James Colosimo

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Giacomo Colosimo

Born	1877 Cosenza, Calabria, Italy
Died	May 11, 1920 Chicago, Illinois, USA

James "Big Jim" Colosimo (1877^[1] – May 11, 1920) (born Giacomo Colosimo) immigrated to Chicago, Illinois, from Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, in 1895. Beginning as a small time hood, he was noticed by First Ward aldermen Michael Kenna and John Coughlin, for whom he worked as a precinct captain and later their bagman. These positions provided Colosimo with the political connections which would allow him to advance in his career as a gangster.

Later in his career Jim Colosimo acquired another nickname, "Diamond Jim". This name was given to him because he frequently dressed in a white suit and wore diamond pins, rings, and other jewelry. This jewelry combined with his charm and money helped him establish relationships with women. He had a strong love for women, which fueled his enthusiasm for the business of prostitution.

In 1902, Colosimo married Victoria Moresco, an established madam, and the two opened a second whore house. Within a few years, Colosimo expanded his business to nearly 200 brothels and had made inroads into gambling and racketeering.

By 1909, he was being threatened by the Black Hand extortionist group in Chicago and realized he needed help. He brought his nephew, Johnny Torrio, to Chicago from Brooklyn and made him his second in command. The following year, Colosimo opened a self-named restaurant, Colosimo's Cafe, at 2126 South Wabash. In 1919, Torrio and Colosimo opened a brothel at 2222 South Wabash called the Four Deuces. Torrio brought his old Brooklyn lieutenant, Al Capone, to work there as a bartender and bouncer, providing Capone his introduction to Chicago.

When Prohibition went into effect in 1920, Torrio pushed for the gang to enter into bootlegging but Colosimo refused. Having deserted his first wife, Colosimo married his second wife, Dale Winter, in May 1920. Upon returning to Chicago a week later, Torrio called Colosimo to arrange for Colosimo to meet a shipment at the Café. Upon his arrival, Colosimo was shot in the vestibule. Initial inquiries looked at his bride. No suspects were ever arrested, but it is widely believed that Torrio was responsible and arranged for the hit to be carried out by Frankie Yale, a New York gangster.

Colosimo was the first to organize disparate parts of Chicago's crime scene. After his death, his gang was controlled by Johnny Torrio and eventually Al Capone.