Thomas Hunt's Blog - Posts Tagged "smuggling"
Civil War black market and Macheca
150 years ago today (Aug. 28, 1863), Joseph Macheca of New Orleans was tried and convicted in a Union military occupation court in connection with a scheme to steal and sell barrels of U.S. Army pork and beef.
Shortly after his conviction, Macheca left New Orleans for Texas, where he reportedly engaged in smuggling. He later returned to New Orleans with a small fortune.
Often erroneously labeled America's earliest Mafia boss, Macheca was in fact a strong patron of the fledgling Mafia (though never its boss and probably never a member).
Read more here.
Shortly after his conviction, Macheca left New Orleans for Texas, where he reportedly engaged in smuggling. He later returned to New Orleans with a small fortune.
Often erroneously labeled America's earliest Mafia boss, Macheca was in fact a strong patron of the fledgling Mafia (though never its boss and probably never a member).
Read more here.
