Walter Brocca “Blackie”
Walter Philip Brocca was born in Milwaukee on October 31, 1914 to Urbano and Emma Brocca, immigrants from Mondavio, Pesaro e Urbino, Marche, Italy. His is not the typical Milwaukee Mafia story. He did not grow up in the Third Ward like most of the mobsters, and his family was not from Sicily. His early years were on Russell Avenue in Bay View and the neighborhood of Lake (where the airport is today). Exactly how he got involved in unclear.
Note: This is not meant to be a fully-formed article. It is merely a repository of information at this time.
FBI Files and other public documents can be found here: https://kingsridgemedia.com/MM/fbi-files/
Walter Brocca as a child, with parents and brother.
1935
Walter Brocca got married in Milwaukee on July 6, 1935 by Reverend C. M. Kaminski. His wife was the daughter of Stefano Italiano and Stefania “Fanny” Alioto. The Italiano family was from Milazzo, Sicily.
1947
Walter Brocca filed for bankruptcy on October 25, 1947. He had $250 to his name and owed $8729.57 in liabilities.
1953
The Holiday House (120 East Clybourn) was burglarized in the early morning hours of January 2, 1953. $15,340 was taken from a safe and filing cabinet, most of the money in cash. Sergeant Harold A. Breier (a future chief) believed there were two burglars who broke in by jumping from a neighboring building’s stairs on to the restaurant’s roof. From there, they forced open an outside door on the second floor. The smashed safe was found at 6:00am under the North Humboldt Avenue bridge.
Walter Brocca was a suspect in this case. The FBI, based on the word of informants, believed that Brocca and Jerome DiMaggio had stolen the safe because August Maniaci owed $25,000 to the Chicago Outfit for a truckload of “hot meat”. Holiday House co-owner John Volpe, having heard rumors that John DiTrapani was in the “Black Hand”, asked him if he knew who had done the job. DiTrapani said he knew nothing about the burglary, but offered Volpe money if he needed assistance. The owners did not consult John Alioto because Alioto disliked co-owner Bruno Ramazini for reasons Ramazini did not understand.
Jack Enea went into the tavern business with Walter Philip “Blackie” Brocca, operating Vickey’s Tavern at 1932 West St. Paul Avenue in the early 1950s. The name “Vickey” was what everyone called Enea’s 10-year old daughter Vivian. Brocca was the mob’s handyman who oversaw construction jobs and ran an appliance repair shop. He was related to the Alioto family through his wife, and when the FBI listed its ten biggest Milwaukee hoodlums in 1957, he was on that list. Unlike most of the Mafia, he had grown up in Bay View and not the Third Ward, and was not Sicilian.
1954
1954: Brocca owned WB Construction, with Nick Gentile working as his salesman.
1955
Life was largely uneventful for Jack Enea until Tuesday, November 29, 1955. Enea, now 46, left the family home at 1506 North Jackson Street in his son Joseph’s Buick and dropped his daughter Vivian off at school. By 7:00am, Korean War veteran Roger Joseph Michalski, 22, saw him pull in to Rosy Santoro’s Clark Gas Station (1345 North Jackson Street) and park in the lot. Within fifteen minutes, Walter Brocca was heading south on Jackson in his convertible Cadillac when he must have seen Enea’s car because he backed up and entered the lot. Enea walked over and talked to Brocca, and went back to the attendant and said if anyone called for him he would be back in a little while. Enea entered Brocca’s car and they drove east on Ogden. A short while later, they returned and Brocca dropped Enea off before driving away to a service station. Enea again told the attendant that if he received any calls, he would be back. He briefly spoke with Deputy Sheriff Leonard Malkowski across the street at the John Ernst cafe. Malkowski later said Enea “appeared worried and down and out”. He found it strange that Enea “was so quiet and in deep thought” because “he usually is loud and talkative.” Enea then left alone, driving north on Jackson towards his house.
The next time anyone saw Jack Enea, he was dead in a ditch in rural Waukesha.
