THE BOOK EVALUATES THE COURSE OF SYNDICATE CRIME IN 14 MAJOR AMERICAN METROPOLISES INCLUDING NEW YORK, CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO, DENVER, AND NEW ORLEANS. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR COMPARISON WITH THE SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES, THE FIRST CHAPTER PRESENTS THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN ITALY AND SICILY THAT FOSTERED THE APPEARANCE AND GROWTH OF SECRET CRIMINAL SOCIETIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE LATER DECADES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. THE REMAINDER OF PART 1 EXAMINES IN DETAIL THE MURDER OF CHIEF HENNESSY, THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS CRIME, AND ITS PROFOUND IMPACT ON AMERICANS. THE TEXT GOES ON TO DESCRIBE IMMIGRANT COLONY CRIME AND THE BEGINNINGS OF ITALIAN INVOLVEMENT IN SYNDICATE ACTIVITIES IN THE DECADES PRIOR TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT. THE FINAL SECTION SURVEYS THE ROLE OF PROHIBITION AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN BRINGING ABOUT THE EMERGENCE OF POWERFUL, WEALTHY, AND POLITICALLY WELL-CONNECTED ITALIAN-AMERICAN CRIMINAL ENTREPRENEURS. ALSO INTEGRATED IN THIS ILLUSTRATED TEXT ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE NOTORIOUS MAFIA MEMBERS - AL CAPONE, FRANK NITTI, JACOB SHAPIRO, AND GEORGE MORAN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)