Today I went to Mt. Carmel cemetery. Every time I visit this cemetery I surprise my self with who I find. The contingent gangsters from Chicago’s prohibition era who repose in this cemetery would amaze anyone interested in organized crime or grave hunting in general. Its like the midwest’s answer to what the cemeteries in and around New York City have to offer in the form of the gangland luminaries buried there. That’s what makes Mt. Carmel one of my all time favorite cemeteries to go browsing in. So let’s get started shall we.

accompanying me on this visit to Mt. Carmel was my uncle. The first gravesite we found was of Joseph “Diamond Joe” Esposito. If memory serves me right he was a politician back in the day with mob ties. He also dabbled a bit in gangland thuggery. Next on the list was Rocco Belcastro. I need to research him a little further to figure out what he did in Chicago’s gangland. He’s mentioned in the book “The Complete Public Enemy Almanac” written by Rick Mattix & Bill Helmer. This is a must have book if your interested in prohibition era crime. Moving along we found the grave site of Charles “Cherry Nose” Gioe he was a mafia figure here in Chicago during I believe the 1940s on up.  And finally we found Carmen Ferro he was a wire wholesaler and reputed to be a bootlegger.

Closing out todays post. When I get back to my hometown (Detroit) I’ll be posting gravesite photos to accompany these people I’m talking about. Since I only have two days left for grave hunting before I head back to Detroit on Friday I’m going to make a point to get to Bohemia cemetery, Rosehill cemetery, and possibly Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie. So we shall see. I’m also planning on coming back to Chicago this upcoming fall.