At 4:45pm, Detective Heller interviewed Walter Brocca. Brocca said he left his home at 7:15am and passed Santoro’s filling station when Jack Enea waved him down. Enea asked if he had any coffee yet, and Brocca said no, so they decided to get some. They went to Snyder’s at Ogden and Farwell and stayed for fifteen or thirty minutes, where they saw Sam Clementi (who lived on South 1st) and another man. Brocca then dropped Enea off and went to 1443 North Van Buren where he was remodeling a store for Santo Marino, who also had a tavern at 527 East Juneau Avenue. The store was going to be a pizzeria. Brocca was there until 10:30am and Enea even stopped in for five or ten minutes between roughly 9:00 to 9:30am. Brocca then went to a filling station at Hampton and Highway 100 where his black Ford pickup was being worked on because of a broken rear wheel bearing. The truck had been in the shop for a week and Brocca told the mechanic, Herb, that he needed the truck really bad. Brocca hung around the shop from 10:45am until 12:30pm while they worked on the truck. He then went back to Marino’s store where he was met by police. Brocca told the police he had never shot a gun in his life and only ever owned one, a .32 automatic, that he had given to motorcycle officer Clarence “Boots” Curran, 2024A North Booth. How Brocca knew Curran is unknown, but it is worth noting Curran’s wife, Mary J. Vannelli, was part of the Italian community. Regarding his conversation with Enea, he said Jack was cheerful and talked about a court case involving worthless checks. Enea said he had 60 or 90 days to pay them, but had a promissory note for $6100 that he was going to turn over to Dominic Frinzi, who in turn would get the money from another attorney. Brocca said he had sent an employee of his, Joseph Angeli, to the mechanic the night before and Herb said the truck would be done at 11:00am today. Angeli called Brocca at 6:45am and relayed the news, and this was why Brocca was out so early.
Walter Brocca was initially held for questioning, and the clothes he wore the morning of Enea’s death were retrieved from his home to test for physical evidence. Waukesha County held Brocca for over sixty hours without charging him, until his attorney, Dominic Frinzi, insisted they either charge him or let him go. Brocca volunteered to take a lie detector test if his attorney consented. Frinzi did not allow the test and no charges were ever filed. The author does not personally believe that Brocca was involved in Enea’s death nor did he have inside knowledge of the killing.
On December 1, Attorney Frinzi filed a writ of habeas corpus against Sheriff Michael Lombardi for Walter Brocca, who he said was “illegally imprisoned and restrained of his liberty”. Judge Allan D. Young signed the writ the next morning, ordering Brocca released by 10:30am that same day.
Walter Brocca was arrested for questioning on December 24, 1955 concerning the recent spate of safe burglaries in Milwaukee. He was released on December 27.
1957
On November 26, 1957, Walter Brocca called someone in Rockford, Illinois.
1958
The FBI put Walter Brocca under surveillance on February 4, 1958. They observed him enter the Club Midnite at 1902 East North Avenue, which was operated by hoodlum August Maniaci. He was also seen entering the Tradewinds at 829 North 3rd Street, a night club operated by Frank Balistrieri. Surveillance on February 5 and 6 found him going to these locations all three days.
The FBI saw Walter Brocca visit the Club Midnite on February 17, 1958. This same day, Brocca approached the FBI in their car and asked why they were investigating him. They did not admit to investigating him (although they were) but asked him if he wanted to talk to them about himself; he obliged, sat in the car with Special Agent James E. McArdle and told them quite a bit. He told them he had a brother who moved to Glendale, California along with his parents. His parents still owned the home he lived in, so he paid no rent. He said he drives a green 1957 Oldsmobile 98 that he purchased from Bob Black Oldsmobile at 2639 North Prospect Avenue, but it is not registered in his name because he had judgments against him and did not want the car taken away. He had worked mason jobs on and off, and worked for Allis-Chambers during World War II. He was currently helping Frank Balistrieri build a charcoal grill at the Tradewinds. Brocca said he met Jerome DiMaggio and several others years ago at the Ogden Social Club and maintained a friendship with them. Brocca said he was acquainted with Felix Alderisio who owned the Hickory Way on 5th Street, and that Alderisio stays in the apartment above the Hickory Way when he is in town. Brocca said he had remodeled the building in September and October of 1957. He denied being involved in the murder of Jack Enea, whom he called a good friend, and also denied any role in the Holiday House burglary.
On February 20, 1958, Walter Brocca was laying brick at the Tradewinds constructing a barbecue pit.
During the vice trial of Waukesha Sheriff Michael Lombardi on Friday, March 7, 1958, the name of Walter Brocca came up. Richard Sey, a deputy, testified that Lombardi had once called him to the Tip Tap Lounge where he met Dominic Picciurro some time a few weeks after Jack Enea was murdered. Picciurro then gave Sey an envelope and told him to bring it Walter Brocca at Club 166 in the Town of Menomonee. Sey did so, but apparently very slowly, as Picciurro was already there when he arrived. What the envelope contained was not made known to Sey. Other officers testified that they were told not to investigate Club 166 despite its bad reputation.
