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Alphonse Capone was born on January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York to Gabriel and Teresa Capone. His parents immigrated to the United States in 1893 from Naples, Italy. Capone came from a family of eleven and was the fourth oldest of nine children. He grew up in a rough neighborhood of Brooklyn and was a member of two Kid Gangs the Brooklyn Rippers or Bin Booms and the Forty Thieves. Capone had a good head when it came to street smarts, but school was totally existent. He was illiterate.
He was kicked out of school in the sixth grade at age fourteen. He was kicked out of school for beating a female teacher and knocking her to the ground. After school he took jobs as a pinsetter at a bowling alley, working behind a counter at a candy store, and as a cutter in a bookbinder. Capone was an excellent pool player winning every eight ball tournament held in Brooklyn. While on the streets he became an expert knife fighter. With his notorious reputation Capone was quickly picked up by the Five Pointers the most powerful gang in New York City.
The Five Pointers was headed by Johnny Torrio, and was made up of over 1, 500 thugs who. These thugs specialized in burglary, extortion, robbery, assault, and murder. While with the Five Pointers he worked in gangsters Frankie Yales Brooklyn restaurant the Harvard Inn as a bartender and a bouncer. While at the Harvard Inn he received many facial scars, including one four inches long across his right cheek resulting with the infamous nickname Scarface. As a strong arm for Torrio he learned all the deadly tricks that help him rise to his power and fame. Capone soon became Torrio's goto man sending Capone first to do all his dirt work.
Capone was sent to beat up loan shark victims behind on their payments, then working as a pimp beating up girls who were holding out on their nightly makings. Capone soon became recognized by his gang as a vicious fighter with fists, knifes, and guns. He became an excellent marksman with revolvers and automatic weapons. This was due to many mouths of practice shooting empty bottles in the basement of the Harvard Inn. In 1918, Capone met an Irish girl named Mary Mae Coughlin at a dance.
On December 4, 1918 Mae gave birth to their son, Albert Sonny Francis Capone. Capone, 19 years old and Mae, 21 years old married on December 30, 1918. Shortly after his marriage, Torrio began moving his operation to Chicago. Capone's first arrest was on a disorderly conduct charge while working for Yale.
Later, while in New York he murdered two men. He was later released because a witness lost her memory and evidence suddenly vanished from the courtroom. Soon after Capone hospitalized a rival gang member, Yale sent him to Chicago to wait until thing cool off. Capone arrived in Chicago in 1919, and moved his family into a house at 7244 South Prairie Avenue. While in Chicago Capone was given a job as bouncer at Torrio's new club the Four Deuces. While at the club he at least strangled twelve men with his bare hands.
These bodies were later dragged to the basement through a trap door that led to the alley behind the club and then were dumped. The underground work of Chicago during this time was being ran by Big Jim Colosimo. He was always seen eating at expensive restaurants, and owned all the brothels, salons, and gambling halls in Chicago. Torrio sent his number one hit man, Capone to kill him. Capone killed him on May 11, 1920. The main reason for his murder was the Prohibition Act of 1920, Torrio the nephew of Big Jim repeatedly asked him to start an underground operation that would supply all the bars with beer and liquor, but Big Jim always said no.
Soon after Torrio was shoot by rival gang members and left Chicago. Capone inherited the outfit and became boss. The outfits men trusted and obeyed Capone, calling him The Big Fellow. Capone's street mob numbered over a 1, 000 members, and half of Chicago's police force. His payroll consisted of police officers, states attorneys, mayors, legislators, governors, and congressmen.
Capone controlled speakeasies, bookie joints, gambling halls, brothels, and an income of $ 100, 000, 000 a year. Many attempts were made against Capone's life, but none were successful. He was shot at on streets, and even had poison slipped into his food at clubs. For one instance a rival gang member Dion Obanions, shot 1, 000 rounds into the Hawthorn Inn were Capone was staying.
After Capone had cheated Dion Obanions murder attempt, he arranged one of his greatest accomplishments. Arranging the killings of all the leaders of the Obanions street gang. Capone used two of his best hit men John Scale and Albert Anselmi. This was called the St. Valentines Day Massacre. Capone's men dressed as police officers and lined seven of the Obanions gang members up across a garage wall and unloaded over 1, 000 rounds into the seven men.
Unfortunately for Capone, Bugs Moran a fellow rival was not among the seven. Capone s downfall was caused by one of his own businessmen who ran his dog and horse racetracks. The mans name was Eddie OHare, one of the best undercover men hired by the IRS. OHare informed the IRS of Capone's operation. Capone never paid any type of income taxes. The US Government brought him up on charges of tax evasion.
Capone Offered the government $ 40, 000 to drop the case, but they rejected. Capone was given the maximum sentence which was $ 50, 000 fine, court costs of $ 30, 000, and eleven years in jail. Capone started his sentence in an Atlanta prison were he still controlled the officials, guards and prisoners. In 1934 he was transferred to Alcatraz where he had no knowledge of the out side world, and was unable to control. Five years later he was released, when he was released from Alcatraz as a helpless man, due to untreated syphilis he received from prostitutes. After he was released he was sent to Terminal Island to serve a one-year sentence.
He was released on November 16, 1939. After his release he spent a sort time in the hospital. He then returned to his home in Palm Island, Florida where he spent the rest of his life relaxed and peaceful. His mind and body still continued to deteriorate so he could no longer run his out fit. On January 21, 1947 he had a stroke, but regain consciousness and began to improve until pneumonia set in and then he died on January 25 from cardiac arrest. Capone was first buried with his mother and father in Mount Olivet Cemetery, but in March 1950 all three were moved.
The life of Al Capone was very interesting and amazing. How a son of Italian immigrants can rise to control numerous people and a large city. And how one single man can be so cruel and have no care for human life.
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