Al Capone and The Chicago Outfit
“This American system of ours, call it Americanism, call it capitalism, call it what you will, gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.” –Al Capone
To begin…
Al Capone was the most powerful gangster to ever live, working his way up the ranks to eventually become the king of his own criminal empire. Capone was cunning, deceptive, ruthless, and willing to do whatever was necessary to stay on top.
Alphonse Gabriel Capone Born January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn, NY Son of Italian immigrants Wife-Mae Josephine Coughlin, Son-
Albert Francis “Sonny” Capone Boss of the criminal organization
known as the Chicago Outfit Supplied the Chicago underworld with
alcohol during the Prohibition Era Most feared mobster of his time
Al Capone
One observation-”…a big fat man with a cigar and a $50,000 pinkie ring…a jowly smiling Satan…with two scars across his left cheek. He weighed over two-fifty, yet despite his bulk and the sloppy grin, he could move with lethal speed and force. Not an articulate man, he was nonetheless charismatic: warm, charming, generous. A big tipper” (Yancey 72).
Early Years
Dropped out of school at the age of 14 after getting into a fistfight with his sixth grade teacher
Moved to 21 Garfield Place; in this neighborhood, he met his mentor Johnny Torrio, and his wife, Mae
Torrio was one of the most successful gangsters on the East Coast, and was a role model to many boys, including Al Capone
Capone started out as an errand boy for Torrio, but would eventually move up
At the same time, he would learn about how Torrio’s organization ran, and he would use this knowledge in the future when he took over for Torrio in Chicago later on
Johnny Torrio
Johnny Torrio was the first of the modern gangsters. He ran his empire like a business, allowing it to expand as needed. Torrio was very organized and used his administrative skill to craft the most successful criminal organization on the East Coast. Torrio would lay the foundation for Capone’s rise to power in Chicago.
Early Years
After Torrio moved to Chicago in 1909, Capone would join up with a few street gangs: first the South Brooklyn Rippers, then the Forty Thieves Juniors, and then the Five Point Juniors
Few schools and churches had organizations for kids, so many kids would create their own clubs and get involved in crime
For the most part, Capone was a good kid who helped support his family while working at a munitions factory, and then as a paper cutter
When he was 18, Capone went to go work as a bartender for Frankie Yale, a violent Brooklyn gangster whose aggressive personality would rub off on the soft-spoken Capone
“Scarface”
While working at the Harvard Inn, Yale’s bar, Capone made a lewd comment to a women eating at the restaurant with her brother
Her brother, Frank Gallucio, punched Capone, pulled out a knife and cut Capone’s face three times, leaving scars that would earn him the name “Scarface”
Capone was later forced to apologize to Gallucio This experience taught Capone to restrain his
temper when necessary, a quality he would have to use later if he were to be a successful crime boss
Frankie Yale
This is a NYPD mug shot of Frankie Yale. Capone would later give the order to have Yale killed for hijacking alcohol shipments from him. On July 1, 1928, Yale’s car was forced off the road by 4 men in a Buick sedan. His car was found riddled with machine gun bullets, marking the first time a Tommy gun was used in New York gangland warfare.
The Transition
After he married Mae and after the birth of his son, Capone decided to focus on a legitimate career, so he moved to Baltimore to work for a construction firm as a bookkeeper
On November 14, 1920, Gabriele Capone, Al’s father, died suddenly of heart disease at the age of 55
With the loss of his father, Capone turned to Torrio, who invited Capone to Chicago to take part in the criminal empire he was creating
In early 1921, Capone decided to accept Torrio’s offer.
Living in Chicago
Capone quickly moved from Torrio’s employee to his partner
In 1921, Capone took over as manager of the Four Deuces, which was a speakeasy ,whorehouse, and a gambling joint
At this time Capone also met one of his lifelong friends, Jack Guzick, a Jewish man with a lifestyle resembling Torrio’s
Jack Guzick
Guzick was a devoted family man who acted as a big brother to Capone. Capone’s friendship with Guzick showcased his ability to ignore racial prejudices and to create alliances outside of the Italian community, which would aid him greatly in the future.
