St. Louis Mafia Part 2

Retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins brings you the best in mob history with his unique perception of the mafia. In this episode of Gangland Wire, I discuss the unusual setup between the St. Louis Italian Mafia’s Tony Giordano and a Lebanese-Syrian mob family boss named James “Horseshoe Jimmy” Michaels, the former leader of the notorious Cuckoo Gang in St. Louis during Prohibition. Michaels had an agreement with the Italian Mafia, and they had a peaceful coexistence. However, after the death of St. Louis mafia Don Anthony “Tony G” Giordano, the Leisure family, half Syrian and half Lebanese, saw an opportunity to challenge Michaels and his organization. They blamed Michaels for not retaliating for the murder of one of their brothers years prior. The Leisures were involved in labor union racketeering, which was also a focus of Michaels’ organization. I explore the background of John Spica, an underling of Giordano with a criminal history, including murder. Giordano was grooming Spica for more significant things within the mafia. He was a rising star in the St. Louis mafia, and Giordano saw him as a surrogate son. Giordano’s trust in Spica was evident when he made him a part owner of a cigarette and amusement machine company. This episode sets the stage for the conflict between Horseshoe Jimmy Michaels and the Leisures and the internal power struggles within the St. Louis mafia. During his early days in prison, John Spica attempted to muscle in on the narcotics traffic, but other convicts quickly put him back in line. In 1979, he made a serious error in judgment by putting his loyalty to his prison buddy, Carl Spero, above his subservience to the Mafia. The Sparrow brothers were engaged in a deadly war with the Kansas City Mafia, and Spica’s actions were seen as a betrayal. Nick Civella, a member of the Mafia, demanded that Spica be murdered. However, Tony Giordano, a boss in the St. Louis family, believed Spica could still be valid and convinced Civella to spare his life. A sit-down was arranged between Spica and Civella to try and reconcile their differences, but the meeting did not go well, leading to tensions between St. Louis and Kansas City. A power struggle among the Syrians in the Laborers’ Union will cause problems. Giordano has appointed his nephew, Mike Trupiano, as president despite not having the interests of the working class at heart. Trupiano, known more for being a gambler, is seen as a bumbling mobster. A federal informant records Trupiano saying derogatory things about the rank and file, adding to his lack of respect. Tony G, suffering from cancer, is grooming Trupiano to take over as boss, but many doubt his ability to lead. To increase Italian influence and decrease Syrian influence in the union, a plan is launched to take money and power from Ray Flynn, a closer ally of the Syrians. Spica, already on edge from his troubles in Kansas City, openly discusses his plan to take out Flynn. Despite being assured of his safety by Giordano, Spica is killed in a car bombing. The murder sparks a war between the different crime families in St. Louis, particularly the Italian Mafia, the Syrian and Lebanese factions, and the Local ruled by Art Berne in Illinois. These families all have a stake in the lucrative construction contracts and control over influential labor unions. The power dynamics and conflicts within the St. Louis underworld will dominate headlines for years. In the final episode of our podcast, we delve into the cold case of the Spica bombing. This mafia murder has remained unsolved, with nobody coming forward to provide any leads. The hope is that someone involved in another case will confess to the murder, but that is unlikely. Over the years, it becomes apparent that Nick Civella is the prime suspect, and Paul Leisure is relying on this to avoid retaliation from the Italians. We also explore the story of Matthew Trupiano, a do-nothing boss,