Around July 2, 1958, Walter Brocca was seen at the Pizza House on North Avenue giving a check for $1000 to the man who owned the Driftwood Tavern at the corner of Humboldt and Capitol. The man then took the check to First Wisconsin Bank and they told him it was no good.
1961
Police questioned Walter Brocca, 46, on Wednesday, July 26, 1961, at 12:15am regarding what he might know in the Jack Enea, Progrob and John DiTrapani murders. Brocca said he had returned from California six weeks ago, had operated two pizza restaurants and went bankrupt in both of them. He said he was in California when Pogrob was killed. Brocca said at the time of the Enea and DiTrapani murders, he was called in for questioning and had learned nothing new since then.
1962
A stag party was held on August 28, 1962 at Alioto’s Restaurant on Bluemound for the purpose of a craps game. Although approximately 40-60 gamblers showed up, the game never happened because strangers were present and suspected of being police. In fact, Waukesha County deputies were observing the premises from 9:00pm to 2:00am after being tipped off. Instead, the men played poker for bottle caps. Steve DiSalvo and Joe Gurera had organized the game and were expected to take a cut. Among those present were August Maniaci, Joseph Gagliano, Walter Brocca, Anthony Cefalu and Donald H. Heiliger of Cambridge. An informant told the FBI that Waukesha County District Attorney Roger P. Murphy had warned someone from Campbell’s Tap (618 East State Street) about a proposed raid and he passed the word on to Alioto’s.
The Milwaukee Police Department set up a Special Surveillance Squad on November 14, 1962. From November 14 through the 20, they witnessed a hoodlum [possibly Walter Brocca?] make daily visits to Acino Cleaners (1012 South First).
There was a meeting at Para Corporation on December 28, 1962 with Frank Stelloh, Walter Brocca, Joseph Gurera and Steve DiSalvo. There was also a white Lincoln there with license plate number J46265, registered to Missionary Exchange (414 South Third).
1963
A detective from the Milwaukee Police Department observed a meeting on February 18, 1963 around 5:00pm at the Para Corporation between Frank Balistrieri, Buster Balistrere, Walter Brocca, Steve DiSalvo, Joseph Gurera and Frank Stelloh.
On Monday, July 8, 1963, there was a party at Gallagher’s Steak House for someone “going into the service”, which meant joining the Family. Approximately 58 people, including Walter Brocca, attended.
By August 1963, Walter Brocca had begun buying used Seeburg jukeboxes for $125 and putting them in new cabinets to be passed off as new in Milwaukee and northern Illinois. Brocca would transfer the old machines to new cabinets on the grounds of the Para Corporation.
On October 27, 1963, Frank Balistrieri was overheard at Gallagher’s telling Walter Brocca, “When I say push him, you know what I mean… If you can’t do it, I can find somebody who can. He’s alive, isn’t he?” The conversation was presumed to be in relation to the jukebox business and getting the refurbished machines placed in taverns.
1964
On January 14, 1964, there was a “social gathering” at Gallagher’s, with 30-40 people present, including Walter Brocca, Steve DiSalvo, Frank Balistrieri, William Covelli, August Maniaci, a man from West Bend, and a few people from Madison. A second informant (beyond Maniaci) was invited but could not attend because he was not as his place of business when the call came in telling him about the meeting.
On March 25, 1964, Joseph Enea, Walter Brocca and Augie Aiello (of the Mint Bar) were at the Tasty Restaurant (507 West Wells).
The FBI approved the Milwaukee office’s request to hide a microphone at 519 West Wells Street (Walter Brocca’s restaurant, Joe’s Spaghetti House) on March 31, 1964. The purpose was to overhear conversations from Walter Brocca and August Maniaci, who the agents suspected knew about the Anthony Biernat murder and other violent crimes. The bug was not installed until June 3, as Milwaukee needed to call in “expert lock men from the Chicago Office” to break in to the restaurant. (While the surveillance seems to have only been audio, the office also ordered a Beseler Topcon camera with a Topcor 58mm f1.8 lens at this time.) The building housing Joe’s was owned by Alfred and Leon Zarne of Zarne Custom Tailors, and also housed Pabst bar and Kahn Outfitting Company.
