Alphonse Gabriel Capone
Born	January 17, 1899 (1899-01-17) Brooklyn, New York
Died	January 25, 1947 (aged 48) Palm Island, Florida, U.S. (Miami Beach, Florida)
Penalty	Imprisonment from 1932 to 1939
Status	deceased
Occupation	gangster bootlegger
Spouse	Mae Josephine Coughlin
Children	Albert Francis Capone

Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone (January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), commonly nicknamed Scarface, was an Italian American gangster who led a crime syndicate dedicated to the smuggling and bootlegging of liquor and other illegal activities during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Palm Island is a man-made island located in Biscayne Bay in the city of Miami Beach, Florida. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of For other uses see Gangsta. A gangster is a criminal who is or at some point almost invariably becomes a member of a persistent violent Rum-running is the business of Smuggling or transporting of Alcoholic beverages illegally usually to circumvent Taxation or Prohibition. Mary (Mae Coughlin Capone, aka Josephine, was the wife of Al Capone. Albert Francis Capone ( December 4, 1918 &ndash 8 July, 2004) (also known as Sonny was the son of Al Capone. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship For other uses see Gangsta. A gangster is a criminal who is or at some point almost invariably becomes a member of a persistent violent In the sociological field, crime is the breach of a rule or Law for which some governing authority or force may ultimately prescribe a Punishment Smuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited such as out of a building into a Prison Rum-running is the business of Smuggling or transporting of Alcoholic beverages illegally usually to circumvent Taxation or Prohibition. In the United States, the term Prohibition refers to the period from 1920 to 1933 during which the sale manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, to southwestern Italian emigrants Gabriele and Teresina Capone, Capone began his career in Brooklyn before moving to Chicago and becoming the boss of the criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit (although his business card reportedly described him as a used furniture dealer). Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. "Crime syndicate" redirects here For the DC Comics group of villains see Crime Syndicate. The Chicago Outfit shortened to " the Outfit " is a Crime syndicate based in Chicago Illinois, USA. Furniture is the Mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds, provide storage or hold objects on horizontal ^[1]

By the end of the 1920s, Capone had gained the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation following his being placed on the Chicago Crime Commission's "public enemies" list. Public enemy is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and Although never successfully convicted of racketeering charges, Capone's criminal career ended in 1931, when he was indicted and convicted by the federal government for income tax evasion. A racket is an illegal business usually run as part of Organized crime. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the Tax regime to one's own advantage in order to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law

Early life in New York

Mugshot of Capone as a young man.

Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born to Gabriele Capone (December 12, 1864 – November 14, 1920) and his wife Teresina Raiola (December 28, 1867 – November 29, 1952) in Brooklyn, on January 17, 1899. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[2] Gabriele was a barber from Castellammare di Stabia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) south of Naples, Italy. A barber (from the Latin barba, " Beard " is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair give shaves, and trim Castellammare di Stabia is a Comune in the Province of Naples, Campania region southern Italy. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Teresina was a seamstress and the daughter of Angelo Raiola from Angri, a town in the province of Salerno in southwestern Italy. Sewing or stitching is the fastening of Cloth, Leather, Furs Bark, or other flexible materials using needle and Angri is a town in the Province of Salerno, Campania, Italy. It was the hometown of Teresina Raiola the mother of famous American gangster Al Capone Salerno is a town in southern Italy, capital of the province of the same name in the region of Campania. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

Gabriele and Teresina had nine children: Vincenzo Capone (1892 – October 1, 1952), Raffaele Capone (January 12, 1894 – November 22, 1974), Salvatore Capone (January 1895 – April 1, 1924) Alphonse Gabriel Capone (January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), Erminio Capone (born 1901, date of death unknown), Umberto Capone (1906 – June 1980), Matthew Capone (1908 – January 31, 1967), Rose Capone (born and died 1910) and Mafalda Capone (later Mrs. Richard James Hart (born James Vincenzo Capone) (1892 – October 1 1952) was the oldest brother of Al Capone, the most noted gangster in 1920s Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ralph "Bottles" Capone Sr ( January 12, 1894 - November 22, 1974) was a Chicago mobster and an older brother of Al Capone. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. John J. Maritote, January 28, 1912 – March 25, 1988). Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 1199 - Richard I is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting France which leads to his death on April 6. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar)

The Capone family emigrated to Canada for some time before returning in 1894 and settling at 95 Navy Street^[3] , in the Navy Yard section of downtown Brooklyn, near the Barber Shop that employed Gabriele at 29 Park Avenue^[3]. The United States Navy Yard New York - better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard (NYNSY - is an American shipyard located Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower by DSJPG|thumb|The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower is a prominent symbol of Downtown When Al was 14, the Capone family moved to 21 Garfield Place^[3] in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Park Slope is a neighborhood in the western section of Brooklyn, New York City's most populous borough.

