed p. 166) he said, "I never met Joe Aiello. I was told about Joe Aiello." Testimony.
- 2 October 1963 — Valachi (printed p. 214): "We lost one in Chicago, Joe Aiello. ... They told me Al Capone got him. I only can tell you what they told me at the time." Testimony, from hearsay.
The police entry gives his age as 39 in October 1930, which would put his birth about 1891; no record opened gives a birth date. “Kolmar” and “Prestigiocomo” are read from the page image of the exhibit.
The role line quotes the Chicago police entry. It is a police description, not a finding, and no family is set. Valachi’s statement that Capone “got him” is what he was told, and no one was charged in this record.
Records
itemHearing of October 1, 1963, pp. 193–195: how the war was paid for, and Exhibit No. 10, a Chicago police entry on the killing of Joseph Aiello, October 23, 1930Valachi testified that Tom Gagliano spent $140,000 on the war and that $5,000 a week came from Buffalo and $5,000 a week from Joe Aiello in Chicago. Exhibit No. 10, a photostat of a Chicago police entry, records that Aiello was killed by machine-gun fire in front of 205 N. Kolmar Ave. on October 23, 1930.
itemHearing of October 2, 1963, pp. 214–218: the "score" of the war, Maranzano's meeting on Washington Avenue ("the boss of all bosses, which is myself"), and the banquetValachi testified that the score was "we lost 1 and they lost from 40 to 60," described a meeting of 400 to 500 people in a hall on Washington Avenue in the Bronx where Maranzano declared himself "the boss of all bosses," named the bosses he recalled being designated there, and described a five-night banquet he understood raised $115,000. Testimony, not findings.
itemHearing of October 1, 1963, pp. 166–168: "All the Castellemarese were sentenced to death"; the Morello and Pinzolo killings as Valachi told themValachi testified that Masseria had condemned "all the Castellemarese" to death, that Peter Morello was killed "by the Maranzano group," and that the Maranzano and Gagliano sides then joined forces. Counsel put the dates of August 15 and September 9, 1930 from police records. Testimony, much of it hearsay.
clippingWashington Daily News, 15 February 1929, page 1: Fear seals the lips of those who saw Chicago killersThe Washington Daily News front page of 15 February 1929 carries a United Press story from Chicago saying fear kept witnesses and gang figures silent after the killing of seven men.