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He was Frank Balistrieri's personal lawyer for many years from the 1950's throughout the 70's. I first became aware of him as I was doing research for an earlier post titled The Milwaukee Mob and Lieutenant Uhura (Star Trek). The actress that played Lt. Uhura in the Star Trek series' real name was Nichelle Nichols, and was a very talented singer and entertainer. Nichelle was hired to perform for two weeks as the main act at one of Balistrieri's newly refurbished nightclubs (former strip club) in Milwaukee during the 1950's.
Nichols was a big hit and brought in a lot of business. Upon seeing this, Balistrieri tried to ensnare and take control of her career for his benefit.
Nichelle was from Illinois and her father was nearly executed by the brother of Al Capone. She was quick to realize that she was working for a mob controlled business and had to get out. After hearing of her father's experiences dealing with the Capone mob in Chicago, Nichelle knew she couldn't just walk away from the mob and started to devise a plan. After Frank "convinced" her to come back, extend her contract and keep her performing at the club, Balistrieri decided to turn on the charm and the following was published in her book:
"Enter Frankie’s lawyer, Dominic Frinzi or Mr. F. as everyone at the club called him. In his $1000 silk suits, he was slick, suave and cunning as a snake. He tried to buy her with a key to an apartment, fur coat and jewelry, which Nichelle had to continually refuse."
Frinzi grew up in the Milwaukee's Third Ward, and probably knew Balistrieri for most of his life. He had to have known about his mobbed up life and willingly defended him and nearly every Mafia member that got in trouble throughout those years.
As Gavin C. Schmitt wrote in his piece, Milwaukee Mafia, the Balistrieri Years: "Frank Balistrieri held a party at his nightclub, The Scene, on March 20, 1968. Between 100 and 150 people were there, including almost all of the Milwaukee LCN. Two people were noticeably absent: Santo Marino and Al Albana. The party was a fundraiser for mob attorney Dominic Frinzi, who was running for Milwaukee County Judge." Also in the same piece: "Frank Balistrieri threw a Christmas party on December 21, 1969 at the Kings IV Tavern (722 North Water Street). Approximately 150 guests were there, including Walter Brocca, Sally Papia, Harry DeAngelo, Albert Albana, Frank Buccieri, Dominic Frinzi, Frank Stelloh, Steve DeSalvo, Benny DiSalvo, Jerry DiMaggio, John Rizzo, William Covelli, Dominic Gullo, Joseph Enea and the majority of the Milwaukee LCN (La Cosa Nostra)."
This guy was Frank's lawyer and had a nickname at Balistrieri's club of Mr. F? I guess the money talks and scumbags walk. At Frank's direction, this fine "upstanding" lawyer (future candidate for governor) tries to sleep with a woman to keep her under Balistrieri's control? Either that or Nichelle Nichols is a liar. The double lives that some of these people led have amazed me. Frinzi died in 2008. Contrast the above with the glowing account of a "holy man" below!
This guy was Frank's lawyer and had a nickname at Balistrieri's club of Mr. F? I guess the money talks and scumbags walk. At Frank's direction, this fine "upstanding" lawyer (future candidate for governor) tries to sleep with a woman to keep her under Balistrieri's control? Either that or Nichelle Nichols is a liar. The double lives that some of these people led have amazed me. Frinzi died in 2008. Contrast the above with the glowing account of a "holy man" below!
Opera-loving lawyer ran twice for governor
Dominic H. Frinzi was a man who loved both
opera and the law - and who thought nothing of bursting into song while
waiting for a verdict at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
William Janz, a former columnist with the Journal Sentinel, told a piece of that story.
With the news that one jury had returned, Frinzi punched his client in the arm, Janz wrote.
"This is the last act of 'Lucia di Lammermoor,' " he declared. "Your fate is decided."
Frinzi was, by all accounts, something of a colorful character. Best known in recent decades as a leader in the local Italian community, he was also a man who twice ran for governor. He was part of a little cadre that legally appropriated the name Atlanta Braves, so the departing team could not use the name in Wisconsin. He loved the sport of harness horse racing. His legal clients included the infamous Ed Gein.
Frinzi died of heart problems Monday. He was 86.
He grew up in Milwaukee's Third Ward, where his dad ran a butcher shop. He studied to become a priest but left before taking vows.
"My brother and I, we were the first generation in 400 years that didn't go into the meat business," Frinzi said in another story. "My father insisted we have school, and that's why none of us became butchers."
Nor did he become a doctor.
"My father taught me how to butcher, and I was pretty good with a knife. He thought I'd make a terrific doctor," Frinzi said. "But I couldn't afford medical school, so I became a lawyer."
He ended up representing both high-profile clients and countless unknown ones.
Frinzi was first appointed to represent accused serial killer Gein for a competency hearing. Ten years later, he represented him at trial, and Gein was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
In the 1960s, Frinzi represented Frank P. Balistrieri, years later convicted as a local organized crime boss, then facing tax evasion charges. The case continued to make headlines after Frinzi found illegal wiretaps in his law office.