Capone left school in the sixth-grade at age 14, after being expelled for punching a teacher at Public School 133. He then worked at odd jobs around Brooklyn, including in a candy store and a bowling alley. ^[4] During this time, Capone was influenced by gangster Johnny Torrio, who he came to regard as a mentor figure. John "Papa Johnny" Torrio, aka "The Fox" (born Giovanni Torrio) (February 1882 &ndash April 16 1957 was an Italian-American ^[5]

After his initial stint with small-time gangs, Capone joined the notorious Five Points Gang and was employed as a bouncer by racketeer Frankie Yale. The Five Points Gang was a 19th-century Criminal organization based in the Sixth Ward ( The Five Points) of New York City. A bouncer or doorman is an informal term for Security guards employed at venues such as bars, Nightclubs or Concerts to provide Francesco Ioele ( 1893 - July 1, 1928) better known as Frankie Uale or the alias of Yale, was a Brooklyn gangster ^[6][7] It was in this field that Capone got the scars that gave him the nickname "Scarface;" he inadvertently insulted a woman, provoking a fight with her brother Frank Gallucio. Capone's face was slashed three times. Capone apologized to Gallucio at Yale's request, and would hire his attacker as a bodyguard in later life. ^[8][9] When photographed, Capone hid the scarred left side of his face, and would misrepresent his injuries as war wounds. ^[8][10] According to the 2002 magazine from Life called Mobsters and Gangsters: from Al Capone to Tony Soprano, Capone was called "Snorky" by his closest friends. ^[11]

On December 30, 1918, Capone married Mae Josephine Coughlin, an Irish woman. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Mary (Mae Coughlin Capone, aka Josephine, was the wife of Al Capone. ^[9] Earlier that month she had given birth to their son, Albert Francis ("Sonny") Capone. ^[9]

The date of Capone's departure from New York, with his family, to Chicago is usually set around the year of 1920. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar ^[12] Capone came at the invitation of Torrio, who was seeking business opportunities in bootlegging following the onset of prohibition. Rum-running is the business of Smuggling or transporting of Alcoholic beverages illegally usually to circumvent Taxation or Prohibition. In the United States, the term Prohibition refers to the period from 1920 to 1933 during which the sale manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption Torrio had acquired the crime empire of James "Big Jim" Colosimo after the latter refused to enter this new area of business and was subsequently murdered (presumably by Frankie Yale, although legal proceedings against him had to be dropped due to a lack of evidence. James "Big Jim" Colosimo (February 16 1878 &ndash May 11, 1920) was an early Chicago mob boss who was noted for his flashy lifestyle and an empire )^[13] Capone was also a suspect for two murders at the time, and was seeking a better job to provide for his new family. ^[14]

Chicago

Upon his arrival in Chicago, Al Capone assumed the position of Johnny Torrio's right-hand man. Prior to Colosimo's death, he worked various administrative jobs in the Four Deuces speakeasy and brothel, which also served as Torrio's headquarters. ^[15][16] By 1921, Capone was the full manager of the facility. ^[16]

Following the death of his father in 1920, the entire Capone family moved to Chicago at Al Capone's invitation, and Al purchased a new house at 7244 South Prairie Avenue on the city's South Side. The neighborhoods of Chicago are less well-defined than Chicago 's 77 Community Areas. ^[17] The house served as Capone's first headquarters.

Activity in Cicero, Illinois

After the 1923 election of reform mayor William Emmett Dever in Chicago, Chicago's city government began to put pressure on the gangster elements inside the city limits. William Emmett Dever ( March 13, 1862 &ndash September 3, 1929) served as the Democratic mayor of Chicago, Illinois To put its headquarters outside of city jurisdiction and create a safe zone for its operations, the Capone organization muscled its way into Cicero, Illinois. Cicero is an Incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. This led to one of Capone's greatest triumphs: the takeover of Cicero's town government in 1924. Cicero gangster Myles O'Donnell and his brother William "Klondike" O'Donnell fought with Capone over their home turf. Myles O'Donnell was an Irish American Bootlegger and Mobster during the Roaring Twenties in Chicago during Prohibition. The war resulted in over 200 deaths along with the infamous "Hanging Prosecutor" Bill McSwiggins.

The 1924 town council elections in Cicero became known as one of the most crooked elections in the Chicago area's long history, with voters threatened at polling stations by thugs. Capone's mayoral candidate won by a huge margin but only weeks later announced that he would run Capone out of town. Capone met with his puppet-mayor and personally knocked him down the town hall steps, a powerful assertion of gangster power and a major victory for the Torrio-Capone alliance.

