GangRule - organized crime in NYC and in Boston

June 24, 2003 5:29 AM

GangRule - the history of organized crime in New York City. A growing database of photos, biographies, newspaper clippings and family trees from 1890 on. And for the godfather trackers among us, there's also Boston Mafia, which includes the history of a notorious contemporary fugitive, lately in the news via testimony from his brother, Billy Bulger.
posted by madamjujujive (8 comments total)

See also Jerry Capeci's ganglandnews
posted by magullo at 5:49 AM on June 24, 2003

[ciò è buona]. [ciò è molto buona].

Grazie, signora bella!
posted by iconomy at 6:13 AM on June 24, 2003

This is nice. I am re-inspired to put together a page on the Westies, as there doesn't seem to be a decent one out there.

If there is, someone please point it out and save me the trouble.
posted by sklero at 6:20 AM on June 24, 2003

Just for clarification, Whitey Bulger was never part of the Mafia. For a time his gang (the Winter Hill Gang) were on cordial terms with the Anguilo crime family in Boston (the Boston/RI Mob), which Whitey used to essentially hand them over to the FBI. Whitey was basically just a thug. I realize your link was to a gangs database and you didn't say explicitly that Whitey was part of the Mob, but the BostonMafia link might give some people the wrong impression.

I used to work for and rent an apartment from one of the Anguilo brothers (the one that didn't get nicked) and I have to say that I'm sorry the New England Mob got double-crossed the way they did. Another interesting point, Whitey Bulger was the brother of William Bulger, the former president of the Massachusetts State Senate, and current (but for how long?) president of the University of MA. I find it fascinating that both of them could rise to the top of their "trades" coming from the same genetic pool -- perhaps the will to power was strong in that family.

There are some really great books about the FBI's "deal with the devil" with Whitey Bulger including Deadly Alliance and my personal fave, Black Mass.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:37 AM on June 24, 2003

Thanks for the clarification and fascinating added info, Civil_Disobedient...I am compiling my summer reading list. so your suggestions may come in handy. The breaking William Bulger story will be interesting to follow, and I agree, the story of the two brothers and their rise to the top in their respective fields of endeavor is most interesting.

magullo and sklero, thanks also for your links.
And hi iconomy! I am not too fluent in Italian beyond a phrase or two like capo di tutti capi.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:53 AM on June 24, 2003

I second the recommendation of Black Mass.
posted by yerfatma at 8:29 AM on June 24, 2003

Great stuff [as per usual - thanks].
posted by plep at 8:49 AM on June 24, 2003

Good link but it only covers the Italian gangs. Where's the gangland love for the Jews and Irish?
posted by PenDevil at 9:07 AM on June 24, 2003