The Observer

UNDERWORLD SENDS A MESSAGE IN THE WAKE OF JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PROSECUTIONS

"We had em on the ropes," was the candid assessment offered by New York Assistant Chief of Police Gilroy in the wake of the declaration of a state of emergency from Washington amid the storm of press activity surrounding press revelations that crime rates have begun to soar across the US.

"August 2nd 1937 should have went down in history as the day that the mob was crippled forever. Now we've had to return to Washington, hat in hand and begging for a second special powers act to be submitted to Congress. Everyone in the law enforcement community knows that without this bill being passed, we'll lose all the initiative in the fight against organised crime."
As de facto spokesman for the law enforcement community of the entire eastern seaboard outside of Federal jurisdiction, many argue Gilroy has a point. What was billed as "an historic day" on August 2nd is fast becoming a foot-note in history.

It was in the early summer of 1937 that President Franklin D Roosevelt revealed that the cabinet was working on drawing up a budget that would allocate funding to fight organised crime. An initial figure of 75 million dollars was considered a starting point. In the wake of debates on prohibition, the US economy and US foreign policy the announcment faded away to obscurity.

Only the total failure of efforts by Crackpot District Attorney Jim-Garrison in fighting the mob left any indication that central government and the Federal authorities were taking the issue of organised crime seriously. That is until the 2nd of August, whereupon a secretly convened Grand Jury saw fit to grant prosecutions in respect of the entire mob leadership of the United States. When the authorities hit, they hit hard, in a manner that had even civil liberterians shocked.

In the hastily convened trials, Las Vegas Don MrValentine was found guilty on multiple counts and received a sentence totalling over 5000 years, ending the seemingly untouchable Don's reign at the top. Joining Mr Valentine in the can were multiple top Bosses including Cherry, Wes The Bull, Lefty2Guns, LaMadrina and many more. Newspaper Editors considered in the pocket of the criminals including CarmelaDeAngelis, Randle McMurphy and the entire staffs of the Tribune, Mafia Gazette and New York Times joined their Mafia patrons in receiving life sentences, along with disgraced DA Jim-Garrison, Baron Von Mannsechs, a member of the English Aristocracy and wealthy citizen Mad-dog.

Scattered as they are throughout various Supermax penitentiaries across the US, even those not under 23 hour solitary confinement are expected never to be seen again by the general public. All visitation rights were suspended without exception. None of them can ever expect to be released.

Valentine of course, was the big fish. In a career that began as a hack at the Tribune, he rose to prominence on the West Coast with the slaying of the murderous John-Milton, a feared mobster from Chicago who made his own name when he knocked off Las Vegas Captain Bertone. "MrV" as he was known to his friends, took advantage of a long war of attrition, an already established Los Angeles power base and the lucrative cocaine trade to make his name. Operating largely under the noses of the authorities he rose to occupy a position as a Mafia Don, operating principally in the West coast cities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas. However, nationally, nothing could be done without his authorisation.

His top hitter LaMadrina was one of many buffer zones between numerous feared Mafia hitmen and the boss. LaMadrina herself was rumoured to have taken out Franchetti Captain Aldo_DePalma and rumors persist that Valentine was responsible for the assassination of Miami kingpin JackCarter whose long reign ended at the hands of sleeper subordinate Roy_DeMeo, himself shot dead by Mafia Captain Bailey. In a dirty world, "MrV" was the top dog. But it all came tumbling down on August 2nd.

The prosecutions was billed as a: "Night of the long knives" for the Mafia. The mob had been caught totally unawares and although some became fugitives with moderate success, most of the upper structure of the mob was decapitated in one blow when the arrests were made in the early hours of the morning. Newspaper photos the next day depicted Valentine and many others being led away with dozens of officers, dressed only in their dressing gown and slippers. MrValentine's own slippers with the yellow crowns stitched in were later sold at auction along with many more of his possessions in an effort to meet his legal costs and subsequent 50 million dollar fine imposed in the wake of his conviction.

Mayor of Los Angeles Goldie Wilson said of the trials and subsequent convictions: "It put a real nice wrapping on a sordid period in our nation's history. For the better part of two years lies, criminality and murder were the staple diet for the average American living in the big cities. How did it go wrong? You'll have to ask someone else that question."
Dr Crippen, who provided forensic evidence for the prosecution in several dozen of the trails had this to say: "I have probably conducted autopsies on at least a thousand corpses. Even more if you count the family line of Randle_McMurphy and even more again when you consider those who insisted on travelling to New York. When the goverment went back on their promises of zero tolerance on crime for ever more, they signed off on giving me a busy season. Forever."
Dr Crippen of course, was referring to the infamous New York lockdown, operated by the Conceptualists.

