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Johnny Torrio

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Outlaw

The Resume

    (January 20, 1882-April 16, 1957)
    Born in Italy
    Birth name was Giovanni Torrio
    Member of New York City’s Five Points Gang
    Became head of the Chicago Outfit (1920-25)

Why he might be annoying:

    He became the leader of a street gang as a teen.
    He ran numbers games for the Five Points Gang, while also dabbling in loan sharking and hijacking.
    He ordered a hit against Chicago Outfit boss Jim Colosimo when Colosimo refused to get involved in bootlegging liquor (May 11, 1920).
    He ordered a hit against North Side Gang leader Dean O’Banion (November 10, 1924) that triggered a bloody turf war.
    He served nine months in prison for violating Prohibition (1925).
    He handed control of the Chicago Outfit to Al Capone.
    He spent two years in prison for income tax evasion (1939-41).

Why he might not be annoying:

    In retaliation for the O’Banion hit, he was ambushed by Bugs Moran, Hymie Weiss and Vincent Drucci, and was shot in the stomach, lung, groin, legs and jaw (January 24, 1925).
    Even after giving up control of the Chicago Outfit, he was respected by fellow mobsters as an ‘elder statesman’ and served as one of the directors for Lucky Luciano’s national crime syndicate (1934-39).
    After serving his sentence for tax evasion, he apparently went straight, making a living by investing in real estate.
    Treasury official Elmer Irey said, ‘He was the smartest and, I dare say, the best of all the hoodlums,’ adding ‘’Best' referring to talent, not morals.’

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 103 Votes: 59.22% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 222 Votes: 62.61% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 89 Votes: 57.30% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 17 Votes: 64.71% Annoying