The Bronte crime family was an Italian-American Mafia crime syndicate which was active in New Orleans, Louisiana during the late 19th century. Founded by the Sicilian immigrant and businessman Angelo Bronte, his Mafia family was based among the city's large Italian immigrant community and, by 1899, was the most powerful gang in the city. Bronte had Mayor Henri Lemieux, several state officials, the city's business elite, and even the city's other gangs in his pocket, and his family was allied with the Braithwaite family due to their partnership in the moonshine industry. The Bronte family became rivals with the Van der Linde Gang after Dutch van der Linde destroyed the Braithwaites, and, while Bronte attempted to deceive Dutch through his outward friendship, he attempted to have Dutch and his gang killed during the fruitless Victory Street Trolley Station robbery, and Dutch retaliated by staging an assault on his mansion. Dozens of Bronte's mafiosi were killed in the ensuing nighttime shootout, and Bronte himself was kidnapped and fed to the alligators in the nearby bayou. He was succeeded as boss by Guido Martelli, who quicky established himself as the kingpin of New Orleans crime.