For Capone, this event was marred by the death of his brother Frank at the hands of the police. As was the custom amongst gangsters, Capone signaled his mourning by attending the funeral unshaven, and he cried openly at the gathering. He ordered the closure of all the speakeasies in Cicero for a day as a mark of respect. A speakeasy was an establishment that surreptitiously sold Alcoholic beverages during the period of United States history known as Prohibition (1920-1933

Much of Capone's family put down roots in Cicero as well. In 1930, Capone's sister Mafalda's marriage to John J. Maritote took place at St. Mary of Czestochowa, a massive Neogothic edifice towering over Cicero Avenue in the so-called Polish Cathedral style. St Mary of Częstochowa in Cicero, (Kościół Matki Boskiej Czestochowskiej is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in Cicero Illinois The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began The Polish Cathedral style of North-American Catholic church is a genre of Church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic

Capone's wealth and power grows in Chicago

The Lexington Hotel, Chicago. Capone's headquarters. Known as Capone's castle. Photographed in the early 1990s; it was demolished in 1995.

Severely injured in a 1925 assassination attempt by the North Side Gang, the shaken Torrio turned over his business to Capone and returned to Italy. The North Side family Gang, also known as the North Side Mob, was the dominant Irish-American Mafia criminal organization (although a large number of Capone was notorious during the Prohibition Era for his control of large portions of the Chicago underworld, which provided the Outfit with an estimated US $10 million per year in revenue. This wealth was generated through all manner of illegal enterprises, although the largest moneymaker was the sale of liquor.

Demand was met by a transportation network that moved smuggled liquor from the rum-runners of the East Coast and The Purple Gang in Detroit and local production in the form of Midwestern moonshine operations and illegal breweries. The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern The Purple Gang was a mob of bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s Production Uses Usually large scale distillation is practiced for the purpose of making ethanol for drinking, yet it may also practiced for creating Biofuel With the funds generated by his bootlegging operation, Capone's grip on the political and law-enforcement establishments in Chicago grew stronger. Through this organized corruption, which included the bribing of Mayor of Chicago William "Big Bill" Hale Thompson, Capone's gang operated largely free from legal intrusion, operating casinos and speakeasies throughout Chicago. William Hale Thompson ( May 14, 1869 – March 18, 1944) was mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931 A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities Wealth also permitted Capone to indulge in a luxurious lifestyle of custom suits, cigars, gourmet food and drink (his preferred liquor was Templeton Rye from Iowa), jewelry, and female companionship. Templeton Rye refers to Rye whiskey made in Templeton Iowa during the prohibition era as a way for farmers in the area Carroll County to supplement their The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America.

However, this unprecedented level of criminal success drew the attention of Capone's rivals, particularly his bitter rivalries with North Side gangsters such as Dion O'Banion, Bugs Moran and lieutenant Earl "Hymie" Weiss. Charles Dean O'Banion ( 8 July 1892 &ndash 10 November 1924) was an Irish-American mobster who was the main rival of Johnny George Clarence "Bugs" Moran was born Adelard Cunin on August 21 1891 according to his biographer (see BugsMoran Earl "Hymie" Weiss ( January 25, 1897 - October 11, 1926) was a Polish-American mobster who became a leader of the Prohibition Such opposition led to attempts to assassinate Capone throughout the 1920s. He was shot in a restaurant, and he had his car riddled with bullets more than once.

These attacks prompted Capone to fit his Cadillac with armor plating, bullet-proof glass, run-flat tires, and a police siren. Cadillac is a Brand of Luxury vehicles owned by General Motors. Bulletproof glass is a colloquial term for Glass that is particularly resistant to being penetrated when struck by Bullets Since manufacturing glass of usable Most of the would-be assassins were incompetent and Capone was never seriously wounded, but every attempt on his life left him increasingly shaken and slightly afraid of Moran, who was almost certainly involved in most of the attacks.

Members of the gang that had wounded Torrio shot into the headquarters of Capone's gang, which was disguised as a doctor's office and an antique dealer's shop. Nobody was hurt in the raid (Capone's bodyguard threw him to the ground at the first sound of gunfire), although the headquarters was riddled with bullet holes. This event forced him to call for a truce, one that would be short-lived.

