Today in Chicago History: Outfit leaders indicted by FBI in ‘Operation Family Secrets’ investigation

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Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on April 25, according to the Tribune’s archives.

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)

  • High temperature: 87 degrees (1990)
  • Low temperature: 27 degrees (1887)
  • Precipitation: 1.95 inches (1902)
  • Snowfall: 2.5 inches (1910)
Chicago’s first one-horse drawn streetcar ran along State Street from Randolph to 12th Street in 1859. The car was called a “Bobtail”, having no rear platform. (Chicago Tribune historical archive)

1859: Four horse-drawn streetcars — the city’s first — traveled the rails from Lake to 12th Street on State Street.

Firemen utilizing ladders to scale wrecked car in their search for the injured and dead in Burlington railroad wreck in Naperville in 1946. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)
Firemen utilizing ladders to scale wrecked car in their search for the injured and dead in Burlington railroad wreck in Naperville in 1946. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

1946: Forty-seven people died and more than 100 were injured when a speeding Burlington passenger train headed for California slammed into a train bound for Omaha, which had stopped at the Naperville station.

"I saw these clowns come on the field and I didn't know what they were doing. I thought they were out there just to prance around," Chicago Cubs center fielder Rick Monday told the Tribune on April 25, 1976. "But then they spread the flag out like a picnic blanket. I was just going to run them over until I saw them with the can of lighter fluid. I could see they were going to try to burn it." That's when Monday grabbed the American flag. (Chicago Tribune)
“I saw these clowns come on the field and I didn’t know what they were doing. I thought they were out there just to prance around,” Chicago Cubs center fielder Rick Monday told the Tribune on April 25, 1976. “But then they spread the flag out like a picnic blanket. I was just going to run them over until I saw them with the can of lighter fluid. I could see they were going to try to burn it.” That’s when Monday grabbed the American flag. (Chicago Tribune)

1976: Chicago Cubs center fielder Rick Monday snatched an American flag from two men who intended to set it afire during the fourth inning in the outfield at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Later, the stadium’s message board said, “Rick Monday … You made a great play.”

The next time Monday came up to bat, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Monday, however, said the applause wasn’t for him.

“They were cheering for the flag, ” Monday said. “The greatest thing that happened was when they played ‘God Bless America’ after that.”

The Dodgers went on to beat the Cubs 5-4 in 10 innings.

1989: Shortly after taking office, Mayor Richard M. Daley adopted Harold Washington’s sanctuary city stance. Daley signed 13 executive orders, including one that reaffirmed “fair and equal access” to employment, benefits and licenses to all — regardless of nationality or citizenship.

A dozen organized crime figures and two former police officers were indicted on April 25, 2005, on charges of illegal gambling, loan sharking and murder as part of the FBI's "Operation Family Secrets" investigation. (Chicago Tribune)
A dozen organized crime figures and two former police officers were indicted on April 25, 2005, on charges of illegal gambling, loan sharking and murder as part of the FBI’s “Operation Family Secrets” investigation. (Chicago Tribune)

2005: Fourteen men were indicted for alleged organized crime activities, including illegal gambling, loan-sharking and some of Chicago’s most notorious mob hits — including the 1986 beating deaths of Anthony and Michael Spilotro, which inspired a scene in the 1995 film “Casino.”

Frank Calabrese Jr., imprisoned in Michigan with his father Frank Calabrese Sr., wore a hidden recorder that captured alleged conversations between the two. In them, Calabrese Sr. broke his silence on several old murders and named others in doing so. The FBI dubbed their investigation “Operation Family Secrets.”

Five men — Calabrese Sr.; Paul “the Indian” Schiro; James Marcello, the reputed boss of the mob; Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, a reputed legendary gangland figure; and Anthony “Twan” Doyle, a former Chicago police officer — were found guilty on Sept. 11, 2007.

Frank Saladino and Michael Ricci died prior to trial, six others pleaded guilty and Frank “The German” Schweihs was deemed too sick to stand trial.

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