Events Vito Genovese, after living in Sicily for several years, returns to the United States. He is finally tried for the 1937 murder of Ferdinand Boccia and is acquitted. Soon after the trial, Genovese establishes himself in the Luciano crime family where he would compete for dominance against Frank Costello. February 24 – Cleveland racketeer Nathan Weisenberg, the "Slots King of Ohio", whose monopoly on vending and slot machines stretches as far as Arizona and Colorado, is murdered by members of the Cleveland crime syndicate. Births Antonino Cina, Sicilian mafia regional boss and commission member Biagio DiGiacomo, Patriarca crime family caporegime Gerard Pappa, Genovese crime family soldier Lawrence Ricci, Genovese crime family caporegime Deaths February 24 – Nathan Weisenberg, Cleveland gambling racketeer August 23 – James Belcastro, Chicago Outfit extortionist Organized crime Years in organized crime