An informant told the FBI on June 2, 1964 that Walter Brocca had two Greek cooks, both named John. One of them was John Argeris, 69. Assistant District Attorney Ben Weiner and his brother Louis were eating lunch there almost every day, and former assistant district attorney Peter Wills was also a frequent diner.
An informant told the FBI on June 5, 1964 that a black pimp (who whored out his white wife) was hanging around 519 West Wells (Brocca’s restaurant) because he was campaigning for Dominic Frinzi for governor on behalf of the black hoodlums. (It is hard to tell due to redactions, but it seems that there was also a black drug dealer named Arthur Pace who hung out at Brocca’s, who may or may not be the same man.)
A microphone (648-C) was installed at Joe’s Spaghetti House (519 West Wells) on June 10,1964.
An informant told the FBI on June 11, 1964 that Dr. Anthony Verdone was spending a fair amount of time around Joe’s Spaghetti House.
On June 12, 1964, a man stopped by Joe’s Spaghetti House and showed Walter Brocca a gun that impressed him. The man tells Brocca that he has three such guns.
Walter Brocca and another individual were discussing how to “knock off” businesses on June 21, 1964. The men decided that cash was a better heist than furs or jewelry. Brocca said more than any other place he wanted to burglarize the Belmont Hotel, “except that they wouldn’t have more than $40 in there” and it would have to be at least $2000 to be worthwhile.
Brocca spent June 23 looking for a truck for his nephew, a building contractor, and also a window pane for his nephew’s garage. The next day, a truck is found at a business on South 3rd.
On June 24 at 9:21pm, Brocca called someone in Bel Aire, California. Then at 9:36pm, he called Dominic Frinzi and told him that he knew a guy in Cudahy that ran an asphalt business and the man wanted to help raise funds for Frinzi’s campaign. Brocca offered to set up a meeting.
At 1:43am July 12, 1964, Walter Brocca called San Diego from Joe’s Spaghetti House. He asked to speak to a man and was told that the man was fired. Brocca briefly spoke to the person on the other end and said it was “real bad up here” in Milwaukee. He then, at 1:52am, called another number (presumably the man’s residence) and left a message saying that Blackey in Milwaukee had called. Brocca then returned to a table and told another man that the man in San Diego was fired.
On July 15, 1964, Walter Brocca was overheard on the phone, “Let’s see, Hard Luck — 25, no money at 50, another 50, 25, another 25, another 25, and I got a 30, a 30, about 240 altogether. The gal gets $30. I talked to Al — you don’t want to get to gambling tonight — stick to a $2 bet. (redacted) takes bets, too. Oh, the big horse has been fixed? Well, that’s what you’ve been looking for, fellow.”
On July 28, 1964, Walter Brocca went over his scratch sheets and told another person he had lost $80.
On July 29, 1964, Walter Brocca talked to another man about money and then said, “When did you talk to the guy, Chicago? I don’t want no part of nothing, believe me.”
On August 1, 1964, Walter Brocca spoke on the phone with a woman and told her he could sell her a chrome kitchen set for $35 that was worth $350. He received a phone call from a man who had brought a truckload of furniture and TVs from Chicago and the man told Brocca he did not want to be around the truck. Brocca told the man to go away and he would handle it himself.
On Tuesday, August 18, 1964, Walter Brocca and another man talked about their day at the horse races where they had lost. The man, a well-known prolific gambler, had loaned August Maniaci $2400 and was upset with Maniaci about something. He was recorded saying, “That fucking Augie. He ever pulls that shit on me again, I’m gonna bomb him. I’ll kill him.”
Walter Brocca called a San Diego residence on September 13, 1964 and asked the man when he would be in Milwaukee. The man told him within a week.
On September 27, 1964, a man spoke with Walter Brocca about the murder of Roger Touhy in Chicago. The man said, “too many big people were involved — and now he is dead.” [Why this was a topic in 1964 is unclear — Touhy was gunned down by the mob on December 16, 1959, and his killers were never identified.]
On September 29, 1964, a man named “Little Frank” requested his commission from Walter Brocca. The man was apparently bookmaking on Brocca’s behalf. The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation believed that “Little Frank” was actually Pasquale Scalici, a midget clown who performed under the name Frank Little, and ran a newsstand at the corner of 3rd and Wisconsin when not a clown. Scalici lived with his sister Josephine, who was married to Joseph Piscione (one of the gamblers connected to the Ogden Social Club).