Capone takes over Cicero After an unsuccessful attempt on his life, Torrio decided to give up
running the organization, and handed over his power to Capone After the reform-minded William E. Denver took over as mayor of
Chicago, ousting the corrupt mayor “Big Bill” Thompson, it became much more difficult to continue day to day operations in the city
Capone moved the operation to Cicero, where he could take over the government and work unrestrained
He installed his older brother, Frank, as the front man of the Cicero government
Capone used threats, kidnapping, and violence to fix elections, such as the election of 1924
On election day, the Chicago PD cornered Frank Capone and shot him to death in retaliation of Al’s escalation of violence
Capone escalated the violence again, leading to stolen ballot boxes and one dead official
Capone took Cicero, but at the cost of his brother’s life
Murder and “the hanging prosecutor”
Jack Guzick was assaulted by Joe Howard, a small time criminal, after Guzick turned him down for a loan
Guzick told Capone this, and Capone went after Howard, tracking him down in a bar, where Capone shot him dead
William H. McSwiggin, “the hanging prosecutor,” was not able to convict Capone of murder because the witnesses suddenly forgot what had happened when they appeared at the trial
Capone used his power to get away with murder, but the attention it brought to him would only continue to get stronger
Capone-The King of Chicago When Capone inherited Torrio’s empire,
Capone’s power grew substantially, unmatched by anyone
Capone moved his headquarters to the Metropole hotel, which cost him $1,500 a day for a five room suite
He used his persona to gain favorable public opinion, appearing at public events and, of course, supplying everyone with alcohol
“All I’ve done is supply a public demand. They say I violated the prohibition law. Who doesn’t?” –Al Capone
The St. Valentines Day Massacre Because of ongoing problems and competition with George
“Bugs” Moran and his north side gang, Capone decided it was time to take them out
From his home in Palm Island, FL, where he moved after the political heat and pressure from the Chicago PD became too much, he and Jack “Machine Gun” McGurn planned an elaborate hit on the leaders of Moran’s gang
Fred “Killer” Burke, James Ray, John Scalise, and Albert Anselmi pretended to be police, and busted Moran’s gang at the garage where a whiskey deal was supposed to be taking place
As told, Moran’s gang lined up against a wall, and with their own guns, they were murdered, all except Frank Gusenburg, who was still breathing after the shooting
The men then walked out, two acting like they were the bootleggers, and the other two acting as police officers, and got into a stolen police car and drove off
The St. Valentines Day Massacre The main target, “Bugs” Moran was not at the
scene, having seen the police car before hand and took off
The man left alive, Frank Gusenburg, was still alive when the police found him, but he refused to say who shot him, and he died a short while later
Everyone knew it was Capone who had set up the hit, but because there was no proof, and because he was so far away, it was impossible to implicate him as the mastermind of the plot
The St. Valentines Day Massacre
This is a photo from the assassination of Moran’s north side gang. No one was ever charged with the murders because both suspects, Capone and McGurn, had perfect alibis.
“The Blonde Alibi”
George McGurn used his wife, Louise Rolf, to cover up his involvement in the plot of The St. Valentines Day Massacre. Then his girlfriend, he checked into a hotel the day of the assassination. Later on, he married Rolf so she would not be able to testify against him in court.
Capone arrested and on trial In May, 1929, Capone was arrested in Philadelphia,
PA on suspicion of tax evasion At the trial, Capone first attempted a guilty plea,
but the judge James Wilkerson stated, “It is time for somebody to impress upon the defendant that it is utterly impossible to bargain with a federal court.”
Capone then tried to fix the jury with threats and bribes, but when the prosecution found out, they switched the jury, to Capone’s surprise
On October 17, 1931, Capone was found guilty on some counts of tax evasion, and was sentenced to eleven years in prison, plus fines and court fees
Life in and after prison
Capone was originally sent to the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, but once word got out that he was living better than the other prisoners thanks to extra clothes, food, and special treatment, he was sent to Alcatraz in August, 1934 to finish his sentence
Capone had contracted syphilis early on in his life, and now it began to attack his brain and nervous system, leaving him confused and disoriented
He was released from prison in November 1939, and was taken to a hospital in Baltimore, where he was treated until March of 1940
Al Capone died of cardiac arrest on January 25, 1947 at the age of 48
Al Capone’s grave
Al Capone was originally buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery on the South Side of Chicago, along with his father, Gabriel and brother, Frank. The three were then moved in March of 1950 to Mount Carmel Cemetery on the West Side.
In conclusion…
Al Capone was the most feared criminal of his time. He amassed so much power that he became a celebrity and public enemy number one. His presence will never be forgotten, and his iconic image continues on in American society today.