When the headquarters moved to the Lexington Hotel, Capone had it filled with his armed bodyguards around the clock. The Mystery of Al Capone's Vault was a one-time live American Television special broadcast in syndication in April 1986 hosted by For his trips away from Chicago, Capone was reputed to have had several other retreats and hideouts located in Brookfield, Wisconsin; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Olean, New York; French Lick, as well as Terre Haute, Indiana; Dubuque, Iowa; Hot Springs, Arkansas; Johnson City, Tennessee; and Lansing, Michigan. Brookfield is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States Saint Paul ( abbreviated St Paul) is the capital and second most populous city in the U Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers Olean (ˈoliˌæn is a City in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. French Lick is a town in French Lick Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. Terre Haute ( is a city in Vigo County, Indiana near the state's western border with Illinois. Dubuque is a city in the US State of Iowa, located along the Mississippi River. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the US state of Arkansas, the County seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington Counties in the U Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Tunnels found under the city of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, are said to have been another hideout of Capone's. Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River 71 km (45 miles west of Regina Saskatchewan (səˈskætʃəwən) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588276 As a further precaution, Capone and his entourage would often suddenly show up at a one of Chicago's train depots and buy up an entire Pullman sleeper car on night trains to places like Cleveland, Omaha, Kansas City and Little Rock/Hot Springs, Ark. where they would spend a week in a luxury hotel suite under assumed names with the apparent knowledge and connivance of local authorities. In 1928, Capone bought a retreat on Palm Island, Florida (Miami Beach. Palm Island is a man-made island located in Biscayne Bay in the city of Miami Beach, Florida. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the )

Capone considered Moran to be a homicidal lunatic, and lived in fear of the Moran gang. The fusillade launched against his headquarters, where at least ten gunmen fired for over ten minutes, must have been particularly unnerving. Even in his last days as he lay ravaged by syphilis, Capone raved on about Communists, foreigners, and George Moran, whom he was convinced was still plotting to kill him from his Ohio prison cell.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre eliminated Capone's enemies, but outraged the general public

Al Capone orchestrated the most notorious gangland killing of the century, the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the murder of seven people as part of a Prohibition Era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago History The area now known as Lincoln Park in Chicago was primarily forest with stretches of grassland and occasional quicksand until the late 1820s when the Europeans arrived The neighborhoods of Chicago are less well-defined than Chicago 's 77 Community Areas. Although details of the killing of the seven victims in a garage at 2122 North Clark Street are still in dispute and no one was ever indicted for the crime, their deaths are generally linked to Capone and his henchmen, especially Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn. Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn (1905&ndash February 15, 1936) was a key member of Al Capone 's Chicago -based criminal organization known McGurn is thought to have led the operation, using gunmen disguised as police and toting shotguns and Thompson submachine guns. A shotgun (also known as a scattergun) is a Firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number The Thompson submachine gun is an American Submachine gun that became infamous during the Prohibition era

The massacre was Capone's effort to dispose of organized crime rival "Bugs" Moran. George Clarence "Bugs" Moran was born Adelard Cunin on August 21 1891 according to his biographer (see BugsMoran The North Side gang had become increasingly bold in hijacking the Outfit's booze trucks and encroaching on the South Side and Capone was ready to put it to an end.

After all efforts to secure a truce had failed, Capone, his accountant/chief extortionist Jake "Greasy Thumb" Gusik, and Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti agreed that they'd have to risk the political heat that would come from wiping out Moran and his gang or face eventual elimination at the hands of the North Siders. Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik ( May 20, 1886 &ndash February 21, 1956) was the financial and legal advisor and later political Francesco Raffaele Nitto, better known as "Frank 'The Enforcer' Nitti" ( January 27, 1888 – March 19, 1943) was an They assigned the task to McGurn and told him to use "outside torpedoes" to avoid implication. McGurn secured the services of triggermen from New York, Tennessee, Detroit, and downstate Illinois. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union.

They rented an apartment across from the Clark Street trucking garage that served as a Moran headquarters to monitor their targets' habits and movements and placed a call to the garage offering to sell a truckload of whiskey stolen by freelancing Sicilian immigrants from a Capone shipment. Such freelancers often hijacked such shipments from both gangs and sold them to the highest bidders, so no suspicions were aroused in the Moran camp. The stolen booze (high-grade Canadian whiskey) was brought to the garage, and the deal was done.

As hoped, the entire Moran gang was there. Unknown to the North Siders, these "freelancers" were being paid by McGurn to set them up for the kill. On February 13, the freelancers called again and set up another transaction for the next day. Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed The freelancers were expected to drive the truck right into the garage, where McGurn hoped the entire Moran gang would again be assembled. At the set time, a stolen Chicago police car pulled up and uniformed "officers" entered the building, along with others who had been standing nearby.

Apparently, the gang members thought that they had been scammed and that they had been set up for a raid. They sheepishly lined up to cooperate in the belief that their lawyers would fix things downtown, as they had many times before. Moran, spotting what he thought to be a police car outside, decided to keep walking and did not enter the garage.

It is believed that a local optometrist (who supplemented his income through bootlegging and liked to hang out at the garage with the gang members) had been mistaken that morning for Moran because he was of similar height and wore the same color gray hat and coat favored by the North Side chieftain. After the supposed Moran entered, the lookouts triggered the "raid. "

Forensic evidence shows that the seven victims were almost cut in two by machine gun fire and that many of the victims had their faces shot off by shotgun blasts for good measure. People in the neighborhood saw the police go in and heard what they thought were a series of backfires, which were common at a garage. The "police" later led some men out to the car and left.

