How Al Capone's Empire Grew

Al Capone was a criminal that did many crimes and other bad things in his life. He most likely was one of the main reasons why alcohol is legal today. He gave Chicago its reputation as a ‘lawless city’ and put Chicago on the map. The nickname “Scarface” came from him being a bouncer and getting into a fight after flirting with a girl. His favorite drink was Templeton Rye whiskey. Al’s car was a Cadillac was seized by the U.S. in 1932 and later used as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s limo. Al Capone’s life of crime began early in his life and eventually led to his

During the period of prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol was made illegal, through the Volstead act of 1919, leading to the first and only time an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was repealed. Throughout this time in American history gangsters were common and were constantly increasing in every city but one in particular stood out from all the others making a significant impact on American history. Scarface, Alphonse Capone or more commonly known as Al Capone; who was the most infamous gangster, taking advantage of the era of Prohibition, ran an organized crime association in Chicago during the 1920s. He was responsible for over 500 murders; he had 700 men under his control and earned $60 million a year for bootlegging. Capone, who was glamorised in media and shown as charitable to the helpless was also controlling and violent and became an iconic figure of the successful American gangster who insisted he was just ‘supplying the public demand’.

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

Capone was said to be involved with many violent crimes, as the same with many of the men who could be classified as organized crime gangsters. With t the lack of evidence and the numerous amount of people that Capone had paid off the police were never able to charge him with any of numerous amounts of crimes. One of the most well known killings that Capone was said to be involved with was the ST. Valentines Day massacre. Capone’s men enter a competitors garage dressed as policemen and killed 6 other gangster. There were few occasions where he was arrested but was released due to lack of evidence. The 1927

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.

Al Capone grew up in Brooklyn, New York; his parents came from Italy, so he had some Italian background in him. He was the fourth child out of nine; he went to school until he was fourteen years old, but he eventually dropped out to help earn money for his family. Right after he dropped out, he joined a street gang called the South Brooklyn Rippers. When he grew older, he joined a new gang called the Five

One of the most notorious gangsters/bootlegger in American history was Al Capone. Iorizzo explains how Al Capone got his infamous name “Scarface.” The incident occurred one night when he insulted a patron’s sister at the bar he worked at. A customer unhappy with Al Capone’s remark used a bottle opener to leave Al Capone with three scars on his face. As Al Capone grew older, he was accused of many crimes including murder. No evidence was ever found or any witnesses that could ever tie them to accuse Al Capone of murder. One case was the death of Bill McSwiggin however, Al Capone stated that he nothing to do with the crime. Another piece of history from Al Capone was The St. Valentine’s Day massacre in which Al Capone ordered multiple hits on gang members, providing a serious threat to civilian safety in Chicago.

wise when it came to living on the streets of New York. He had a clever

In recognition of the failure of prohibition, many people even sympathized with murderous organized criminals. For instance, Al Capone had been fairly popular with the working class and was often cheered in public. After all, he supplied what many of the people wanted. However, that popularity dropped significantly after the much publicized “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre,” a turf war with his rival Bugs Moran. That event became a tipping point in history and from that point forward the media labeled Capone as “Public Enemy Number One.” Consequently, the bloodshed from that day became a symbol and garnered tremendous popular support for ending

Fun fact 7 schools now allow their staff and teachers hit their students and 15 don’t penalize their staff and teachers for hitting the students. Being a 14 year old who got expelled from school, Capone worked many odd jobs like a candy store clerk, a bowling alley pinboy, a laborer for an ammunition plant, and a cutter at a book bindery, Capone got involved he with two “kid gangs” called South Brooklyn Rippers and Forty Thieves junior known for vandalism and secondary crimes. Before the age of 21, he was in many violent crimes, at a Harvard inn, a hoodlum named Frank Galluccio slashed Capone’s cheek with a knife or razor after Capone made a crude comment about Galluccio’s sister, starting his future nickname, Scarface. Capone later shot the winner of the neighborhood craps

Alphonse Capone, nicknamed Al, was born on January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Gabriele and Teresina Capone who came to America as Italian immigrants. Gabriele was a barber, and Teresina was a seamstress. Al and his 7 siblings grew up in a rough neighborhood which led him to an involvement in “kid gangs”. Capone was a part of two gangs, the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors.

Alphonse Capone, also known as Scarface. Born in Brooklyn New York on January 17, 1899 to Italian immigrants. Al was the fourth of nine children. After dropping out of school at the sixth grade al joined his mentor Johnny Torrio’s street gang, called Street Boys Gang. Then later went to the Five Point Gang. Capone worked for Johnny Torrio and was second in charge. Al did things in between his illegal acts. “Between scams he was a clerk in a candy store, a pin boy in a bowling alley, and a cutter in a book bindery.” (1) Capone did his fair share of legal jobs. He became part of the Five Point Gang, which was in Manhattan and worked in Frankie Yale’s Dive. He did legal work but he also did his dirty work. Capone did his legal work to support his family. His mother didn’t work until his teen-age years. His father was a barber trying to open his own

“Born of an immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York in 1899, Al Capone quit school after the sixth grade and associated with a notorious street gang, becoming accepted as a member. Johnny Torrio was the street gang leader and among the other members was Lucky Luciano, who would later attain his own notoriety.

It took time and persistence for Al Capone to become a leader, and to be considered the notorious criminal he was, and due with the guidance of Johnny Torrio, a mob leader in Chicago, Al Capone became the man he was set to be when came to Chicago. In the award-winning book “American Decades” it states “... in 1919 after the 18th amendment went into effect, bootlegging operations opened up and drew in immense wealth. In 1925, Torrio retired, and Capone became the crime czar of Chicago, running gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging rackets and expanding his territories by the gunning down of rivals, and rival gangs.” (Bondi).

Capone was one of the biggest causes of the spike in organized crime in the 20’s following the ratification of the 18th amendment. Capone was also one of the main causes of the collapse in the government due to his strong political ties. Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York and died January 25, 1947 in Palm Island, Florida. Capone had two nicknames, “Scarface” and “Snorky”.