Tag: Palermo

  • The Extraordinary History of New Orleans’ Mafia, Part 2

    The Extraordinary History of New Orleans’ Mafia, Part 2

    When we left off in Part 1, tensions were rising between two factions of the Italian mob in New Orleans. Police chief David Hennessy was making progress in mediating peace between the sides, but ultimately fell short when, in 1890, he was shot dead. Non-Italians in the Crescent City were furious. Two hundred and fifty…

  • The Extraordinary History of New Orleans’ Mafia, Part 1

    The Extraordinary History of New Orleans’ Mafia, Part 1

    Speakeasies are all the rage these days. New Orleans has one downtown, below the Orpheum Theater, called “Double Dealer.” It’s a throwback to the 1920s, when shady characters with memorable nicknames (think national figures such as “Scarface,” “Lucky Lucciano,” and “Ice Pick Willie”) illegally provided Prohibition-weary New Orleanians with the booze they so badly wanted.…