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Jim Colosimo
Big Jim Colosimo was a Chicago mob boss who ran the Chicago Outfit, later named the Southside Gang.
Jim Colosimo was a petty theif in Chicago who rose to power by making certain political connections. His main form of income was prostitution and racketeering. He, at one time, owned 250 brothels and a couple restaurants in Chicago.
In 1909, Colosimo was being threatened by other Chicago gangs, so he made a call to Brooklyn, NY where he asked for his nephew, and New York crime boss John Torrio, to come to Chicago and be his second in command of his Chicago Outfit. 9 years later, Torrio would convince they needed help, so he sent out a call to brooklyn again and brought in a Torrio friend and New York petty theif Al Capone. Capone would quickly become Colosimos and Torrios underboss.
In 1920, prohibition had hit Chicago. Torrio tried to convince Colosimo that bootlegging would bring in more money but Colosimo refused. One day, Torrio told Colosimo that a shipment was coming into his restaurant and Colosimo went there to wait on it. While he waited, a gunman entered and shot and killed Colosimo. The case was never solved and a shooter was never found. Many theories have risen. One was that his wife had him killed for having an affair. The most logical one was that Torrio thought that Colosimo could not run the outfit anymore and had him assassinated. Many beleive that Capone was the gunman. Torrio would take over the outfit which would later be taken over by Capone.
Jim Colosimo is entombed at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, Il.
Jim Colosimo
Big Jim Colosimo was a Chicago mob boss who ran the Chicago Outfit, later named the Southside Gang.
Jim Colosimo was a petty theif in Chicago who rose to power by making certain political connections. His main form of income was prostitution and racketeering. He, at one time, owned 250 brothels and a couple restaurants in Chicago.
In 1909, Colosimo was being threatened by other Chicago gangs, so he made a call to Brooklyn, NY where he asked for his nephew, and New York crime boss John Torrio, to come to Chicago and be his second in command of his Chicago Outfit. 9 years later, Torrio would convince they needed help, so he sent out a call to brooklyn again and brought in a Torrio friend and New York petty theif Al Capone. Capone would quickly become Colosimos and Torrios underboss.
In 1920, prohibition had hit Chicago. Torrio tried to convince Colosimo that bootlegging would bring in more money but Colosimo refused. One day, Torrio told Colosimo that a shipment was coming into his restaurant and Colosimo went there to wait on it. While he waited, a gunman entered and shot and killed Colosimo. The case was never solved and a shooter was never found. Many theories have risen. One was that his wife had him killed for having an affair. The most logical one was that Torrio thought that Colosimo could not run the outfit anymore and had him assassinated. Many beleive that Capone was the gunman. Torrio would take over the outfit which would later be taken over by Capone.
Jim Colosimo is entombed at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, Il.