Chapter 17

           Thewarof1947betweentheCorleoneFamilyandtheFiveFamiliescombinedagainstthemprovedtobeexpensiveforbothsides.ItwascomplicatedbythepolicepressureputoneverybodytosolvethemurderofCaptainMcCluskey.ItwasrarethatoperatingofficialsofthePoliceDepartmentignoredpoliticalmusclethatprotectedgamblingandviceoperations,butinthiscasethepoliticianswereashelplessasthegeneralstaffofarampaging,lootingarmywhosefieldofficersrefusetofolloworders.

           ThislackofprotectiondidnothurttheCorleoneFamilyasmuchasitdidtheiropponents.TheCorleonegroupdependedongamblingformostofitsincome,andwashitespeciallyhardinits"numbers"or"policy"branchofoperations.Therunnerswhopickeduptheactionweresweptintopolicenetsandusuallygivenamediumshellackingbeforebeingbooked.Evensomeofthe"banks"werelocatedandraided,withheavyfinancialloss.The"bankers,".90calibersintheirownright,complainedtothecaporegimes,whobroughttheircomplaintstothefamilycounciltable.Buttherewasnothingtobedone.Thebankersweretoldtogooutofbusiness.LocalNegrofree-lancerswereallowedtotakeovertheoperationinHarlem,therichestterritory,andtheyoperatedinsuchscatteredfashionthatthepolicefoundithardtopinthemdown.

           AfterthedeathofCaptainMcCluskey,somenewspapersprintedstoriesinvolvinghimwithSollozzo.TheypublishedproofthatMcCluskeyhadreceivedlargesumsofmoneyincash,shortlybeforehisdeath.