Sometimes known as the "Velvet Glove," Sam held considerable criminal and political influence in Southeast Texas and soon expanded his empire throughout the state.
21 Facts About Sam Maceo
1.
2.
Salvatore V Maceo was born in Palermo, Sicily to Vito Maceo and Angelina Sansone in 1894.
3.
Sam Maceo had three brothers, Rosario, Vincent, and Frank.
4.
In 1901 the Sam Maceo family immigrated to Leesville, Louisiana in the United States.
5.
Sam Maceo moved to Galveston in 1910, shortly before World War I, to start a business with his brother Rose.
6.
Sam Maceo allied himself with local gang leader and power broker Ollie Quinn and opened a speakeasy.
7.
Sam Maceo came to be an extremely powerful figure in both organised crime and city, county and state politics, with the support and blessing of prominent figures throughout the United States.
8.
Sam Maceo's power reached its zenith during Galveston's open era during which he became a very powerful political figure and oil businessman, owning the Gulf Oil Properties.
9.
Additionally, during this time period, Sam Maceo came to dominate corrupt politics, bootlegging and narcotics trafficking as far north as Dallas.
10.
Once, Capone sent Nitti, a former associate of Sam Maceo, to invest in Galveston operations.
11.
In 1937 federal charges were filed against Sam Maceo who was accused of being the mastermind of a nationwide narcotics trafficking scheme.
12.
Sam Maceo was released on bail and fought extradition to New York.
13.
Sam Maceo became a major investor in the Desert Inn, which opened in 1950, the largest and most elaborate casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip at the time.
14.
Moe Dalitz, who opened the Desert Inn, and Sam and had long been allies and business partners, and financing of the Las Vegas project was largely facilitated by the Maceos and Moodys through the ANICO.
15.
Sam and Rose Maceo transferred controlling interest of most of their Galveston empire to a new group dominated by the Fertitta family with investments coming from business interests around the island.
16.
Sam Maceo died of cancer in 1951 at Johns Hopkins Hospital, just after the opening of the Desert Inn.
17.
Sam Maceo later remarried to Edna Marie Sedgwick, a ballet dancer from Rhode Island in 1941.
18.
Indeed, Sam Maceo was never allowed to join the local country club, a mark of acceptance among leading families.
19.
Sam Maceo was influential with politicians, business leaders, and Hollywood celebrities alike.
20.
Sam Maceo was known for favoring local companies when hiring contractors for the syndicate.
21.
Sam Maceo donated heavily to the church and to local charities.