The man once known as the vice king of Hamtramck was born in the fall of 1886 in southern Sicily. The LaMare's christened the fourth of their twelve children Caesar after the legendary Roman leader. Young Ceasar received very little formal schooling picking up what little book knowledge he possessed from his mother and the village priest. At the age of sixteen, an ambitious and venturesome LaMare began planning a trip to the shores of America where he was certain a better way of life awaited him than the one he would live should he remain in the land of his birth.
LaMare was processed through Ellis Island in 1902 and settled amoung a host of follow countrymen in an area known as Mulberry Bend on Manhatten Island. LaMare found work as a warehouseman in a wholesale fruit dealers warehouse. It would take four years before young Ceasar LaMare began ringing up a string of arrests for typically petty crimes like theft and investigation "once for assault and another for battery". Inspite of his frequent run-ins with the law, Caesar escaped the taint of a conviction. Caesar stuck with his job in the fruit warehouse earning an eventual promotion and the title of foreman shortly before packing up and relocating to the windy city in 1910.
The Windy City Years
With his reputation as an underworld tough guy Caesar relocated to Chicago in 1910. With his experience and knowledge of the wholesale fruit industry the young man had no trouble securing a job upon his arrival. Shortly after his windy city transfer, Caesar began running errands for Tony Lombardo a powerful aide to Mike Merlo the head of the local chapter of the Unione Sicilione. LaMare endeared himself to Lombardo by displaying a willingness to blindly follow any and every order bestowed upon him by his superior.
So deep was the afection Lombardo held for LaMare that he was once quoted as saying, "Chet could be counted on to do what he was told to do." LaMare added only one entry to his rap sheet during his time in Chicago when he was booked and fingered printed on a larceny charge. The case was eventually dropped before the matter went to court but it wasn't long after this that LaMare departed Chicago for the motor city but not before he made a stop in New Orleans. LaMare spent but a precious few months in New Orleans where he claims he was sent in 1914 by Merlo and Lombardo to organize a social club. LaMare made claims of serving in the military during World War I in an effort to account for his whereabouts from 1914 untill he made his motor city debut in 1918.
Motor City Madness
Chester LaMare spent his early years in Detroit toiling as a nondescript gunman for Tony and Sam Gianolla. A Sicilian native with grand plans for the future, LaMare's lack of influence within the Gianolla gang did not stop him from dreaming of the day when he to would enjoy the wealth and prestige of his bosses. LaMare saw his oppurtunity when John Vitale "a former member of the Gianolla gang," broke away and started his own faction. LaMare always thinking of his future, broke rank and defected to the Vitale gang.
Initially this move looked like a mistake as Vitale loyalist came under a blistering attack from the Gianolla's. LaMare was one of those targeted for death and narrowly escaped an ambush before locking himself away in his home. Vitale sought to reafirm the commitment of his troops offering several lucrative areas of operation as reward for their loyalty in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. LaMare's bold move paid off when Vitale forces managed to eliminate both Sam and Tony Gianolla in 1919. Vitale provided LaMare with the oppurtunity to acheive all he had been dreaming of naming him overlord of Hamtramck Michigan. LaMare built an organization centered around his top lieutenants Joe Marino and Leonardo Cellura.
The King of Hamtramck
LaMare hit Hamtramck at a time when prohibition was in full swing, he quickly unleashed a plan which would make him the undisputed king of that cities beer and liquor market. LaMare forces sent word out to all independent opeartors that they would have to relinquish conrol of their operations or pay Big Chet an operators fee. Those who refused to fall in line were disposed of in a fashion which sent a message to all others thinking of holding out. The harsh tactics employed by LaMare and his gang proved highly successful as they in less than a years time accomplished their goal.
Just when things were looking up for LaMare his sponsor John Vitale was shot down in the streets of Detroit by members of the revitalized Gianolla forces. With Vitale dead LaMare sought to assure his future and willing came to an agreement with Sam Catalanotte the new head of the Siclian underworld which allowed him to keep his Hamtramck empire entact in exchange for a promise to keep the peace in Detroit. Chester was all to happy to ablige and went about conducting his business without fear of reprisal from the many gunmen still smarting over his defection from the Gianolla fold. With peace restored in the underworld, LaMare devoted his time and attention to setting up several popular and profitable night spots in Hamtramck high lighted by the Venice Cafe a higly successful venture in which he shared ownership with Leo Cellura.
nbsp; LaMare's fortunes soared as he shook down local brothels and gambling houses while continuing to muscle in on local bootlegging operations. Like any good racketeer, LaMare sought to insure the continuation of his good fortune by paying tribute to those in political office. Hamtramck became well known for it's corrupt politicians and local law enforcement officers that it took the power of Michigan Govenor Alex Grossbeck to break the strangle hold. Grossbeck dispatched the Michigan state police force into Hamtramck to clean up the crime and vice.
