In the 1920’s was the time of Prohibition. A time when gangsters emerged and created businesses selling illegal alcohol. They also set up places to gamble, and speakeasies, bars selling their illegal alcohol. Gangsters made money because of the Prohibition. Some people still wanted their alcohol, so the gangs were able to make money that way.
Some famous gangsters were Dutch Schultz, "Legs" Diamond, "Bugs" Moran, "Lucky" Luciano and Al Capone. Dutch Schultz was in the Bronx, and owned his own saloon. He forced others to buy beer from him. Schultz's rival was Jack "Legs" Diamond, in Manhattan, New York. Diamond raided trucks for alcohol for his many speakeasies. In one of his speakeasies, he killed lots of men. "Lucky" Luciano was on the east coast, and sold drugs and alcohol. He became one of the biggest gang leaders and planned to make a system so criminals wouldn't fight over turf or have as many conflicts. This was called the Commission. But I'm going to talk most about the famous Chicago gangster.
Alphonse Capone was born on January 17th, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Italian immigrants. They lived in a small apartment next to a Navy yard. Al showed potential as a student, and I think he would have done well, if not for the female teacher he hit. Because Al hit his teacher, he was expelled and never returned.
When he was fourteen, he met Johnny Torrio, a gangster who had his own alcohol business. Johnny moved in 1909 to Chicago to better run his brothel business there. In 1919 he wanted Capone to join him to help run the business and teach him about the gang.
In 1925, Torrio retired and Al Capone became the head of the Chicago gang, running the business of the selling of illegal drinks, prostitution and gambling. He had married an Irish immigrant named Mae Coughlin when he was a bookkeeper. They married three weeks after having their first child, Albert Francis. Once his parents died though, he returned to the gang life. He ran his business very well, earning 100 million dollars a year.
Capone killed several men, but because of lack of evidence, he was free. He made a laughingstock of the Chicago police force which I feel like they could have done a better job. Then there was the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. His rival Bugs Moran was getting in the way of Capone’s whiskey business, so he came up with an idea. His companion McGurn would take some of his men and dress up in stolen police uniforms. They would follow Moran and some of his gang into a building where they were going to buy some whiskey. McGurn’s men, as fake cops, made a raid on the other gang and had them line up on the wall. Capone’s gang fired at the men, killing them in cold blood. Capone was in Florida at the time, but everyone knew he was the one that set up that scene.
Because of the St Valentine’s Day Massacre, the people had a new respect and fear for Al Capone, making him one of the most memorable of gang bosses.
I would have thought that Al Capone was sent to Alcatraz for murder but he was sent because of tax invasion. For his murders there was always a lack of evidence. The Chicago police could not catch him. So Andrew Mellon was put in charge by President Hoover to put Capone in prison due to taxes. Mellon was successful and on October 17th, 1931, the jury found Al Capone guilty of several different occasions of tax evasion. Al Capone’s gang was to try and bribe the jury, but the Judge ordered that a new jury were to be used once the trial began.
In August 1934, Capone was moved from one prison to Alcatraz. From Alcatraz, he was released after six and a half years due to good behavior. He went home to Florida to his wife Mae. Al Capone died from cardiac arrest on January 25th, 1947.
"Al Capone." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Nov. 2013. Web. 29 Nov. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone>;.
"Al Capone Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2013. <http://www.biography.com/people/al-capone-9237536?page=1>;.
Comments
Great job Megan!!