Mike Merlo

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Mike Merlo (1880-November 8, 1924) was a Chicago political figure associated with the Johnny Torrio-Al Capone organization who, as head of the Unione Siciliana, held considerable influence both in local Democratic politics and within Chicago's underworld during the early years of Prohibition. Although he was able to keep peace among the city's numerous bootlegging gangs for a number of years, particularly between the North Side Gang and the Genna Brothers, his death would mark the beginning of the bootleg wars which would plague Chicago for nearly a decade.

Born Michelangelo Merloi in Vizzini, Sicily, at the age of 9 he immigrated with his family to Chicago (The family name was shortened to Merlo. In 1905, his father died of a stroke at the age of 48, leaving the 17 year old Merlo and his sick mother alone^{[citation needed]}. He later became involved in the Chicago chapter of the Sicilian-American fraternal society the Unione Siciliana and, although participating its its eventual transformation as a front for organized crime prior to Prohibition, reportely concerned for the welfare of the residents of Chicago's Little Italy using his position to keep all out warfare from breaking out between the rival bootling gangs of the underworld brokering peace between the hostile Northsiders, the Gennas and the Torrio-Capone organization.^[1]

Although he frequently worked with Johnny Torrio in advocating peace during spring and summer of 1924, Merlo died on of cancer on November 8th, 1924. He was given one of the most spectacular funerals in Chicago mob history, with floral arraingments alone at a cost of $10,000 as well as a $5,000 life size wax statue in his likeness, his burial was attended by an estimated 10,000 (including Mayor William E. Dever, State Attorney Robert E. Crowe, Chicago police chief Morgan A. Collins and the Cook County board president and future mayor, Anton J. Cermak who served as pallbearers) as he was buried at St. Clement's Church five days later. His death opened the door for the murder of Dion O'Banion by Johnny Torrio's men, John Scalise and Albert Anselmi who arrived on the pretense of picking up flowers for Merlo's funeral at his flower shop.^[2]

Mike Merlo was played by Vince Viverito in 1987 film The Untouchables.