So Prohibition stayed and Special Powers went. Did the government make a mistake? Atlanta Senator Harry Peterson seemed to think so: "What we have here is a white-wash. Special powers reduced crime, took the Bosses off the streets and paralysed the soldiers on the ground. Anyone who could exert influence was put in a cell. Going back on special powers sent a clear message that crime would go up. And when it did, the goverment suspended travel amid this ridiculously reactionary State of Emergency. I haven't seen a better example of expedient administration than this Roosevelt Administration."

So the Bosses are gone but the young up and coming hoodlums remain, free from Special Powers. Will they make the most of it? Detective Lieutenant Barry Haydu of the NYPD seems to think so: "Zero tolerance has been proven to work. In removing it, the federal government is allowing the crime syndicates to build. Our best estimates had put them on a time-frame of two years to start producing some really big names. I only ever knew of two Don's, a handful of Consigliere's and then the Bosses. Make no mistake, these street gangs have their eyes on the big prize. Drawing up old spheres of influence might not be guaranteed, but given that they know the turf, it's expected, certainly by law enforcement."
Esteemed Mafia author John H Woodhead had this to say about the withdrawl of Special Powers: "While law enforcement despises this decision and citizens are understandably bracing themselves for a return to the violent days of old, the entire episode holds a certain fascination for the academic. I can't give you an answer on what the President was thinking in going back on a mandate that got him elected, but the question now remains, will organised crime learn from it's mistakes or repeat them? The ASDA crime family along with the Conceptualists are things of the past but the legacy of both lives on. The Conceptualists utterly and ruthlessly dominated New York. Had they capitalised on the drugs trade, would the course of Mafia history have changed? Did the lack of a strong middle way in the central, southern and mid-western cities fuel the fire of the idea of costal warfare? Did cities such as Chicago, Miami, Denver and Dallas waste opportunities to usurp and replace the old regimes? ASDA essentially merged with Las Vegas and when they became entrenched in the west coast drugs trade, it was no longer a case of adhering to treaties of old. It was the end game."
The past is the past of course. Many famous mobsters have come and gone. For the new generation in a land of opportunity, the question is now being asked, who is going to step up? With the goverment having pitched, it's now the turn of the Mafia to hit.

MONEY TALKS: STREET GANGS, STREET MONEY, STREET RULES

"The goverment withdrawing Special Powers clearly has an, as yet, unidentifiable aim. With the old Mafia Dons swept away, juvenile facilities, gyms, pool halls and the streets have become the new places to find the new leaders for the new era. Yet as quickly as they rise, they fall. The withdrawal of Special Powers has already seen the deaths of five Street Bosses including Grimey, Liverpool, FrankLucas, Pale_Rider and Contessa. Many more continue to run their crews and do business. While some prefer inoffensive methods of making money such as horse-trading, betting tri-fectas and drugs, many more are fast becoming stick-up men, leg-breakers, muggers and hired muscle. The stolen car trade continues to exist while it is rumored that certain fees paid to the right people can shorten many prison terms for the discerning customer. Street Bosses are now operating out of New York, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Miami and Los Angeles.

What is next? Well in a world of no rules, the next logical step is get noticed by the Godfathers. Promotion to Made Man may make an individual a target, but as prestige goes, it takes things to another level. A Made Man with a force of Earners and Wise Guys behind him can be expected to subdue even the toughest adversary from the street if he or she applies themself. The questions really are, who is going to step up and how long can they stay up there for? Many Street Bosses have come to the streets announcing their gangs. In times gone by, this was not considered a smart move, As hard as it may seem to believe, it would be more surprising if people out there DON'T have lists of gangs currently operating. If you plan to eliminate your competition, wouldn't you? Likewise the role of the citizen has been maximised. A citizen now has the power to fund guns. With no particular individuals having yet earned reputation as a feared gun, this aspect cannot be overlooked. Meanwhile many of those citizens not funding their own personal hitsquads can be expected to eventually get their own hands dirty when they have garnered enough influence and cash to take a run at the big chair.

Mugging of course, never fails to disappoint. The average hood can now be realistically taken for big bucks by the opportunistic thief. While many families, gangs and groupings have a policy of retribution, they differ greatly in terms of ability to carry it out. The same jailhouse banter exists but new immigrants would be hard-pressed to tell who is worth barracking and who is best left alone in the prison yard. Many old famous names and family lines are unrecognisable and like a kettle full of boiling water, they can burn the fingers of those taken off-guard.

As in times past, expect diplomats. For whatever reason, some gangs and groupings will favor working together. With war being bad for business and in the effort to hold gangs together, gangs may work together. In times of smaller tight-knit groupings or cells, ammunition and mass immigration, this may prove more successful than it ever did before.
To conclude, only one rule is certain right now. There are no rules.

BODYGUARD OF THE WEEK

It was with some trepidation that the ABU or "American Bodyguard Union" returned to the streets to engage in their humble profession in the pursuit of a few honest dollars in a violent world. Hoodlums weren't exactly happy themselves, as most of the Union members were in hiding, principally to avoid having to work with the late hoodlum Eluu.