Chester LaMare's Venice Cafe was targeted and closed in 1922. LaMare managed to stave off prosecution for 4 years before entering a guilty plea in 1926. In a time when a grandmother was sentenced to life in prison for selling a pint of whiskey, LaMare showed up in court and poured on the charm. By all accounts LaMare could be extremely charming when he wasn't scheming, plotting or cheating someone. His intellect was above average and he was well spoken. Of course the large bills in his wallet didn't hurt either as he walked out of court with a probationary sentence after originally receiving a year in federal prison. This would be the only blemish on an otherwise sterling underworld record. Govenor Grossbeck's efforts resulted in the prosecution of 31 local officials including Hamtramck's mayor Peter C. Jezewski. This episode proved just how resilient LaMare could be as he brushed aside the loss of one cash cow and quickly established another.
LaMare And The Ford Motor Company
The notoriety of LaMare's underworld escapades brought him to the attention of Harry Bennett the unofficial securtity for The Ford Motor Company. Bennett had a long history of associating with racketeers and can be considered as something of a syndicate groupie. The circumstances surrounding the merger of these two men has been lost with the passage of time but what is known is that LaMare was awarded two lucrative deals with Ford which were made possible by his association with Harry Bennett. It was Bennett who awarded LaMare Crescent Motor Sales Company as well as a fruit concession at Ford's River Rouge Plant. Both of these contracts were key to legitimizing Chester LaMare following his close call in 1926. Authorities placed a net worth of $215,000,000 on LaMare's rackets kingdom in 1928. The River Rouge contract was described as a license to print money and was not unlike the deal given to Joe Tocco a known friend of LaMare's from the down river area.
LaMare and the Decline of the Purple Gang
Chester LaMare was the prime suspect in no fewer than 7 members of the Oakland Sugar House gang and it's off shoot the notorious Purple gang after the gang began robbing and kidnapping members of his gang in 1924. LaMare was even spotted during on raid upon the Oakland Sugar House gangs headquarters which resulted in the death of young Sol Conrad and the wounding of several innocent bystanders. LaMare was picked up after someone claimed to have seen him through the curtain of the large touring car from which the onslaught came. Officers picked up LaMare and held him for 24 hours untill he was released without being charged. The assault LaMare released upon the Sugar House Gang deprived the upstart gangsters of their top leaders which coupled with several high profile murders led to the demise of the gang by the end of the '30s.
Alliances formed by LaMare
The animosities between Chester LaMare and Eastside Mob leader Angelo Meli went back to the time LaMare deserted the Gianolla gang in favor of John Vitale's insurgent forces in 1919. Meli at the time an up and coming gunman had been apart of a failed attempt on LaMare which had resulted in the shooting of innocent bystanders. LaMare never forgot nor forgave Meli for his role in the shooting but was forced to work hand and hand with Meli's gang under the peace alliance setup by Sam Catalanotte. While remaining independent LaMare, Meli and all other Sicilian organizations paid tribute to Catalanotte.
LaMare's contact with Sam, led to a close working relationship being forged with Sam's younger brother Joe who was a convicted narcotics trafficker. In conjunction with Joe Catalanotte and Joe Tocco from downriver, LaMare invested in several narcotics shipments which were smuggled into Detroit by way of Canada by Angelo Meli or a second smuggling ring headed by the Licavoli brothers.
Fallout From The Death of Sam Catalanotte
The sudden and unexpected death of Sam Catalanotte on February 14, 1930 at the age of 35 left the Sicilian underworld in a vulnerable position. For nearly ten years, the strength, personality and bargaining power of Catalanotte had enforced an uneasy peace amoung power hungry wolves. With him out of the way, a full scale war for total control was expected to break out between Meli and LaMare. While all sides attended the the memorial service of the fallen gang lord, the tensions ran high as the line was drawn in the sand.
