WARNING: EXPLICIT MATERIAL

Big Jim Colosimo

AKA:
Diamond Jim
Birth Name:
Vincenzo Colosimo
Birth Date:
February 16, 1878
Birth Place:
Colosimi, Calabria, Italy
Death Date:
May 11, 1920
Place of Death:
Colosimo Restaurant, 2126 S Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
Age:
42
Cause of Death:
Homicide - gunshot wounds
Cemetery Name:
Oak Woods Cemetery
Claim to Fame:
Crime and their Victims
James "Big Jim" Colosimo was the first organized crime leader in Chicago who ran a popular restaurant, Colosimo's Cafe, that was a hot spot for vice in Chicago. Colosimo built his empire on gambling, prostitution and load sharking. When Johnny Torrio, his second-in-command, suggested that Colosimo get into bootlegging - Colosimo said emphatically "No!" as he didn't want any attention drawn to the police. Torrio brought in hitman Frankie Yale and had him killed in his own restaurant. Torrio took over and made a then small-time hoodlum named Al Capone his #2 man to build up the bootlegging operation.

Fun Fact

Well that didn’t last long.

On January 24, 1925, Johnny Torrio was shot several times outside his home by Bugs Moran and Hymie Weiss, associates of the deceased Dion O’Bannion, whose death had been engineered by Torrio and Capone. Torrio survived and went on to serve several months in jail having been convicted of bootlegging (after being set up by O’Bannion). While in jail, Torrio effectively bequeathed Chicago to Capone and then, upon his release, ostensibly retired to Italy. Returning to live in New York, he invested profitably in real estate and helped create a bootlegging combine, becoming a close associate of Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and other bosses.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Oak Woods Cemetery

1035 E. 67th Street

Chicago, Illinois, 60637

USA

North America

Map:

Grave Location:

Section E4

Grave Location Description

His large tomb is located on Magnolia Road on the right as you are driving towards the lake.

Grave Location GPS

41.769446, -87.599257

Visiting The Grave:

Photos:

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Read More About Big Jim Colosimo:

Videos Featuring Big Jim Colosimo:
Mobster - Big Jim Colosimo
Mob Murder of Diamond Jim Colosimo
Mobster - Johnny "the Fox" Torrio
Mobster - Frankie Yale

See More:

Joseph Lonardo

popular name: Joseph Lonardo

date_of_death: October 13, 1927

age: 42

cause_of_death: Gunshot wounds from a mob hit

claim_to_fame: Crime and their Victims

best_know_for: "Big Joe" Lonardo (also known as "The Corn Sugar Baron") was the first ever crime boss of the Cleveland crime family. He and his brother John were murder by his own Underboss Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro.

Frank Lonardo

popular name: Frank Lonardo

date_of_death: October 19, 1929

age: 42

cause_of_death: Gunshot wounds from a mob hit

claim_to_fame: Crime and their Victims

best_know_for: One of four brothers that made up the Lonardo crime family, Frank was gunned down during a card game in the back of a downtown Cleveland barbershop years after the murder of his brothers Big Joe and John Lonardo. While the crime was never solved, it was generally understood that his murder was part of a plot to eliminate all the Lonardo brothers connected with the bootlegging racket and that Frank Alessi was involved in the planning of the execution.

John Lonardo

popular name: John Lonardo

date_of_death: October 13, 1927

age: 29

cause_of_death: Gunshot wounds from a mob hit

claim_to_fame: Crime and their Victims

best_know_for: Part of the Lonardo crime family, John was gunned down with his brother "Big Joe" Lonardo (who at the time was the first ever crime boss of the Cleveland crime family)

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