"It was a break-in before Watergate," said son Joseph, explaining that the illegal wiretapping violated the attorney-client privilege in both the Balistrieri case and for other clients.
"My dad sued the FBI and the phone company - and won a settlement," said his son, now with the Milwaukee County family court commissioner's office.
Frinzi worked mainly as a criminal defense attorney, believing that doing so helped to uphold the highest principles of the U.S. Constitution, said friend and fellow attorney Henry Piano.
"He believed in pro bono work," Piano said.
"He represented a lot of people who could not afford an attorney," Joseph Frinzi said. "He always fought for the little guy."
Election bids included runs for governor in 1964 and 1966. A Democrat, he didn't get the nomination in either year.
Last year, Frinzi was elected to a record seventh term as president for the Italian Community Center, also serving as chairman of the Festa Italiana board. He was long the reigning star of the festival's "Golden Age of Opera" tent.
"I have three batons at home, and I conduct and sing at the same time," Frinzi said of opera. "It takes you to another world. It's a joy that never ends."
A board member with the Florentine Opera Company and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, he once appeared in a production of Verdi's "La Traviata" at the Marcus Center. Cast in the role of a servant, he delivered his single line with gusto.
"He told us he got a bigger ovation than some of the opera stars," his son said with a laugh.
For his roles in the Italian community here, the government of Italy awarded Frinzi the rare title of Cavaliere all'Ordine del Merito della Repubblica Italiana, or a Knight of the Order of Merit.
"He was a legitimate character," said Piano, who, with Frinzi's death, will again serve as ICC president. "He didn't beat to anybody else's drum. He spoke out on issues that were important. He wasn't afraid of controversy. And he always spoke from the bottom of his heart."
Other survivors include sons James and Dominic Jr., sister Norma Angeli, brother Romeo, his former wife, Jane, and grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Schmidt & Bartelt Guardalabene & Amato Funeral Home, 10121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa. Visitation will continue from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at Gesu Church, 1145 W. Wisconsin Ave. The funeral service will follow at noon.
William Janz, a former columnist with the Journal Sentinel, told a piece of that story.
With the news that one jury had returned, Frinzi punched his client in the arm, Janz wrote.
"This is the last act of 'Lucia di Lammermoor,' " he declared. "Your fate is decided."
Frinzi was, by all accounts, something of a colorful character. Best known in recent decades as a leader in the local Italian community, he was also a man who twice ran for governor. He was part of a little cadre that legally appropriated the name Atlanta Braves, so the departing team could not use the name in Wisconsin. He loved the sport of harness horse racing. His legal clients included the infamous Ed Gein.
Frinzi died of heart problems Monday. He was 86.
He grew up in Milwaukee's Third Ward, where his dad ran a butcher shop. He studied to become a priest but left before taking vows.
"My brother and I, we were the first generation in 400 years that didn't go into the meat business," Frinzi said in another story. "My father insisted we have school, and that's why none of us became butchers."
Nor did he become a doctor.
"My father taught me how to butcher, and I was pretty good with a knife. He thought I'd make a terrific doctor," Frinzi said. "But I couldn't afford medical school, so I became a lawyer."
He ended up representing both high-profile clients and countless unknown ones.
Frinzi was first appointed to represent accused serial killer Gein for a competency hearing. Ten years later, he represented him at trial, and Gein was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
In the 1960s, Frinzi represented Frank P. Balistrieri, years later convicted as a local organized crime boss, then facing tax evasion charges. The case continued to make headlines after Frinzi found illegal wiretaps in his law office.
"It was a break-in before Watergate," said son Joseph, explaining that the illegal wiretapping violated the attorney-client privilege in both the Balistrieri case and for other clients.
"My dad sued the FBI and the phone company - and won a settlement," said his son, now with the Milwaukee County family court commissioner's office.
Frinzi worked mainly as a criminal defense attorney, believing that doing so helped to uphold the highest principles of the U.S. Constitution, said friend and fellow attorney Henry Piano.
"He believed in pro bono work," Piano said.
"He represented a lot of people who could not afford an attorney," Joseph Frinzi said. "He always fought for the little guy."
Election bids included runs for governor in 1964 and 1966. A Democrat, he didn't get the nomination in either year.
Last year, Frinzi was elected to a record seventh term as president for the Italian Community Center, also serving as chairman of the Festa Italiana board. He was long the reigning star of the festival's "Golden Age of Opera" tent.
"I have three batons at home, and I conduct and sing at the same time," Frinzi said of opera. "It takes you to another world. It's a joy that never ends."
A board member with the Florentine Opera Company and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, he once appeared in a production of Verdi's "La Traviata" at the Marcus Center. Cast in the role of a servant, he delivered his single line with gusto.