The Unified kingdom run by Sam Catalanotte soon fractured with Angelo Meli standing on one side counting amoung his allies, Joe Zerilli, Black Bill Tocco and the Licavoli brothers. LaMare shockingly chose instead to support Sam's younger brother Joe in his bid for supremacy in the Detroit Sicilian colony. Joe Catalanotte was well known for his penchant for violence and coupled with his friendships with Joe Tocco and Chester LaMare provided Angelo Meli with a dangerous adversary. Catalanotte demonstrated his brand of leadership shortly after his brother's death by participating if not instigating several high profile murders and shootings including the attack on police inspector Garvin and the murder of Gerald Buckley popular radio personality for WMBC.
While many placed the blame on both of these shootings with the Licavoli gang, no one could dispute the presence of the Buckley murder weapon nestled amoung an arsenal of weapons found in a July raid of Catalanotte's Grosse Pointe mansion. At the time of the raid, Catalanotte was wanted for the murders of Barney Roth and Johnny Mietz two men suspected of being police informants. The raid occured during a time when underworld tension were running high over the shooting of Gaspar Milazzo and his bodyguard at the Vernor Fish Market on May 31st. Inspite of Catalanotte's stature, the blame for these murders fell upon the head of LaMare who was immediately targeted for death.
Fallout with Black Leo Cellura
Chester LaMare and Leo Cellura had been friends and business partners since the earliest years of the '20s. They had shared many business interests over the years included the profitable Venice Cafe in Hamtramck. Cellura was known as a heavy trafficker of liquor and narcotics. While listed as LaMare's cheif aide Cellura established his own smuggling operation working closely with the River gang and other downriver racketeers. LaMare jealously eyed this profitable venture and longed for an oppurtunity to cut himself in for a larger take than the token tribute he received from Leo.
LaMare got his chance when Cellura was named along with Pete Licavoli, Joe Bommarito and Joe Massei in an indictment for attempting to bribe a U.S. Customs agent. Cellura got wind of the pending indictment and went on the lamb escaping Detroit by way of Windsor Ontario, Canada. Cellura remained out of circulation for more than a year and a half. During this time he was shocked and dismayed by news he received from Detroit stating that LaMare his old partner was attempting to squeeze him out of the smuggling racket.
Incensed by the betrayal of a man he had spilled blood for on more than one occassion, Black Leo left the LaMare fold and joined up with his smuggling partners the Licavolis. The addition of Cellura to this already powerful organization made the Licavoli gang one of the most feared in the city. The Licavoli's employed a crack team of shooters and were not afraid to turn them loose in a time of crisis. Cellura returned to Detroit a member of the Licavoli gang and issued a warning to his old pal to lay off.
LaMare familiar with the capabilities of Cellura heeded the warning but began making forays against Cellura once again when Black Leo was forced to go on the lamb after the shooting death of two Chicago dope peddlers outside of the LaSalle Hotel on July 3,1930. LaMare was emboldened when Cellura's name came up again 20 days later in connection with the murder of popular radio personality Gerald Buckley in the lobby of the same LaSalle Hotel. LaMare's push into the smuggling racket resulted in an all out war which threatened to bloom into an affair to rival that of the Gianolla/Vitale war a dozen years before. With law enforcement officials lurking about and enemies on his coat tail "Sam Zarpardi a LaMare supporter was shot and killed on May 22nd by two gunmen who entered his store," Chester LaMare sent word to Angelo Meli that he wished to meet with him, Joe Zerilli and Black Bill Tocco in an effort to hash out their disputes. The meeting was set for noon on May 31, 1930. The location was the Vernor Fish Market located at 2739 East Vernor Avenue in Detroit.
The Vernor Fish Market Murder
Meli accepted the offer of a sitdown with LaMare but suspecting a trap arranged for Gaspar Milazzo to attend in place of himself and the other three gang leaders. Milazzo had been a close friend of Sam Catalanotte and was respected amoung Detroit racketeers for his ability to reason much like the departed king. Milazzo agreed to attend in Meli's place with the full authority to work any deal he felt fair on behalf of the Eastside Mob. Statements given by Milazzo's bodyguard Sam Parrino read as such, "I met Gaspar at the market for lunch," Parino goes on to say that the two men were escourted to a table in the rear of the market by the stores owner Phil Guastello.
