Anthony D'Andrea was a Democrat and a political leader who was a president of the Unione Siciliana and was involved in a heated battle for alderman.
22 Facts About Anthony D'Andrea
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In 1897, Anthony D'Andrea immigrated to the United States, briefly settling in Buffalo, New York.
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Anthony D'Andrea later attended seminary at St Mary's Academy in Baltimore and St Bonaventura's Academy in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
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In June, 1899, D'Andrea moved to Chicago, where he was ordained a priest and appointed pastor of St Anthony's Italian Catholic Church under Bishop Antoni Kozlowski.
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In Chicago, Anthony D'Andrea met a young German woman, Carolina "Lena" Wagner.
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Anthony D'Andrea fell in love with Lena, left the priesthood, and married her in Milwaukee.
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Anthony D'Andrea suspected that the people who sheltered Lena after her parents' deaths were holding her.
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Now that he was no longer a priest, Anthony D'Andrea decided to become a teacher of modern languages.
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At some point, Anthony D'Andrea became involved with the Mafia, either in Sicily or the United States.
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In 1902, soon after his marriage, Anthony D'Andrea was arrested as the leader of a counterfeiting gang.
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Anthony D'Andrea was convicted in Chicago and sent to Joliet State Prison.
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Anthony D'Andrea continued to work as a translator while increasing his power within the Mafia.
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In 1911, Anthony D'Andrea co-owned a company with Martin Merlo, a brother of close associate Mike Merlo, at 20 East 31st Street in Chicago.
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That same year Joseph D'Andrea was elected president of Local 286 of the International Hod Carriers' Building and Construction Union.
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Joseph died shortly thereafter and Anthony D'Andrea became the new local president.
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Gentile persuaded Anthony D'Andrea to allow Paolinello to join the Pittsburgh crime family.
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In 1916, Anthony D'Andrea ran for the office of alderman in the so-called "Bloody Nineteenth" ward of Chicago.
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In 1919, Anthony D'Andrea became president of the Chicago head chapter of the Unione Siciliana, a charitable organization dedicated to helping poor Sicilian immigrants.
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However, Anthony D'Andrea used the Union as another means to increase his political base.
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Anthony D'Andrea then decided to run again for alderman against Powers.
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Anthony D'Andrea was popular with the Italian community, and this led to the so-called Aldermen's Wars.
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The violence reached such a point that Anthony D'Andrea condemned it and dropped out of the race.