On October 23, 1964, Walter Brocca spoke on the phone and asked, “Who did they kill?” He then said, “Oh, I heard about that, too.” The FBI interpreted this to be a conversation about the kidnapping of Joe Bonanno. Brocca made another call and told a man that someone had come in from California. He then said, “They took a shot at him, you know.” The FBI interpreted this as a reference to the attorney who accompanied Bonanno.
On November 10, 1964, Walter Brocca and another man contacted Airoldi Brothers, Inc (907 West Wind Lake Avenue) about a building they had for rent. Brocca feared the building would be too small, and he needed either a hoist or an elevator for heavy equipment.
1965
Walter Brocca spoke with Frank Balistrieri the first week of January 1965 to see if he was in any trouble with the family before he moved to 1006 21st Street, Santa Monica, California to live with his father-in-law, Stefano Italiano. Balistrieri informed him that he was not.
On March 2, 1965, and informant told the FBI that he had informed Walter Brocca that Frank Balistrieri was upset with him over debts left from Joe’s Spaghetti House. Brocca responded “to Hell with them”. This may have been the last straw between Brocca and Balistrieri. Brocca’s disagreements with Balistrieri went back a long time, and he had also once got into an argument with Felix Alderisio which allegedly was the reason Brocca was never made a member of the LCN.
On April 27, 1965, an informant told the FBI that Frank Balistrieri was ready to “give it to (Walter) Brocca” and another man in California and would feel no remorse about it. The informant said that such a job would have to be taken up by Chicago, as he could think of no one in Milwaukee who would go to California.
Special Agent Emmett B. Doherty contacted Walter Brocca on May 25, 1965 at his residence at 1006 21st Street, Santa Monica, California. Doherty explained to Brocca that the FBI believed his life was in danger. Brocca was a bit hostile at first but calmed down once he understood the FBI was not there to harass him. Doherty offered him protection from the Santa Monica Police Department, but Brocca asked the agent not to inform the police because he did not want any activity from law enforcement in the neighborhood that might upset his family.
An informant spoke with the FBI on June 2, 1965 and said he received a call from Walter Brocca in California that the FBI had recently visited him and said his life might be in danger. The informant had also spoken with Joseph Enea, who wanted Brocca to pay the money he had borrowed from Joe’s Spaghetti House, because the restaurant was in his (Enea’s) name.
1966
Walter Brocca had a party for his granddaughter’s first communion on May 16, 1966 at the Paradise Gardens in the Bayside neighborhood of Milwaukee.
1967
In January and February 1967, Walter Brocca was in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area (possibly Williamsport) doing salvage work for an unidentified Milwaukee hoodlum and was reportedly making good money. The unidentified hoodlum may have owned Machinery Exchange, Inc.
1968
On the evening of March 23, 1968, a dinner party was held at Rudy’s Pizzeria (corner of North and Oakland). Attending the party were Frank Balistrieri, Peter Balistrieri, Steve DiSalvo, Walter Brocca, Harry D’Angelo, Vincent Maniaci, August Maniaci, Joseph Enea and Paul Bogosian. (Somewhere around this time, Bogosian broke his leg.)
Around April 1968, an informant learned that Joseph Spero was the sponsor for a new LCN member. (Files have the new member redacted.) Another informant believed that three new members were “made” in mid-April 1968, including possibly Walter Brocca (which is odd considering the bad blood between Brocca and Balistrieri — Brocca as recently as January 1968 told an informant they “hate each other’s guts”). Another informant said as late as June that Brocca was not yet made but would be soon — though this was still not the case as late as December.
On April 8, 1968, an informant told the FBI that Rudolph Porchetta, Joseph Enea, Jimmy Jennaro and Walter Brocca were expected to be “made” within a month. Porchetta and Jennaro were sponsored by Frank Balistrieri, Walter Brocca was sponsored by Peter Balistrieri, and Joseph Enea was sponsored by Joseph Spero.
Also on May 14, an informant said the Ad Lib Club stopped selling lunch and the regular crowd had moved to Sally’s in the Knickerbocker Hotel. The same source said that Balistrieri was using Walter Brocca as a contractor for 722 Water Street, with improvements expected to run $35,000 to $50,000.
On June 12, 1968, an informant said that Walter Brocca was hiring laborers from the local Rescue Mission to do the remodeling on 722 Water Street. Already $5,000 in used bar equipment had been purchased.
