Al Capone
Madeline Struebing
Meet Al Capone
Al Capone, also known as scar face, was the famous gangster of Chicago Illinois. Al was born on January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn New York. His parents names are Gabriel and Taresina Capone. Al's full name is Alphonse Gabriel Capone. Capone had 8 siblings, 6 brothers, and 2 sister. Their names were Frank Capone, Ralph Capone, James Vincenzo Capone, Matthew Capone, John Capone, Umberto Capone, Mafalda Capone, and Rose Capone.
Al's Early Years
Gabriel and Taresina were just like any other parents, they obeyed the law, and gave Capone no reason to be the way he is. Well almost no reason. Al grew up in the Williamsburgh section of Brooklyn. The part of town he grew up in was pretty tough and violent, which could have made him the violent and cruel person he is. He lived by a military yard. Even though Al was a promising student, he was expelled when he was 14 for hitting his teacher, and never went back. It was then that Al met Johnny Torrio, who is Al's greatest influence. Johnny taught Al how to run a business, while also being intimidating. Al joined Johnny's gang. Johnny moved from New York to Chicago in 1909 to help run a giant brothel business there and, in 1919, sent for Al. As prohibition began new bootlegging operations opened and that gave Al and his gang a lot of money. When Johnny retired Al took over running, gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging rackets, and gunned down his rivals and rival gangs. Al married a Irish girl named Mae Coughlin, and became a bookkeeper. Al returned to working with Johnny. Al's dad also died. As Al's reputation grew he started to get more rich, and went almost everywhere with body guards. He also traveled at night, and almost never risked driving in the day. He became very specious .
Al's Crimes
Al's first mobster job was to move operations to Cicero. Frank and Raulph helped Al break into the government and police stations. Between them they took leading positions within Cicero city government, also he ran brothels, gambling clubs, and racetracks. Al kidnapped opponents' election workers, and he threatened voters with violence. He won office in Cicero, but not before his brother Frank had sadly passed away in a shoot out with Chicago's police force. Also Al kidnapped Fats Waller to play at one of his private gtherings. He probably could have just asked him to play at the gathering, but I guess that is not something Al does. When one of Al's friends Jack Guzik was assaulted, Al kind of freaked out and shot the man in a bar. Since there was like only a couple of people in the bar, there were barely any witnesses, so Al got away with murder. Al must have realized that that was a close call (of getting arrested) so he decided he would get people to murder people for him. Al wanted people to think that he was this innocent person with good intentions, so he made soup kitchens and a city wide program giving free milk to school kids. Those crimes were bad but the St. Valentines day Massacre was by far the worst of them. So, Al really didn't like this guy named Bugs Moran and his gang. One day he decided he was going to do something about Bugs and his gang. Al sent over his gang dressed up as police officers and they tricked Bugs and his gang into thinking they were the real police. Al's gang told them to turn around and put there hands in the air and they shot them all dead.
Prison For Capone
Capone was found guilty of tax evasion in 1923. He went to jail for 8 years. Al has never been convicted of any other crime. He ran his business from prison and he had all the luxuries that he had at home. While Al was gone his gang fell apart. Al had become sick from syphilis. In august 1934 Al was moved from a prison in Atlanta to Alcatraz. When Al was in Alcatraz all of his prison luxuries were gone. Al could not mail to any of his friends or family. He had no contact with anyone outside of Alcatraz.
Al's Final Days
Al's syphilis worsened and he became confused and disoriented. Al's sentences were reduced to 6 and a half years for good behavior. When he was released he went to his Palm Island Palace. When he got home Mae was still happy to see him. She stayed by his side till he died on January 25, 1947. Al died of cardiac arrest when he was only 48.