Al Capone: One of the Most Ruthless Men of All Time

Al Capone is arguably one of the most notorious and popular gangsters in American crime history. However, Capone is more than the classical gangster stereotype he is so often associated with. Capone was an intelligent criminal that used the environment of America at the time in order to rise to the peak of leadership and power amongst his community of Chicago. Capone’s criminal activities during his reign made impacts on American culture and the United State’s legal system that have lasted to this day.

It was the early 1930’s and it was the biggest crime wave in U.S history. The U.S passed a new law that it was illegal to sell, or drink alcohol. This angered many men and caused chaos in every city of the U.S. But there was a man named Al Capone who broke all these rules. He snuck many alcohol and sold so much, that he became rich out of it.

When we think of the mafia and gangs, one name comes to mind, Al Capone. Al Capone, also known as Scarface, was an infamous mafia leader who was active in Chicago during the Prohibition era. Having committed numerous criminal deeds and being the man behind countless murders, Capone was finally arrested for tax evasion . Now, you might ask, “How was he able to commit all these violent deeds without being imprisoned?” Well, we first have to go to the beginning of Capone’s life.

Prohibition led to the bootlegging of liquor and the gang wars of the 1920’s. The most notorious gangster of all time, known as Al Capone, was the most powerful mob leader of his era. He dominated organized crime in the Chicago area from 1925 until 1931. Capone grew up during the roaring 20s in Chicago. He joined the James Street gang, lead by Johnny Torrio. In 1920, Torrio asked Capone to move to Chicago and work with his uncle who controlled the city’s largest prostitution and gambling ring at the time. Capone had liked that idea. Later that year the Prohibition act came into affect and Capone became interested in selling illegal whiskey and other alcoholic beverages. Al Capone was America's best known gangster and greatest

Al Capone, who was born in New York in 1899, was one of the most prominent gangsters in America in the 1920s. He was the son of Italian immigrants, and after leaving school at a young age, became a small-time criminal. Known as ‘Scarface,’ he had links to the leader of the Five Points Gang, Johnny Torrio, and moved to Chicago in 1920, where he gradually rose through the ranks as a partner in saloons, gambling and brothels. They moved their operations to Illinois after an offer to work with Jim Colosimo, a central figure in Chicago’s brothel business. Gang rivalry heated up after a dispute between Torrio and Colosimo over whether to begin in the bootlegging business, and in 1920, Colosimo was murdered allegedly by Al Capone. After this, Torrio’s criminal empire expanded massively throughout Chicago, before leaving in 1925 and handing over operations to Capone. After taking over, Capone expanded operations even further, and was able to control Chicago’s Mayor, ‘Big Bill’ Thompson and fix his elections. A local newspaper from the time reported

Al Capone was a highly known gangster in the 1920s Alphonse Capone born in Brooklyn, New York to a poor US immigrant couple, Gabriele and Teresina Capone, seeking a better opportunity for their then big family of eight children. He was known for running many lucrative illegal businesses that included alcohol bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and protection. Al Capone was so notorious that he would murder those who got in his way. With little prosecution of his actions, Al Capone believed his self to being unstoppable. Al Capone, being raised as a kid in poverty learned hands on how to organize crime and became the biggest force in organized crime.

Conceived in 1899 in New York, to poor settler guardians, Al Capone went ahead to end up noticeably the most notorious criminal in American history. In 1920 amid the prohibition heights, Capone's multi-million dollar Chicago undertakings in prostitution, betting and bootlegging ruled the sorted out wrongdoing scene. Capone was in charge of numerous ruthless demonstrations of viciousness, mostly against different criminals. St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929 was the most famous killings, in which he requested the death of seven adversaries. Capone was never prosecuted for his racketeering yet was, at last, conveyed to equity for money tax avoidance in 1931. After serving six-and-a-half years, Capone was discharged (Kobler, 2003). However, his death occurred in Miami in 1947. Capone's life caught the general population creative ability, and his hoodlum persona has been deified in the numerous books and movies propelled by his exploits. Additionally, this paper tries to give an outline of Al Capone life, violations, and passing.