The grisly scene was discovered after the mechanic's dog began to howl so loudly that neighbors went in to see what was wrong. Frank Gusenberg, a member of the Moran gang, survived long enough to be questioned in a hospital before he died. Frank Gusenberg ( 1893 - 14 February 1929) was a Gangster and a victim of the Saint Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago However, when asked "Who shot you?" Frank replied, "Nobody shot me" denying any justice on the murderers.

Although Moran escaped, all his chief deputies were killed and his illegal liquor operation in Chicago rapidly declined. When asked by reporters if he believed Capone was behind the killings, Moran scornfully replied "Only Capone kills like that!"

An indignant Capone countered, "Oh yeah! Listen . . . they don't call that guy 'Bugs' for nothing!" in a reference to Moran's reputation for savagery. With his remaining resources, Moran marked Capone and his key underlings for extermination.

Capone arranged to have himself jailed in Philadelphia for a year to avoid numerous "murder for hire" outfits that were hunting for him. McGurn was gunned down at a bowling alley on the anniversary of the garage slaughter, and two others involved in the killing disappeared.

Moran eventually ran out of resources and fled to Ohio, allowing Capone to return to Chicago, where he quickly found himself in the legal quagmire that effectively removed him from power. It is generally thought that Capone precipitated his own decline with the garage killings. Graphic photos of bodies lying in pools of blood were plastered all over the papers.

A secret convocation of Chicago civic leaders initiated an all-out effort to drive Capone from power. Nevertheless, had Capone and his gang done nothing, the North Side gang likely would have succeeded in killing their rivals and taking over the entire city. Moran and his associates were driven by a visceral hatred of the "South Side Scum," whom they considered to be sexual deviants and degenerates who dealt in prostitution and drug peddling and allowed debased jazz musicians to play in their bars. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States

Moran had also repeatedly vowed to avenge the deaths of his close friends and mentors O'Banion and Weiss (the latter being gunned down on the steps of Trinity Cathedral). It is said that Nitti became enraged with McGurn (whom he considered to be a rival) over Moran's escape and the unfavorable publicity that ensued.

Federal income taxes and downfall

Al Capone's privileged cell in Eastern State Penitentiary, where he spent 10 months in 1929 – 1930 for possession of a concealed weapon. The Eastern State Penitentiary is a former state Prison in the United States.

Although Capone always did his business through front men and had no accounting records in his own name (even his mansion was in his wife's name), Al Alcini started linking him to his earnings. This brought the Government's attention to the fact Al Capone was not paying substantial income tax. The federal income tax laws allowed the federal government to pursue Capone on tax evasion, their best chance of finally convicting him. Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the Tax regime to one's own advantage in order to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law

Pursuing Capone were Treasury agent Eliot Ness and his hand-picked team of incorruptible U.S. Prohibition agents, "The Untouchables," and agent Frank Wilson of the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue (now called the Internal Revenue Service). Eliot Ness ( April 19, 1903 &ndash May 16, 1957) was an American Prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to enforce The Bureau of Prohibition (or Prohibition Unit) was the federal Law enforcement agency formed to enforce the National Prohibition Act of 1919 The Untouchables, led by Eliot Ness, were a group of eleven law-enforcement agents legendary for being fearless and incorruptible who sought to enforce Prohibition Frank J Wilson ( 1887 - June 22, 1970) was the Chief of the United States Secret Service and a former agent of the Treasury Department's Bureau The During a routine warehouse raid, they discovered in a desk drawer what was clearly a crudely coded set of accounts. Ness then concentrated on pursuing Capone for his failure to pay tax on this substantial illegal income. In the United States the Internal Revenue Code (IRC was enacted by the U

Capone was tried in a federal court in 1931. The Chicago Federal Building in Chicago, Illinois was constructed from 1898-1905 for the purpose of housing the midwest 's federal courts The Alcinis tried to help Capone, but he pleaded guilty to the charges on advice of his legal counsel, hoping for a plea bargain. An attorney at law (or attorney-at-law) in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute A plea bargain (also plea agreement, plea deal or copping a plea) is an agreement in a Criminal case whereby the Prosecutor offers But after the judge refused his lawyer's offers, and the jury was replaced on the day of the trial to frustrate Capone's associates' efforts to bribe or intimidate the original panel, Al Capone was found guilty on five of 22 counts of tax evasion for the years 1925, 1926, and 1927, and willful failure to file tax returns for 1928 and 1929. A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person A jury a sworn body of persons convened to render a rational, impartial Verdict (a finding of fact on a question officially submitted to them Capone's legal team offered to pay all outstanding tax and interest and told their client to expect a severe fine. The judge sentenced him to eleven years in a federal prison and one year in the county jail, as well as an earlier six-month contempt of court sentence;^[18] he ultimately served only six and a half years because of good behavior in prison. ^[19] He also had to pay fines and court costs totalling $80,000. ^[20]