Biaggio Joseph Jennaro (father of James Jennaro) died June 15, 1968. The funeral was held at the Guardalabene and Amato Funeral Home on June 17. Attendees included Frank Balistrieri, the Balistrieri brothers, Joseph Spero, Steve DiSalvo, Dominic Principe and Jerry DiMaggio. At the funeral, Balistrieri told an informant that he still wanted to “make” Joseph Enea and Walter Brocca but he had been so busy making repairs to his night clubs and working on his tax appeal that there had been no time to schedule the initiation.
By June 20, 1968, Walter Brocca and Harry DeAngelo were running a high-stakes poker game at 840 North 24th Street, Apartment 115 on the weekends. A percentage of the money was given to Frank Balistrieri.
On August 4, 1968, there was a stag dinner honoring the son of Vito Aiello, who was getting married. Nick Fucarino, August Maniaci, Steve DiSalvo, Peter Balistrieri, John Aiello, Sam Ferrara, Charles Zarcone, Nick Collura, Sam Cefalu, Sheriff Cefalu, Joseph Enea, Frank Sansone, Tony Machi, Vito Seidita, Walter Brocca, Joseph Spero and other hoodlums were in attendance. The dinner was held at Vitucci’s, 1832 East North Avenue. Attendees were charged $10 a plate, with the profits going as a wedding gift. Frank Balistrieri was noticeably absent. The dinner broke up at 9:30pm, and a car containing Steve DiSalvo and Sam Cefalu was pulled over as they left.
In August 1968, Walter Brocca along with a few other men (including two from the rescue mission) were remodeling the building at 722 North Water Street (formerly the Wayside Inn) for Frank Balistrieri to turn it into The Pub, which would be a three-story night spot: first floor English pub, second floor cocktail lounge and third floor rock and roll discotheque. Brocca was the project foreman and paid his workers in cash. Work was said to be progressing slowly due to the inexperience of the workers, and many days they would work 4am to noon and then quit. Brocca’s company, WB Construction, was known for doing poor quality work. Each day, Steve DiSalvo and Herman Sosnay would check up on Brocca, and Sosnay had possession of the blueprints. After meeting Brocca, the two went across the street to have lunch at Angie’s (or Angelo’s) with the architects.
On August 31, 1968, there was a wedding reception for Cheryl Marie Principe, the daughter of Dominic Principe in Kenosha. Cheryl married James Reynold Gemignani, son of Roger Gemignani, at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Kenosha. Nick Fucarino, Joseph Spero, Jimmy Jennaro, Walter Brocca, Albert Albana and most of the Milwaukee LCN attended the reception. Steve DiSalvo was in charge of invitations and declined to invite either Vito Aiello or John Aiello. August Maniaci, Santo Marino and Sam Ferrara also did not attend. This was yet another example of the old-timers being snubbed by the younger members.
Also in mid-October, Walter Brocca and two men went to a concrete block manufacturing company and crossed the picket lines to get blocks for The Pub. The concrete truck drivers were on strike, and when the men exited the building, Brocca and another man were beaten up by 20 strikers near Broadway and St. Paul. The third man ran away.
1969
On Thursday, November 6, 1969, the city building inspector’s office shut down the remodeling of a building at 1135 East Ogden Avenue that was being converted into a liquor store and corned beef delicatessen without the city’s knowledge and without a remodeling permit. The work was being done by Walter Brocca. The building was owned by Esdras “Bill” Baker and was being rented by Sue Bartfield, 29, a waitress at Frank Balistrieri’s Kings IV tavern. The license for the liquor store was made out to Dominic Gullo, who claimed to have a lease from Baker. Baker, however, denied ever meeting Gullo. The city had an even bigger issue with the fact that the building was scheduled to be torn down for an expressway — so why invest in remodeling it?
Frank Balistrieri threw a Christmas party on December 21, 1969 at the Kings IV Tavern (722 North Water Street). Approximately 150-200 guests were there, including Walter Brocca, Harry DeAngelo, Albert Albana, Frank Buccieri, Dominic Frinzi, Frank Stelloh, Steve DiSalvo, Benny DiSalvo, Jerry DiMaggio, John Rizzo, William Covelli, Dominic Gullo, Joseph Enea and the majority of the Milwaukee LCN. An informant told the FBI that Frank Balistrieri was telling people at this party that he would step down as boss of the Milwaukee Family because of his business (tax) problems. He also heard at this party that Jerry DiMaggio had been laid off from the Schlitz Brewery and tried to go work for Vincent Maniaci, but Maniaci told him to see Frank Balistrieri first. DiMaggio was then hired on as a bartender at the Downtowner.