When Torrio was released from jail he was to worried that Moran would try another assassination attempt and decided to give his whole operations to Al Capone. Al Capone was now the most infamous crime boss in Chicago, George Moran, who was jealous of Al Capone, wanted to control the south side of Chicago before Al Capone could.

Gangs, violence, fights, all these things have been going on for years, America has had many famous mobsters. Chicago has had many gangsters who have influenced gang ways, Al Capone is an often used and a outstanding example of one that has shaped Chicago gang life and ways. Al Capone was strained when he was young. He contrived Chicago when he was here, he even affected us at his end.

Even though many recognize Al Capone as a nuisance, he did well for the people in the community. Better known as Scarface he left a huge impact on the world after he died. The ones who showed respect got respect and the ones who didn’t got what he thought they deserved. Capone wrecked havoc in Chicago, Brooklyn and Florida. He was the reason for the collapse of the law and order in the United States during the early 1900s. Capone’s rise in the gang world was tremendous.

During the Prohibition Era, Al Capone was an extremely powerful gangster that ran Chicago’s underground. At his pinnacle, he led uncountable brothels and speakeasies in which he and his syndicate could manage their various criminal acts, of which included illicit gambling, prostitution, and the sale of alcohol, which of course was illegal at this time and thus how he made the majority of his money. While exact numbers are not available, it is estimated that while at the peak of his power, Capone had brought in well over $1 billion in today’s currency and employed over 600 gangsters in order to do his business and protect him (Simkin, “Al Capone”). When asked whether or not he was a criminal, Capone even cheekily responded, “I make my money by supplying a public demand. If I break the law, my customers who number hundreds of the best people in Chicago, are as guilty as I am. The only difference is that I sell and they buy. Everybody calls me a racketeer. I call myself a businessman” (qtd. Simkin).

Al Capone is widely known as the most ruthless gangster in the United States due to his involvement in violence due to the illegalization of the distribution and consumption of alcohol, the Prohibition Act. Most of Capone’s profits came from his disobedience to the act which was successful due to the few tactics he utilized. Throughout the 1920s, Capone was known for being a successful criminal and almost made Prohibition nonexistent. Capone is credited for most of the illegal distribution of alcohol by using violence to threaten opposing gangs. Al Capone was the most successful distributor of alcohol due to bribing law enforcements and violence against opposing gangs(Yauncey). Capone was a very successful criminal throughout the 1920s

The family was a gentle family that never caused trouble. Nothing about the family seemed violent and there was no event in Capone’s life that sent him into the crime he did, Capone just wanted to make money (Crime Library). Al Capone, the “King of Chicago” showed signs of violence at a young age that eventually led to a large life of crime. During Capone’s time in school, he hit a female teacher that kicked him out. He had always wanted to be a gangster and this allowed him to start his path towards it (Woog). Capone quit school after the sixth grade to join a gang (FBI). Capone joined the Brooklyn Five Points Gang. The two leaders of the Five Points Gang, Frankie Yale and Johnny Torrio played a role in Capone transforming into a gangster (Woog). Torrio would later become the greatest influence on Capone (Al

“ The evil genius of all gangsterdom was Al Capone, first haled to Chicago at 23 by Johnny Torrio, who was at the time boss of the Windy City’s underworld” (Edey 175). By the time Capone took control in 1925 he controlled all the speakeasies in Chicago, which were estimated to be at 10,000, and had a gang 700 strong to enforce his reign (Edey 175). During Capone’s reign “Chicago suffered upwards of 400 gang murders a year” (Edey 175).

Torrio is an American gangster that inherited “Big Jim’” Colosimo’s brothels, and it was later inherited by Capone. Torrio had heard exceptional things about Capone so he offered him a position in his expanding crime organization. Capone accepted Torrio’s proposition with no hesitation because his passion of wealth is what captivated him in any illegal activity he participated in. Also, Capone associated himself with Torrio’s business to potentially help support his mother. Capone sent his wife and son back to Brooklyn while he headed to Chicago to work for one of the biggest illegal enterprises at the time. This was Capone’s turning point for his