In early 2008, the Internal Revenue Service released selected documents relating to the investigation of Al Capone that had previously been considered confidential. ^[21]

Capone's image

Part of the reason Capone was taken to task in this way was his status as a celebrity. On the advice of his publicist, he stopped hiding from the media by the mid-1920s and began to make public appearances. When Charles Lindbergh performed his famous transatlantic flight in 1927, Capone was among the first to push forward and shake his hand upon his arrival in Chicago. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Capone often tried to whitewash his image and be seen as a community leader. For example, he started a program, which was continued for decades after his death, to fight rickets by providing a daily milk ration to Chicago school children. Rickets is a softening of the bones in children potentially leading to fractures and deformity Also during the Great Depression, Capone opened up many soup kitchens for the poor and homeless.

Capone retained a personal style, and hundreds of dollars worth of flowers were sent to the funerals of important opponents. On occasion even Capone and some of his men went to the funeral. In one instance, one of Capone's rival gang leaders was killed by his men, and Capone sent $5,000 worth of flowers to the funeral. In one fight between Capone's men and another gang, an innocent woman was shot, but not fatally, and required hospital treatment. Capone paid all her hospital bills.

Capone could often be seen sitting in box seats with his son and bodyguards at Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs games. He, his brother Ralph, and Gusik regularly went to the race tracks in Chicago, as well as during their security forays into Arkansas and Nebraska. He was also an opera fan and liked circuses and rodeos, where he would buy huge blocks of tickets and distribute them among low-income neighborhoods.

Capone and Nitti were both fans of "New Orleans" jazz music and were instrumental in the rise of such talents as Louis Armstrong and others, who regularly played at Capone speakeasies on the South Side. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Bob Hope related performing, when he was an up and comer, at one of these clubs, where he was terrified of the prospects of bombing in front of such a crowd. Bob Hope, KBE KCSG ( May 29, 1903 &ndash July 27, 2003) was an American comedian and actor who appeared in

Capone gained a great deal of admiration from many of the poor in Chicago for his flagrant disregard of the Prohibition law that they despised. He was viewed for a time as a lovable outlaw, partially because of his extravagant generosity to strangers and often lending a hand to struggling Italian-Americans. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship His nightclub, the Cotton Club, became a hot spot for new acts, such as Charlie Parker and Bing Crosby. Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby ( May 3, 1903 &ndash October 14, 1977) was an Academy Award winning American Popular He was often cheered in the street.

Such efforts, however, did not change his reputation for violence and murder within the city. Capone did not help his own PR problems by being linked to an incident where two men were bludgeoned to death with baseball bats after they were thought to be disloyal to the Outfit: accounts of this incident put the bat in Capone's hands. The brutal murders of the St. Valentine's Day massacre also didn't help, as they made people view Capone as a killer and socially unacceptable figure.

Capone headed a list of "public enemies" corrupting the city compiled by the chairman of the Chicago Crime Commission, Frank J. Loesch, in April 1930. Public enemy is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and The Chicago Crime Commission, founded in 1919 is an independent Non-partisan Civic Watchdog organization of business leaders dedicated to educating Frank J Loesch (1853-1944 was an American law enforcement official reformer and a founder of the Chicago Crime Commission which attempted to combat the widespead corruption The list was published by newspapers nationwide, and Capone became known as "Public Enemy No. 1. "

Prison time

In May 1932, Capone was sent to Atlanta, a tough federal prison, but he was able to take control and obtain special privileges. Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, is a medium-security prison for men in Atlanta Georgia. He was then transferred to Alcatraz, where tight security and an uncompromising warden ensured that Capone had no contact with the outside world. Alcatraz Island, sometimes informally referred to as simply Alcatraz or locally as the Rock, is a small island located in the middle of San Francisco Bay Capone entered Alcatraz with his usual confidence, but his isolation from his associates, and the repeal of Prohibition, meant his empire was beginning to wither. He attempted to earn time off for good behavior by being a model prisoner and refusing to participate in prisoner rebellions. When Capone attempted to bribe guards he was sent to solitary confinement. Solitary confinement, colloquially referred to in American English as "the hole" or "the pound" (or in British English "the block" is a Punishment

