John C. Montana - The National Mafia

The National Mafia

During his term on the Council, Montana witnessed many changes in Buffalo, including the aforementioned opening of the NY Central Terminal, the Peace Bridge, the airport, and the New City Hall building. As the right hand man of the local Mafia kingpin during prohibition, Montana also witnessed many changes in the national politics of organized crime. In the late ‘20s and early ‘30s, just as business leaders were doing, the most dominant Mafia figures were eliminating rivals and consolidating power. By forming large entities with several different levels and locales, the Mafia built itself up for a national crisis that expanded throughout some of the nation’s Italian neighborhoods.

After decades of battles between the Sicilians and Neapolitan Camorra, the Sicilian Mafia became the dominant force in gambling, labor, and bootlegged liquor. By the 1930s, two major factions fought for dominance – Stefano Magaddino from Niagara Falls was a senior member of the Castellammarese families, one of the factions. Led by Salvatore Maranzano in Brooklyn, the Mafia from Castellammare del Golfo levied a war against Joe ‘the boss’ Masseria in Manhattan, ending in the latter’s murder. Salvatore Maranzano and Charlie ‘Lucky’ Luciano were the winners of the Mafia feud and called the heads of families from across the nation to meet and discuss the re-organization of the Mafia. Families from diverse locations were to gather in Chicago and hear how Salvatore Maranzano defeated Joe Masseria with the help of Lucky Luciano; they were to hear a new structure for organized crime in the nation that was destined to change the face of the Mafia.

In May 1931, Stefano Magaddino planned on attending this important Mafia summit with his brother Antonio and cousin Peter. Because of his active role in the Castellammarese Family, Magaddino was in an important position among national crime bosses. To come along to Chicago to mingle with the nation’s top Mafiosi, he invited his close friend and advisor John Montana, the #3 man in Buffalo’s Mafia behind Stefano Magaddino and his brother Antonio.

Montana allegedly went to Chicago to watch the future of the Mafia change before his eyes while he was an elected member of the Common Council. In the self-embellished biography of Joe Bonanno, the former Brooklyn Mafia boss talks of John Montana’s trip to the Chicago conference. Bonanno, who was Stefano Magaddino’s younger cousin, went to the national summit by train from New York with a contingent of men including Lucky Luciano and Salvatore Maranzano. The train stopped at Central Terminal on the East Side to pick up Buffalo’s Mafia leaders. According to Bonanno:

"We all boarded the same train for Chicago. In Buffalo, Stefano Magaddino and his right-hand man John Montana and Pete Magaddino, my cousin, also got on the train. Maranzano got off the train to make a phone call. A half hour passed; Maranzano didn’t return. The train was scheduled to leave the station momentarily. It was unthinkable to abandon Maranzano. Montana got off the train. Montana was an illustrious man in Buffalo. He owned the cab company, and at one time he was the city’s deputy mayor. When he returned to our compartment, Montana told us he had arranged for the train to wait until Maranzano came back. This exhibition of clout impressed us greatly. After Maranzano boarded again and we were on our way, my cousin Stefano beamed with pride. “See what kind of men I have under me?” Stefano said. “John can stop trains.”