Parino went on to say that as he and Miazzo were eating two unidentified men entered the room and without saying a word opened fire on the diners with shotguns. Milazzo the apparent target of the shooting was hit in the head with several slugs and died instantly, his bodyguard Parino received wounds to his chest, adomen and right arm. He was taken to Detroit's receiving hospital where he was questioned about the incident by assistant prosecuting attorney John D. Watts but refused to comment as to the purpose of the meeting he and Milazzo were attending. Investigators later released information that the meeting most likely involved narcotics as information had been received linking the Vernor Fish Market to several tubs of frozen fish loaded with narcotics which had made it's way into Detroit recently.
While law enforcement scrambled to find out the particulars of the shootingl, Angelo Meli swore revenge against those responsible for the betrayal. Over the next month, 15 men most of whom were connected to Chester LaMare and Joe Catalanotte were gunned down. LaMare immediately left town and hid out in New York where he was protected by several influential racketeers there. Joe Catalanotte locked himself in the mansion he had inherited from his brother Sam at 808 Rivard in Grosse Pointe Village and may have had his life saved by a raid conducted by several local agencies including the fire department which resulted in his arrest and the confiscation of 54 firearms several of which had been used in recent murders.
On The Run
LaMare cautiously in and out of Detroit usually under the cover of darkness in an effort to escape his foes. LaMare's abscense became the topic of regular news stories which often questioned his courage for running out after sparking the fuse which ignited the deadly battle. Reports of a kidnapping involving Chester's 21 year old son Nicholas resulted in an interview by his second wife Anna which appeared in the Detroit News on October 3, 1930. Mrs LaMare vehemently denied that young Nick had been kidnapped instead explanning his abscense was due to the fact that he was attending college in the west.
8 days later a second story ran in the Detroit news announcing Chester LaMare Quits Detroit Again. The story ended with the announcement "no truce can be reached between the rival racketeers as long as LaMare is in Detroit." This statement along with a quote by an unidentified source which reads "If he is found here, he will go the hard way." Following this story it was generally beleived that Detroit had seen the last of Chester LaMare.
The Ultimate Betrayal
The October news stories announcing LaMare's departure from Detroit turned out to be false. In fact the stubborn gang leader had purchased a spacious home at 15305 Grandville Avenue in the city of Detroit at about the same time as the stories began to appear. LaMare had surrounded himself with several armed men and appeared publicly with only the most trusted of these men. Apparently oblivious to the determination of Meli to see him in his grave, LaMare travelled about in the company of Elmer Macklin and Joe Amico who had taken the place of Joe Marino "the most important aide to LaMare after the death of Joe Marino in an accidental shooting in September of 1930," and the defection of Leo Cellura three years before.
Meli with the help of Cellura and possibly with the blessing of Joe Catalanotte reached out to Amico tried and acquitted as one of the shooters in the Fish Market Murder with an offer of redemption. Amico and Macklin agreed to put their boss on the spot in exchange for all being forgiven concerning their involvement with LaMare and the subsequent war. Both men agreed and layed out a plan which was excecuted on February 6, 1931 in LaMare's home.
LaMare Murdered
An arrest warrant had been issued for Chester LaMare on the very night he would be murdered. Investigators learned that LaMare would be at the home on Grand Avenue the following day and planned to raid the place in an effort to gain evidence for an on going grand jury probe looking into the activities of the rackets leader. The appearance of LaMare at the home was "according to LaMare's wife Anna," the first time he had been home since January 27th. Anna stated that she left the house in the company of Tony Marino and drove upon Chester's request to Conners and Harper Avenues before returning home.
Invetigators learned that Chester remained at the house accompanied by two men "who were later identified from finger prints left on glasses found in the kitchen as Joe Amico and Elmer Macklin." Mrs LaMare stated that Chester was alone when she left and she was unaware if he was expecting anyone. Investigators later learned that LaMare was sitting at his kitchen table talking with Amico when Macklin fired two shots from behind LaMare striking the hulking gang lord behind ear killing him instantly. Officers were called to the LaMare home shortly after Mrs. LaMare returned from her trip and were shocked to find the wanted gangland cheif sprawled on his kitchen floor. Amico and Macklin were later tried and acquitted in LaMare's death.