1970
At 10:15pm on August 19, 1970, FBI agents went to the Ad Lib (323 West Wells) and observed numerous hoodlums in conversation, including Walter Brocca, Jimmy Jennaro, Salvatore Jack Dentice, Frank Peter Daddabbo and Joseph Enea. At 10:55pm, the hoodlums left the bar. At 11:03pm, a woman entered the Ad Lib with a large framed painting, which she brought to the bartender.
1971
Walter Brocca, 4023 South Kansas Avenue, testified on Thursday, March 4, 1971 during a pretrial deposition concerning Frank Balistrieri’s $1.75 million lawsuit against Wisconsin Telephone Company and the federal government concerning what he believed was illegal eavesdropping. As Justice Department attorney Neil R. Peterson asked him questions, but before he could finish a question, Brocca responded, “I refuse to answer.” Peterson said, “Wait until I complete the question before you answer, please.” Brocca snapped back, “Alright, but go faster. I’m liable to get a parking ticket.” Peterson’s questions focused on a jukebox operation at 2559 North Downer Avenue, but Brocca would not talk.
1972
Steve DiSalvo talked to Walter Brocca on April 8, 1972 and told him he was talking too much. Brocca had told his daughter Emma about a robbery and assault attempt on him two weeks prior, and she told someone who told Joseph Enea. Two masked men had confronted Brocca in his garage, but he fled quickly and neighbors turned on lights, scaring the men off. DiSalvo said he was getting too much “heat” and he had nothing to do with the robbery attempt.
Some point in May 1972, two assailants tried to kill Walter Brocca but failed. This followed a bitter feud between Brocca and Frank Balistrieri where Brocca was accused of talking too much. Balistrieri visited Brocca shortly after the attempt and assured him that he (Balistrieri) was not behind the incident.
In November 1972, someone told Walter Brocca of a scheme to physically hurt Frank Balistrieri. Although Brocca was allied with this person, he told Balistrieri about the plot in order to protect himself from retaliation.
Brocca’s used appliance business — Towne Appliance and Service, 1916 West Mitchell — burned down in mid-November 1972. The cause was thought to be accidental.
Agent Murphy spoke with an informant on November 30, 1972. He said that Frank Stelloh had visited Walter Brocca looking for blasting caps in order to hook up dynamite to the cars of Frank Balistrieri and Steve DiSalvo. Brocca immediately went to Peter Balistrieri’s house and told Frank and DiSalvo about the plot. Coincidentally, this was one day before Brocca’s business burned down. The informant believed the fire was an accident caused by Brocca’s “carelessness and sloppiness”.
1973
A captain of the Milwaukee Police Department alerted the FBI on April 12, 1973 that Walter Brocca may be in possession of some M-16 machine guns.
The FBI interviewed Walter Brocca on April 30, 1973 at his used appliance store (722 South 2nd Street). Brocca said he had known Sam DeStefano, but knew nothing about his death other than what he had read in the newspaper. He was also asked about Louis Fazio, and Brocca said he had no idea who killed Fazio as he was “such a nice, peaceful fellow.” Brocca said he no longer associated with Frank Balistrieri or “any of those boys” because he did not go downtown anymore. He also said he thought his Mitchell Street store started on fire because of a faulty furnace and did not think anyone was targeting him. The agents noted that Brocca’s new store had a bigger selection of appliances than the old store, and they saw several new and slightly damaged refrigerators.
On May 1, 1973, Walter Brocca “provided information concerning” Frank Stelloh to the FBI. (What he said is unknown… was it casual or was Brocca an informant? And what did he add that he did not know the day before?)
1975
On August 22, 1975, an informant said Walter Brocca was back in business at 1243 South 16th Street with a place called Dinette City.
1976-1986
Brocca does not appear in FBI records between 1976-1986 as far as I know.
1987
A confidential source told FBI agents on February 25, 1987 that Monday through Friday at 8:00am the old-timers (including Benny DiSalvo and Walter Brocca) met at the Islander restaurant on Brady Street. On the weekend, they gathered at the Brady Street Pharmacy.
1993
An informant reported on November 10, 1993 that Walter Brocca hung out at Gramma Emma’s restaurant on South KK Street.
1995
Walter Brocca died in Milwaukee on December 7, 1995 at age 81.