The widespread return of bodyguards across the cities of America has not been without a catch however and the days in which a man was only as strong as his bodyguard contingent appear to be fading fast. Reports have emerged of Bodyguards refusing to work for certain hoodlums, probably to avoid certain death. It is debatable if this trend will continue to encompass Made members of the Mafia. Los Angeles Boss Bugsy_Siegel was known to be accompanied by as many as 45 bodyguards into battle, most notably when he breached the New York lockdown single-handedly in an effort to kill the ranking structure of New York and cripple the chief rivals of Los Angeles. Miami's Albert-Neri was never known to go out of his office with less than 10 bodyguards, when he even went out at all. And Dallas Don Puck was reportedly hit through as many as 15 bodyguards in what could have been known as" The magic bullet." While these trends emphasise the importance of bodyguards to ranked members of the Mafia, this latest development may suggest an end to this trend.

Anyone can get lucky. To use the old cliche: "You can kill anyone." Consequently ranked Mafia members have to be on their guard against anyone, particularly if they have many bodyguards when they attack. If bodyguards aren't serving certain hoodlums, who else are they refusing to work for? And will this lessen the amount of potential dangers to future Made Men and above? And will this in turn effect the economy, allowing the Mafia to accumulate more money to fund their main wars as and when necessary? Only time will tell.

Max Columbo was in the running for bodyguard of the week, but sadly his inability to protect Eluu or himself for that matter, ensurely that The Observer erred on the side of caution in naming Dannny Briegel bodyguard of the week, placing him early in the running for a posthumous bodyguard of the year award.

DOWN AT THE STABLES

It was with eager anticipation that The Observer took some premium seats at the track to watch a few races. Among the faces spotted at the days gambling included Maddog, Chuckie, BlackFog and Bailey. Slippery Cop did law enforcement and owner Emma-Lynn proud by winning Thursday's 1am race, while old faithful Champagne Emerald cantered to victory in the 3am lineup. Why are these horses racing in the dead of night? We have no idea but it makes for a fantastic evening. Mad-Dog Enterprises horse Twisted Thunder romped home at 2:59am while Platinum crusader did wealthy metals proud by taking the 12am race. Chocolate Bubble eased out Drunk Democrat in the 4:30am, proving that as far as democrats go, choclate is always preferred to inebriation and giving the celebrated stables of Blackfog yet another rosette to celebrate. At this point our reporter left the track as he was feeling "tired and emotional." We hope to bring you more from the horses next week.

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OBITUARIES

Hoodlum Clamps:
Dearly beloved,
We have gathered today to say our final farewell to yet another victim of violence that plagues our cities. If Clamps had a chance to say some final words before passing. I'm certain they would be...
Adios.

2008-01-17 13:44 - Aphex

DOn't take a genius to see what happened here.

RIP Clamps, a shame.

2008-01-17 13:45 - Matelo

Rest In Peace old friend...really sad day ;(

Street Boss Liverpool:
Dearly beloved,
We have gathered today to say our final farewell to yet another victim of violence that plagues our cities. If Liverpool had a chance to say some final words before passing. I'm certain they would be...
I went to kill the mugs but got Mugged of my life.... Cerbrus and bill_hoc take care of TBC

2008-01-17 02:28 - Cerberus

Never a better man and what an unfitting way to go. Make sure your son finds me in Chicago.

Farewell boss

2008-01-17 05:52 - Vanity

RIP My dear friend

Your family is welcome to come to me for shelter.

Find me upon your return.

2008-01-17 11:48 - SexySadie

RIP

You were so kind to me...

Street Boss Grimey:
Dearly beloved,
We have gathered today to say our final farewell to yet another victim of violence that plagues our cities. If Grimey had a chance to say some final words before passing. I'm certain they would be...
Ahh thats what i get!

2008-01-16 10:01 - DragonFire

My deepest Condolences to your family in this time of need.

2008-01-16 10:08 - Monoxide-Child

Jan 16 9:59.56 AM You killed Grimey in self defense.

what where u doing attacking me in the first place man i never did nothing to u R.I.P

2008-01-16 10:02 - Matti_Haapoja

RIP mate, you did a BLAMtastic job

Street Boss FrankLucas
Dearly beloved,
We have gathered today to say our final farewell to yet another victim of violence that plagues our cities. If FrankLucas had a chance to say some final words before passing. I'm certain they would be...
Too all the people i hustled....expect me to come back and do you over again.PEACE.

2008-01-15 18:36 - JoeGalimberti

Another Street Boss cut down in his prime. It's a shame. Rest Well

2008-01-15 18:36 - Firefly hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Who's the VICTIM now???

lmfao.

2008-01-15 19:04 - JimMorrison

Where is my other half ? :(

I am now The New York Single.

2008-01-16 10:46 - Lithium

meh, seeing you not alive pleases me.

however, i hope you rest in peace, for your debts are repaid.

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