During his early months at Alcatraz, Capone made an enemy by showing his disregard for the prison social order when he cut in line while prisoners were waiting for a haircut. James C. Lucas, a Texas bank robber serving 30 years, reportedly confronted the former syndicate leader and told him to get back at the end of the line. James C Lucas (1912 - 1963 was an American Criminal that served a Life sentence in Alcatraz. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. When Capone asked if he knew who he was, Lucas reportedly grabbed a pair of the barber's scissors and, holding them to Capone's neck, answered "Yeah, I know who you are, greaseball. And if you don't get back to the end of that fucking line, I'm gonna know who you were. "^[22]

Capone earned the contempt of many of the inmates in Alcatraz when he refused to take part in a prisoners' strike after a sick inmate, accused of malingering, was denied medical treatment and died. Malingering is a medical and psychological term that refers to an individual fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders Continuing his work in the prison laundry, Capone was continually harassed by other prisoners and often called a "scab" or "rat. " He was eventually allowed to remain in his cell until the strike was resolved.

Shortly after returning to work, an unidentified inmate threw a heavy lead sash at Capone's head, but he suffered only a deep cut on the arm after being pushed out of the way by convicted bank robber Roy Gardner. Roy G Gardner ( January 5 1884 - January 10 1940) was once America's most infamous escape artist and the most celebrated outlaw and escaped

Reassigned to mopping up the prison bathhouse, Capone was nicknamed the "wop with the mop" by inmates. He was later stabbed in the back by Lucas, who was sentenced to solitary confinement. Capone was hospitalized for a week. He suffered further harassment and unsuccessful attempts on his life throughout his prison sentence, including spiking his coffee with lye and attacking him as he was walking towards the dentist's office. Lye is a Corrosive alkaline substance commonly Sodium hydroxide (NaOH He remained under protection from several inmates (possibly from payoffs by the Chicago Outfit).

Though he adjusted relatively well to his new environment, his health declined as his syphilis (contracted as a youth) progressed, and he spent the last year of his sentence in the prison hospital, confused and disoriented. Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum. ^[19] Capone completed his term in Alcatraz on January 6, 1939, and was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island in California, to serve his one-year misdemeanor sentence. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems is a "lesser" criminal act He was released on November 16, 1939, spent a short time in a hospital, then returned to his home in Palm Island, Florida. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Physical decline and death

Capone's control and interests within organized crime had decreased rapidly after his imprisonment, and he was no longer able to run the Outfit after his release. "Crime syndicate" redirects here For the DC Comics group of villains see Crime Syndicate. The Chicago Outfit shortened to " the Outfit " is a Crime syndicate based in Chicago Illinois, USA. He had lost weight, and his physical and mental health had declined, most noticeably with the onset of dementia. Dementia (from Latin de- "apart away" + Mens ( genitive mentis) "mind" is the progressive decline On January 21, 1947, Capone had an apoplectic stroke. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He regained consciousness and started to improve but contracted pneumonia on January 24, and suffered a cardiac arrest the next day (possibly associated with the complications of third-stage neurosyphilis). Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled A cardiac arrest, also known as cardiorespiratory arrest, cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest, is the abrupt cessation of normal circulation of Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum.

Alphonse Capone was originally buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, in Chicago's far South Side between the graves of his father, Gabriele, and brother, Frank. See Mount Olivet Cemetery for other cemeteries with this name However, in March 1950, the remains of all three family members were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, west of Chicago. Mount Carmel Cemetery is a Roman Catholic Cemetery located in the Chicago suburb of Hillside Illinois.

Portrayals

One of the most notorious American gangsters of the 20th century, Capone has been the subject of numerous articles, books, and films. Capone's persona and character have been used in fiction as a model for crime-lords and criminal masterminds ever since his death. A persona, in the word's everyday usage is a social Role or a character played by an Actor. The Mastermind Rational is one of the 16 role variants of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. His accent, mannerisms, facial construction, sometimes his physical stature, type of dress, and often even parodies of his name are found in various cartoon series villains as well as some movies. A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject The word cartoon has various meanings based on several very different forms of Visual art and Illustration. These characters are often shown as wily and crafty, rather than contemptible, criminal characters.

