The Rise to Power
"Cosa Nostra" The infiltration and rise of the Sicilian Mafia into the United States.
Alphonse Capone
In the 1920s, organized crime was a powerful entity which offered promising opportunities to recent Italian immigrants. When mobsters and mob bosses saw an opportunity to make huge profits from the manufacture and sale of alcohol throughout Prohibition, they took advantage of it. As various gangs competed, the stakes rose, and the violence increased, One of the most violent mob bosses was the well known “Scarface” Alphonse (Al) Capone who lived from 1899 through 1947. Capone who was a native New Yorker, but moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1919 in hopes of taking over the bootlegging industry. He had already established himself as a mobster, under his mentor Johnny Torrio, before escaping a murder charge, and moving west. By 1925, at the age of 26, Capone was in control of Chicago's illegal liquor operations, and much more. Within four years, Capone had amassed $50 million, had more than seven hundred men working for him, as he controlled more than ten thousand speakeasies - unofficial drinking establishments. Capone's success was won through his brutality, and upon his death he was suspected of involvement in as many as two hundred deaths of rival gang members.
Capone was son to an immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York in 1899. He quickly made his way into criminal activity after he dropped out of school following the sixth grade and became associated with a notorious street gang. Johnny Torrio who was leader of the street gang, would become Capone’s mentor, and later attain his own notoriety. In early 1919, at Torrio’s invitation, Capone joined Torrio in Chicago where Torrio had become an influential lieutenant in Big Jim Colosimo’s mob. The rackets spawned from the enactment of Prohibition, where illegal brewing, distillation of and distribution of beer and liquor, were viewed as “growth industries.” Torrio, abetted by Capone, intended to take full advantage of these opportunities. The mob continued to develop interests in legitimate businesses in the field of cleaning and dyeing textiles and cultivated influence with receptive public officials, labor unions, and employees’ associations.
Torrio appointed Capone to take care of Colosimo’s murder, and soon succeeded to full leadership of the gang as Capone gained experience and expertise as his strong right arm. In 1925, Capone succeeded the boss when Torrio, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt, surrendered control and retired to Brooklyn. Capone built a fearsome reputation in the ruthless gang rivalries of the period, as rival gangs were eliminated or nullified, and the suburb of Cicero became, in effect, a fiefdom of the Capone mob.
In the 1920s, organized crime was a powerful entity which offered promising opportunities to recent Italian immigrants. When mobsters and mob bosses saw an opportunity to make huge profits from the manufacture and sale of alcohol throughout Prohibition, they took advantage of it. As various gangs competed, the stakes rose, and the violence increased, One of the most violent mob bosses was the well known “Scarface” Alphonse (Al) Capone who lived from 1899 through 1947. Capone who was a native New Yorker, but moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1919 in hopes of taking over the bootlegging industry. He had already established himself as a mobster, under his mentor Johnny Torrio, before escaping a murder charge, and moving west. By 1925, at the age of 26, Capone was in control of Chicago's illegal liquor operations, and much more. Within four years, Capone had amassed $50 million, had more than seven hundred men working for him, as he controlled more than ten thousand speakeasies - unofficial drinking establishments. Capone's success was won through his brutality, and upon his death he was suspected of involvement in as many as two hundred deaths of rival gang members.
Capone was son to an immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York in 1899. He quickly made his way into criminal activity after he dropped out of school following the sixth grade and became associated with a notorious street gang. Johnny Torrio who was leader of the street gang, would become Capone’s mentor, and later attain his own notoriety. In early 1919, at Torrio’s invitation, Capone joined Torrio in Chicago where Torrio had become an influential lieutenant in Big Jim Colosimo’s mob. The rackets spawned from the enactment of Prohibition, where illegal brewing, distillation of and distribution of beer and liquor, were viewed as “growth industries.” Torrio, abetted by Capone, intended to take full advantage of these opportunities. The mob continued to develop interests in legitimate businesses in the field of cleaning and dyeing textiles and cultivated influence with receptive public officials, labor unions, and employees’ associations.
Torrio appointed Capone to take care of Colosimo’s murder, and soon succeeded to full leadership of the gang as Capone gained experience and expertise as his strong right arm. In 1925, Capone succeeded the boss when Torrio, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt, surrendered control and retired to Brooklyn. Capone built a fearsome reputation in the ruthless gang rivalries of the period, as rival gangs were eliminated or nullified, and the suburb of Cicero became, in effect, a fiefdom of the Capone mob.
Capone
On February 14, 1929, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, became regarded as the culminating violence of the Chicago gang era, as seven members or associates of the “Bugs” Moran mob were machine-gunned against a garage wall by rivals posing as police. The massacre was generally ascribed to the Capone mob, although Al himself was in Florida. Capone appeared before the federal grand jury in Chicago for the murders on March 20, 1929 and completed his testimony on March 27. As Capone left the courtroom, he was arrested by agents for contempt of court, an offense for which the penalty was one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. He posted $5,000 bond and was released immediately. It was clear then, that Capone had built a city around himself, and his work, as he was able to bribe, payoff, and escape nearly any criminal situation.
On October 18, 1931, Capone was convicted for nearly 50 accounts of tax-evasion. On November 24, 1931 he was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison, fined $50,000 and charged $7,692 for court costs, in addition to $215,000 plus interest due on back taxes. His appeals were denied, and he was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He entered the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, although he served the majority of his time at Alcatraz. On November 16, 1939, Al Capone was released after having served seven years, six months and fifteen days, and having paid all fines and back taxes.
Following his release, Capone never publicly returned to Chicago. He had become mentally incapable of returning to gangland politics, as his self-perception had deteriorated, he was suffering from advanced syphilis, and his memory was seriously disabled. In 1946, his physician and a Baltimore psychiatrist, after examination, both concluded Capone then had the mentality of a 12-year-old child. Alphonse Capone died at his house in Palm Island, Florida on January 25, 1947.
On February 14, 1929, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, became regarded as the culminating violence of the Chicago gang era, as seven members or associates of the “Bugs” Moran mob were machine-gunned against a garage wall by rivals posing as police. The massacre was generally ascribed to the Capone mob, although Al himself was in Florida. Capone appeared before the federal grand jury in Chicago for the murders on March 20, 1929 and completed his testimony on March 27. As Capone left the courtroom, he was arrested by agents for contempt of court, an offense for which the penalty was one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. He posted $5,000 bond and was released immediately. It was clear then, that Capone had built a city around himself, and his work, as he was able to bribe, payoff, and escape nearly any criminal situation.
On October 18, 1931, Capone was convicted for nearly 50 accounts of tax-evasion. On November 24, 1931 he was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison, fined $50,000 and charged $7,692 for court costs, in addition to $215,000 plus interest due on back taxes. His appeals were denied, and he was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He entered the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, although he served the majority of his time at Alcatraz. On November 16, 1939, Al Capone was released after having served seven years, six months and fifteen days, and having paid all fines and back taxes.
Following his release, Capone never publicly returned to Chicago. He had become mentally incapable of returning to gangland politics, as his self-perception had deteriorated, he was suffering from advanced syphilis, and his memory was seriously disabled. In 1946, his physician and a Baltimore psychiatrist, after examination, both concluded Capone then had the mentality of a 12-year-old child. Alphonse Capone died at his house in Palm Island, Florida on January 25, 1947.