Al Capone aka Scarface, gangland boss

Chicago's gangland leader

During the "roaring twenties, Alphonse Capone,aka, Al, Scarface, ruled everything illegal or illicit in Chicago including gambling, prostitution, bootlegging, bribery narcotic trafficking, "protection" rackets, and murder. No matter what he did, he got away with it until the FBI was finally able to connect him to a federal crime and could take action.

Capone was born in New York in 1899, the son of immigrants. By the time he was in the sixth grade of grammar school, he had already dropped out of school and began associating with street gangs. He pals were street gang leader Johnny Torrio and Luciano Lucky Luciano.

The 1920's

During the 1920's Capone joined Torrio in Chicago where he had become an influential lieutenant in the Colosimo gang. This group took advantage of the Prohibition Amendment and became involved in the brewing, distilling and distribution of beer and liquor. Eventually their tentacles reached the cleaning and dyeing fields and began to influence public officials, labor unons and employees' associations.

After Big Jim Colosimo's life was ended in violence, Torrio took over leadership of the gang with Capone as his strong right arm. Torrio soon succeeded to full leadership of the gang with the violent demise of Big Jim Colosimo, and Capone gained experience and expertise as his strong right arm.

Capone takes over full leadership of mobs

Torrio returned to Brooklyn in 1925 after being wounded in an assassination attempt. Meanwhile Capone's had acquired a terrifying reputation among the gang rivalries and as the competition was eliminated or nullified, Cicero, Illinois became his territory.

Most infamous was the February 14, 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre when Capone's gang, posing as policemen, machine-gunned seven members of the "Bugs" Moran organization.

Capone short prison terms.

During the heyday of the Capone era, the 1920's and early 1930's, the Federal Bureau of Investigation were more limited than in the present so the activities of Al Capone and the other gang leaders did not come under their authority.

After being subpoenaed, when Capone did not appear before a Federal Grand Jury on March 12, 1929, feigning illiness, his appearance date was changed to March 20. However, the U.S. Attorney's Office asked the Bureau of Investigation to step in and it found that he had been going to the race track, made a trip to Bimini and a cruise to Nassau when he was supposed to be seriously ill and appeared to be in good health.

As Capone left the courtroom after testifying before the Federal Grand Jury in Chicago on March 20, 1929, Agents arrested him for Contempt of Court for which the penalty could be a year in jail and a $1,000. fine. After he posted a $5,000 bond, he was released

He was arrested again in Philadelphia on May 17, 1929 because he and his bodyguard were carrying concealed weapons. During the next 16 hours, they had been sentenced to terms of one year each. He was released from prison on Mary 17, 1930 in just nine months with time off for good behavior.

Capone served another six months in the Cook County Jail on the Contempt of Court charges.

Federal Bureau of Investigation takes over

During the heyday of the Capone era, the 1920's and early 1930's, the Federal Bureau of Investigation were more limited than in the present so the activities of Al Capone and the other gang leaders did not come under their authority.

However, the U.S. Treasury Department was the FBI's avenue to prosecuting Capone and his associates, using tax evasion charges. On October 18, 1931, he was convicted after a trial to serve eleven years in a Federal Prison and also pay a fine of $50,000 and $7,692 for court costs plus $215,000 plus interest of back taxes. Capone served seven years and fifteen days of the sentence, part of the time at Alcatraz

As a result of having syphilis, Capone became incapable of participating in the gangland politics of Chicago, having the mentality of a 12-year-old child.and was cared for by his family in Florida. He died of a stroke and pneumonia on January 25, 1947.