Film

Capone has been portrayed on screen by Nicholas Kokenes, Wallace Beery, Paul Muni, Barry Sullivan, Rod Steiger, Neville Brand, Jason Robards, Ben Gazzara, Robert De Niro, William Devane, Titus Welliver, Anthony LaPaglia and William Forsythe. Wallace Beery ( April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American Academy Award -winning actor arguably best known Paul Muni ( September 22, 1895 – August 25, 1967) was an American Academy Award -winning and Tony Award -winning Barry Sullivan ( August 29, 1912 – June 6, 1994) was an American movie actor who appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s Rod Steiger ( April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American Academy Award -winning Actor known for his Neville Brand ( August 13, 1920 – April 16, 1992) was an American Television and movie Actor. Jason Nelson Robards Jr, ( July 26, 1922 &ndash December 26, 2000) was an American Actor. Biagio Anthony “Ben” Gazzara (born August 28, 1930) is an American Actor in Television and Motion pictures. Robert Mario De Niro Jr (born August 17 1943 is a two-time Academy Award -winning American Film Actor, director and producer William Devane (born September 5, 1937) is an American film and television Actor. Titus Welliver (born March 12 1961) is an American actor Welliver was born in New Haven Connecticut, the son of Norma a fashion illustrator Anthony M LaPaglia (ləˈpɑːljə born 31 January 1959 is an Australian actor best known for his role as FBI agent Jack Malone on the American TV series William Forsythe (born June 7, 1955) is an American Actor. He is frequently cast in "tough guy" roles such as criminals or law enforcement In the 1932 film Scarface, Capone was fictionalized as "Antonio 'Tony' Camonte" (played by Paul Muni). This article is about the 1932 film For the 1983 remake see Scarface. Paul Muni ( September 22, 1895 – August 25, 1967) was an American Academy Award -winning and Tony Award -winning

Literature

In Mario Puzo's 1969 novel, The Godfather, Capone played a small role in the fictionalized "Salvatore Maranzano mob war" of 1933. Mario Gianluigi Puzo ( October 15, 1920 &ndash July 2, 1999) was a two time Academy Award -winning Italian American The Godfather is a Crime novel written by American Author Mario Puzo, originally published in 1969 by G Salvatore Maranzano ( July 31, 1886 - September 10, 1931) was an Organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del (In real life, Maranzano had been killed in 1931). In the novel, Maranzano refuses Don Vito Corleone's request for a partnership and sharing of the gambling and other rackets that Maranzano controls in New York City. Vito Andolini "The Godfather" Corleone (December 7 1891 - August 14 1955 is a Fictional character in Mario Puzo 's novel The Godfather According to the novel, Maranzano asks his good friend Al Capone send two of his best gunmen to New York to finish off "Corleone". However, Corleone hitman "Luca Brasi" and his men intercept the two Capone gunmen at the train station, usher them into a cab, and bring them to a warehouse. Luca Brasi is a character in Mario Puzo 's novel The Godfather, as well as its 1972 film adaptation (portrayed by Lenny Montana) "Brasi" hacks the limbs off one man with an ax, causing him to bleed to death. The second gunman swallows his towel-gag in fear and suffocates. "Corleone" then sends a message to Capone, telling him, a Neapolitan, to stay out of the affairs of two Sicilians, and to never to come to New York City, as it is "unhealthy for Neapolitans". Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. The Don esteemed Capone as a "stupid, obvious cutthroat. " Capone sends back word that he will no longer interfere. He features in the Kinky Friedman novel "The Love Song of J. Richard S "Kinky" Friedman (born October 31 or November 1 1944 is an American Singer, Songwriter, Novelist, Humorist, Edgar Hoover".

Television

The 1959 television film and TV series The Untouchables highlights Capone and his era, perpetuating the myth of the personal war between Capone and Federal Agent Eliot Ness. The Untouchables is the name of a television series that ran from 1959 to 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company. Eliot Ness ( April 19, 1903 &ndash May 16, 1957) was an American Prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to enforce

References

Further reading

• Kobler, John. Capone: The Life and Times of Al Capone. New York: Da Capo Press, 2003. ISBN 0-306-81285-1
• Pasley, Fred D. Al Capone: The Biography of a Self-Made Man. Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Co. , 2004. ISBN 1-4179-0878-5
• Schoenberg, Robert J. Mr. Capone. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1992. ISBN 0-688-12838-6

External links

• Listen online – The Life Story of Al Capone - The American Storyteller Radio Journal
• Miami Beach USA The Un-Welcomed Visitor: Al Capone in Miami. (with photos)
• Obituary, NY Times, January 26, 1947 Capone Dead At 48; Dry Era Gang Chief
• Selective Service System Records—Has photograph and registration card.
• Collection of Al Capone pictures
• Complete FBI files on Al Capone
• Find-A-Grave Alphonse ‘Al’ Capone
• A short profile of his older brother Vincenzo
• An article on the Brothers Capone
• Al Capone at the Internet Movie Database
• johnsonsdepot.com "Little Chicago" (Johnson City, Tennessee)
• "Al Capone at the Windsor Hotel" Johnson City, TN Press, July 30, 2007.
• "Did Al Capone once hide out in Johnson City?" Kingsport Times-News. July 31, 2006.
• Al Capone at the Crime Library
• Exclusive Capone content, bio, photos, time line and related people at Mr. The Crime Library is a Website documenting major Crimes criminals and Trials Forensics, and Criminal profiling from books Capone author Robert L. Schoenberg's Official Capone Site
• Al Capone's Hideout in Courderay, Wisconsin A formerly known Capone hideout. Now a museum in Courderay, Wisconsin