John Gotti had a deep respect for the old-line type of gang leaders. His major hero was Albert Anastasia one of the major forces behind the organization known as Murder Inc. He worked his way up through the gang ranks as an associate and through had work and a willingness to use his fists. Violence was viewed as just another means of salesmanship or a means to increase the level of motivation. After a series of small time thefts and brushes with the law in worked his way into an organization crew. Hijacking was an area of specialization and one in which he was able to obtain a level of some success. However, an addiction to gambling plus the cut he provided to the organization kept his level of economic gain at a moderate level. He went to the well once too often, in this case JFK Airport and was picked up for hijacking and within six months was picked up again this time for the hijacking of a tractor-trailer rig. He was sent to Lewisberg Prison, often referred to as the University for Crime, and learned many of his lessons well. One of the major lessons learned was that it was better to plan and finance hijacking than to take part in the actual activity. By this time Gotti had also developed a close relationship with the Gambino Capo, Neil Dellacroce. When Dellacroce was sent to prison for a short period of time, it was Gotti that was given the responsibility of taking care of his crew until his return. Through this promotion Gotti had been able to achieve a limited contact with the Families leadership and Don Carlo. In 1973, Gotti realized an opportunity to gain the eye of Don Carlo. Gambino's nephew had been kidnapped and Gotti had made the decision that he would avenge the crime by taking out one of the men involved. In a bar on Staten Island, Gotti and two other men caught up with the man and when their plan to convince him to follow them outside failed, the man was shot down in the bar. Gotti was picked up for the murder and following the code kept his mouth shut as to any involvement of the Family. While serving his time Don Carlo died and Big Paul Castellano was named as successor. Many of the street soldiers and street captains felt the nod should have been given to Dellacroce who had been released from prison at around the time of Castellano's appointment. On Gotti's release, he was involved in becoming a "made man" and a full-fledged Mafioso. He may have had some hotheaded ideas about leading a place coup to install Dellacroce as the head of the Family, but Neil held the view that the only way to keep the Family together was to respect the decisions of Don Carlo and swear allegiance to the new head of the Family. Dellacroce also advised Gotti to consolidate his own Family position and move further from the muscle end of the business to one of leadership. That leadership should be founded on efforts to avoid conflicts with the law, and Gotti swore to honor the ban against drugs and limit the carrying of a gun. These decisions were able to keep Gotti out of prison for number of years while he consolidated his own power base under the tutelage of Neil Dellacroce. Dellacroce, very ill during this period, allowed Gotti to look after many of his interests. Gotti's power increased over time and Big Paul was unhappy with the influence Gotti had with the soldiers in the street.
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