Alphonse Gabriel Capeone was born in New York on 1899. Al was raised in a middle-class Italian family. His father, a barber, and mother, a seamstress were his parents. Al was a promising student from a young age, but he had problems with authority. Al Capone was 14 years old when he hit a female teacher and was expelled. He was expelled from school after he started working in Brooklyn.
Soon, Al met Johnny Torrio walking down the streets in New York. Johnny Torrio was Al’s mentor. He was known for being a founder member of the criminal organization James Streets Boy Gang, which would later become the Five Points Gang. John Torrio left New York in 1909 to start a brothel. Capone arrived in Chicago in 1920 to follow John Torrio’s request. Capone began bootlegging as prohibition was lifted. Al Capone saw this as a big opportunity after Mr. Torrio resigned in 1925. Al Capone’s violent tactics of territorial dominance followed. Al Capone began to become more well-known. He made it a point to always travel with at least two bodyguards. Because of the Chicago racketeering, business was shut down. The mob moved their headquarters to Cicero in Illinois.
Members of the mob took various social and official jobs throughout their time in government. “…One dozens people were injured by roving gangs of “sluggers,” who intimidated election workers, voters, and campaign workers during the election in Cicero. This was reported in the Chicago Tribune. If citizens voted for Mayor Joseph Klenha, the mob men were known for executing severe punishments. His bloody trail wouldn’t stop there. Frankie Yale, an American gagster, was someone Al Capone would soon be negotiating with. Al Capone was to help him smuggle large quantities bootlegged whisky. This eventually led to the Adonis Club Massacre.
Frankie Yale, who was close to Al Capone, was Richard “Peg Leg”, Lonergan’s rival. Richard knew Al and his crew would be at Adonis Club. Richard “Peg Leg,” a rival enemy to Frankie Yale was seen arriving with some of his men. It was all just a matter of time before Richard and Capone were in a shootout. Richard “Pegleg” Capone and two other men died in the shootout. Although Capone’s men were able to call many witnesses, the evidence was insufficient to convict them.
Even though the police suspected him, the majority of high-profile cases that were filed against him were not successful due to a lack of evidence. Law enforcement became frustrated and began to raid his gambling hideouts and brothels. He would run for cover in his hideouts during that summer because of the constant fear. He was surprised to turn himself in to police, but he soon fled again because he didn’t have enough evidence. Al Capone would also mock police and the justice process.
Al Capone devised a plan to eliminate George “Bugs”, his long-time enemy and leader of the Moran mob. Once George “Bugs,” a bootlegger had brought George Moran and the Moran mob members, they were to act like police and line up the men. Police reports state that all seven men were killed in cold blood after they were gathered together. Surprisingly, “Bugs” Moran wasn’t found amongst them. The police car was spotted by him and he fled. Al Capone, who was not present at the scene but was staying in a Florida hotel, was believed to be the prime suspect.
Al Capone was made America’s enemy publically after newspapers and media exposed the truth. Al Capone was charged with concealing weapons in May 1929 by prosecutors. Al Capone was sentenced to a nine-month term and later released for good conduct. He would not be freed soon because he was convicted of contempt charges in February 1931 and sentenced to six years in Cook County Jail.
Al Capone was being held in jail while the United States Treasury built a long case against him for tax evasion. Frank Wilson was an agent special of the Intelligence Unit at the IRS, charged with investigating and building a case about Al Capone’s tax fraud. Also, he investigated Ralph Capone’s brother as well as Frank Nitti the lieutenant. It was like trying to find a needle among a thousand flowers. Al Capone didn’t keep any bank accounts and he never kept financial records. Frank Wilson, his team and others scanned more than 2 million documents. They found large transactions that he did not report as income, which was surprising. The judge gave him an 11 year sentence on October 17, 1931 for tax evasion. He got almost everything he wanted while in Atlanta Georgia prison. He would bribe authorities and have a collection of mirrors and typewriters as well as rugs and sets encyclopedias. The prosecutors were furious and asked to move Al Capone into a harsher jail. They considered Alcatraz to be the ideal prison. So, Alcatraz was his destination.
This is the place Al Capone died. His syphilis-related mental decline was progressing at a rapid pace. His condition was worsening throughout his stay at Alcatraz. Due to his tertiary Syphilis, he was eventually released from Alcatraz on January 6, 1939. Because of his condition worsening, he would often become confused or disoriented. He would eventually retire on a Floridian estate. At 48 years old, he died January 25, 1947.
Alphonse was a famous genius. He amassed enormous wealth but kept his activities secret. His influence on the concept of money laundering is what makes him famous. He was a master of bribery, and he did not respect the law or authority. His mental stability was destroyed and he succumbed to the law. He was twelve years old when he died.
