Al Capone: America's Best Known Gangster

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Al Capone is America's best known gangster. Capone had a leading role in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a lawless city. Capone was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in a rough neighborhood and was a member of two "kid gangs" the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors. Although he was clever, Capone quit school at age of fourteen and instead started to work at a candy store, in a bowling alley, and in a book bindery. He became part of the notorious Five Points gang in Manhattan and worked in gangster Frankie Yale's Brooklyn gang and at the Harvard Inn bar, as a bouncer and bartender. Capone watched and learned as Yale used violence to preserve control over his empire. While working…show more content…
Thompson hired a new police chief to run Capone out of Chicago. When Capone looked for a new place to live, he quickly discovered that he was unpopular in much of the country. In 1928 he finally bought an estate in Florida.

While living in Florida he had an large spy network in Chicago, from newspaper boys to policemen who would spy and then report to Capone. Capone was skillful at killing his enemies when they became too powerful. A typical Capone murder consisted of men renting an apartment across the street from the victim's residence and shooting him down when he stepped outside. The operations were quick and complete and Capone always had an alibi.

Capone's most notorious killing was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. On February 14, 1929, two of Capone's men were dressed as police and the seven men in the garage thought they were. They got scared and dropped their guns and put their hands against the wall. The Capone men fired more than 150 bullets into the victims and Capone had an alibi as he always had, he was in Florida during the…show more content…
He was known for his violent temper and for being loyal. He was the first to open soup kitchens after the 1929 stock market crash and he gave clothes and food to the poor at his expense. Capone was never tried for most of his crimes. He was arrested in 1926 for killing three people, but spent only one night in jail because there was no actual evidence to connect him with the murders.

In 1931, Capone was indicted for income tax evasion for the years 1925-29. 
He was also accused with the offence of failing to file tax returns for the years 1928 and 1929. The government accused that Capone owed $215,080.48.
The jury found Capone not guilty. The judge sentenced him to a total of ten years in federal prison and one year in the county
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