page_title: Detroit Partnership
section_title: The Gianolla-Adamo war (1912-1913)
hierarchical_section_title: Detroit Partnership / History / Early years / The Gianolla-Adamo war (1912-1913)
caption_attribution_description: English: 00 block of Monroe, Detroit, MI
context_page_description: The Detroit Partnership, also known as the Detroit crime family, Detroit Combination, Detroit Mafia, or Zerilli crime family is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Detroit, Michigan.
context_section_description: Between 1912-13, the Gianolla brothers took over the Wyandotte area rackets gang starting a feud with Wyandotte Mafia boss Vito Adamo. The Gianolla brothers felt they had secured victory in Wyandotte after a series of attacks on the Adamo gang, which left several Adamo gang members dead. Adamo took refuge in Detroit and aligned himself with Mafia leader Pietro Mirabile, while the Gianollas set their sights on the Little Italy rackets, mainly the illicit beer trade.
  The Adamos had deep pockets and were able to fend off the Gianollas first attempts to take over the beer rackets by giving away free ice with their deliveries. Next the Adamo gang retaliated leaving two Gianolla gang members, William Catalano and John Jervaso, dead in April 1913. These killings were followed by a string of killings and arrests on both sides. Even with the involvement of the authorities the feud continued as the main objective of the Gianolla brothers was the elimination of the Adamo brothers.
  The beatings, stabbings and shootings stopped temporarily when Vito Adamo and two associates were put on trial for the August 1913 murder of Tony Gianolla's top aide Carlo Callego. Shortly thereafter an attempt was made on the life of Tony Gianolla himself. More than likely the attempt on Tony Gianolla's life demonstrated the urgency the Gianollas felt in regards to the elimination of the Adamo brothers. In the latter part of 1913 the Gianollas struck indirectly at the Adamos with the elimination of their associate and adviser Ferdinand Palma, a former Detroit detective turned bank owner and racketeer. The era of the Adamo brothers ended in November 1913 when both Vito, 34 and Sam Adamo, 32, were gunned down by shooters near their home.
  The Gianolla gang would now reign supreme for roughly the next 4–5 years as the dominant Italian crime group in Detroit. The Gianolla gang controlled the most lucrative rackets within Detroit's Italian underworld and the gang would spawn the career of some of the most notable crime figures in Detroit history. Top members of the gang who would go on to lead the Detroit Mafia and rule the local underworld included John Vitale, Salvatore Catalanotte, Angelo Meli, William Tocco, Joseph Zerilli, Leonardo "Black Leo" Cellura, Angelo Polizzi and a host of other well known area mafiosi. Tony Gianolla remained the top leader of the gang running his operations from his base in Wyandotte. Over the years his younger brother Sam had secured his reputation as a tough enforcer who led a group of killers, while Gaetano remained the adviser of the group.
caption: The 00 block on Monroe Avenue, Detroit, 1913.
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