"He told us he got a bigger ovation than some of the opera stars," his son said with a laugh.
For his roles in the Italian community here, the government of Italy awarded Frinzi the rare title of Cavaliere all'Ordine del Merito della Repubblica Italiana, or a Knight of the Order of Merit.
"He was a legitimate character," said Piano, who, with Frinzi's death, will again serve as ICC president. "He didn't beat to anybody else's drum. He spoke out on issues that were important. He wasn't afraid of controversy. And he always spoke from the bottom of his heart."
Other survivors include sons James and Dominic Jr., sister Norma Angeli, brother Romeo, his former wife, Jane, and grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Schmidt & Bartelt Guardalabene & Amato Funeral Home, 10121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa. Visitation will continue from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at Gesu Church, 1145 W. Wisconsin Ave. The funeral service will follow at noon.
Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/29487984.html#ixzz2kfGXSvgJ
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul, I saw your comment before you removed it. All points of view are welcome here, both pro and con. Thank you,
DeleteDan
I'm looking for info on Frank Stelloh. I know that's broad but he was good friends with our family and died before I was old enough to know any of this so now I'm curious.
ReplyDeleteHere's some more info I found:
DeleteLonnie Averkamp Merle Liban was born on March 20, 1922. During World War II, Merle was a member of the 405th Bombardment Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps, and served in the Pacific Theater.
After the War, Merle joined the West Allis Police Department, which is the largest suburb of the City of Milwaukee, had a population of/about 60,000 persons, and stretched from 52nd Street to the Milwaukee County Border at 124th Street.
West Allis was named after the “Allis Manufacturing Company” which later manufactured Allis Chalmers Tractors. There was an “East Allis” manufacturing facility on the shore of Lake Michigan, and the “West Allis” facility, about 4 ½ miles inland. The “West Allis” Plant became the primary factory for Allis Chalmers Tractors, and was also home to a Top Secret project in World War II, as the casing for the Atomic Bomb that was dropped at Hiroshima was made there.
Merle started as a “Patrol Officer, but by the 1950's he obtained an assignment in the Vice Unit of the Department. The Allis Chalmers Tractor Plant covered 160 acres of the City, had 21 miles of Railroad Track within it, and had 15,000 workers. While many of the workers had permanent homes in the Milwaukee area, there were also rows of hotels, boarding houses, and rental properties running from 52nd Street to 84th Street. And to accommodate the social needs of the workers, there was a string of taverns and strip-clubs running from 56th street to 70th Street & beyond.
In the 1950's and 1960's, the West Allis Police Vice Unit focused primarily on the gambling, prostitution, narcotics, and bunco schemes that would follow the tavern night-life of the factory workers. One of the arrests that Merle Liban made was of Francis Conrad Stelloh (more commonly: Frank Stelloh).
Stelloh was named in numerous briefings to Local & Federal Law Enforcement Agencies as being member of the Milwaukee Mafia, and had previously been arrested and convicted of Armed Robbery. Stelloh had been confined at the Wisconsin State Prison at Waupun, and there is a record of his escape with Frank Blacka on Page 1 of the January 19, 1945 edition of the Rhinelander Daily News.
On February 4, 1960, Merle Liban and other officers of the West Allis Police Department arrested Frank Stelloh on the charge of “Fornication”, in violation of Wisconsin ss. 944.15. Stelloh was convicted of the charge. There was a civil trial on June 28th, 1962 in which Frank Stelloh attempted to sue Merle Liban and other Milwaukee Police Department and West Allis Police Officers for $105,000.00. The suit failed.
Frank Stelloh appealed his criminal conviction to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, and in the case entitled:
10/29/63 FRANCIS CONRAD STELLOH v. MERLE J. LIBAN
October 29, 1963
FRANCIS CONRAD STELLOH, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT,
v.
MERLE J. LIBAN, HENRY A. HUC, ELMER G. PFEIFER, JOHN SWEENEY, RICHARD T. POLSEN, JAMES J. BEHRENDT, CITY OF MILWAUKEE, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, AND CITY OF WEST ALLIS, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS
The Supreme Court ruled against Frank Stelloh, and upheld the Arrest & Conviction.
Merle Liban was later promoted to Lieutenant, and then to Captain. He was the Captain of the West Allis Police Department Pistol Team, and retired in the late 1980's as the Senior Patrol Captain of the Department.
Merle died in West Allis, Wisconsin on March 4, 1995.
http://www.ancientfaces.com/person/merle-j-liban/54766655
Ah the memories- owned a bar in Racine,
ReplyDeleteAll the machine's were The Bal's. FBal
Also ran the book makers in most big
WI cities.I met Dominic with my lawyer
When I was indicted for taxes. Dom took us to the Italian club with the US Attny. Small world huh? Lucky to make it out alive.
Dominic Frinzi was was a great man and my friend he is very mush missed. R.i.p
ReplyDelete