Al Capone

A gangster. A notorious criminal. Scarface. A "modern-day Robin Hood." All the names of Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone. Al Capone was an Italian-American gangster born on January 17, 1899 in the borough of Brooklyn, New York. His parents were immigrants from Italy and he had six brothers and two sisters.


Capone became involved in gang activity at an early age. He made good grades in school but had trouble with the rules. He was expelled from school at the age of 14 for hitting a female teacher in the face. He ended up working at odd jobs around Brooklyn and during this time he was influenced by gangster Johnny Torrio, who he came to regard as a mentor. For a short time, Capone joined small-time gangs that included the Junior Forty Thieves and the Bowery Boys. After that, he joined the Brooklyn Rippers and then the powerful Five Points Gang.


On December 30, 1918, Capone married Mae Josephine Coughlin. He also had a son, Albert Francis "Sonny" Capone. He was under 21 when he had his family. After a while, Capone left New York and moved to Chicago in 1923 to be recruited by Johnny Torrio, his mentor. However, in 1925, Torrio was severely injured by a rival gang, the North Side Gang. As a result, Torrio gave Capone his power and moved back to Italy. This gave Capone control over large portions of the Chicago underworld (underground railroads and tunnels) and provided The Outfit (gang he was leader of) with about $100 million per year in revenue. This money was earned through many illegal vice enterprises, such as gambling and prostitution. The highest amount of money was earned by selling liquor, as it was the Prohibition Era and alcohol was illegal.


Capone became more of a businessman as his power grew. He operated casinos and speakeasies (place that illegally sells alcohol) throughout the city. He received media attention and instantly became a celebrity. All of this power resulted in rivals wanting to bring down Capone for his enforcement of control. Capone was once attacked on September 20, 1926 when he was eating lunch at a hotel restaurant. Ten vehicles surrounded the hotel armed with Thompson submachine guns. They shot the restaurant and the first floor of the hotel. Capone survived as his bodyguard threw him to the ground at the first sound of a gunfire. After this attack, Capone had many hideouts and a retreat in Palm Island, Florida.


Capone's downfall started when he was found guilty for income tax evasion and for various violations of the Prohibition Act. He was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment and transferred to Alcatraz. The warden kept tight security and cut off any contact with colleagues for Capone. His isolation and the repeal of Prohibition diminished his power. As his years in prison went on, Capone faced health problems. He ended up spending his last year in the hospital as the syphilis he had contracted as a youth progressed. He completed his term on January 6, 1939 and was paroled on November 16, 1939. He returned to his home/retreat in Palm Island, Florida. On January 21, 1947, Capone had a stroke. He regained consciousness and started to get better but caught pneumonia. He suffered fatal cardiac arrest the next day. On January 25, 1947, Al Capone died in his home surrounded by his family.