Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently also became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities, such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early 1920s to 1931. More
Born in the borough of Brooklyn in New York City to Italian immigrants, Capone became involved with gang activity at a young age after having been expelled from school at age 14. In his early twenties, he moved to Chicago to take advantage of a new opportunity to make money smuggling illegal alcoholic beverages into the city during Prohibition. He also engaged in various other criminal activities, including bribery of government figures and prostitution.
Despite his illegitimate occupation, Capone became a highly visible public figure. He made donations to various charitable endeavors using the money he made from his activities, and was viewed by many to be a "modern-day Robin Hood". Capone's public reputation was damaged in the wake of his supposed involvement in the 1929 Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, when seven rival gang members were executed.
Al Capone timeline
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Al Capone's parents (Gabriele and Teresa) immigrate to the United States
Gabriele was a barber from Castellammare di Stabia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) south of Naples, Italy. Gabriele and Teresina had 8 children:... Read more
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Al Capone Born
Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born in Garden City, New York to Gabriel (December 12, 1864 – November 14, 1920) and Teresina Capone (December 28, 1867... Read more
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Al Capone Expelled From School
Al did quite well in school until the sixth grade when his steady record of B's deteriorated rapidly. At fourteen, he lost his temper at the... Read more
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Al Capone Becomes "Scarface" From Knife Fight
Back in 1917 young burly Al Capone was working in the Harvard Inn on Coney Island for Frankie Yale. Frankie Yale was a mob boss in New York. ... Read more
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Al Capone Marries Mae Josephine Coughlin
In 1918 Capone married Mae Coughlin, an Irish girl, who gave him a son that year, Albert "Sonny" Francis Capone. The couple lived in Brooklyn for a... Read more
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Al Capone Moves From New York to Chicago
Capone's departure from New York, with his family, to Chicago is believed to have occurred in 1921. Capone purchased a modest house at 7244 South... Read more
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Al Capone moves his gang's headquarters to Cicero, Illinois
After the 1923 election of reform mayor William Emmett Dever, Chicago's city government began to put pressure on the gangster elements inside the... Read more
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Johnny Torrio Retires, Puts Al Capone In Charge
The Torrio-Capone duo soon was on the move, taking over mobs that bowed to their entreaties or threats and going to war with those that wouldn't... Read more
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Hymie Weiss and Bugs Moran Assassination Attempt Of Al Capone
However, the violence that lead to this unprecedented level of criminal success drew the retaliation from Capone's rivals, particularly his bitter... Read more
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Gangster Hymie Weiss killed by Capone's Mob
Hymie Weiss was suspected of having formed an alliance with South Side beer baron Joe Saltis, who went on trial for murder in October 1926. It was... Read more
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Al Capone buys 14 room mansion in Palm Island, FL
Sometime in 1928, Al Capone purchased a 14 room mansion in Palm Island, Florida. Read more
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St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Capone's most notorious killing was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. On February 14, 1929, four Capone men entered a garage at 2122 N. Clark... Read more
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Al Capone jailed for first time in Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary for carrying concealed deadly weapons
On May 17, 1929, Al Capone and his bodyguard were arrested in Philadelphia for carrying concealed deadly weapons. Within 16 hours they had been... Read more
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Al Capone Convicted of Federal Tax Evasion
The U.S. Treasury Department had been developing evidence on tax evasion charges - in addition to Al Capone, his brother Ralph "Bottles" Capone,... Read more
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"Scarface" Is Released
Scarface (also known as Scarface: The Shame of the Nation and The Shame of a Nation) is a 1932 American gangster film, directed by Howard Hawks and... Read more
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First Prisoners Arrive at Alcatraz Prison (Likely Including Al Capone)
On August 11, 1934, a group of federal prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Island, a twenty-two-acre rock outcropping one-and-one-half miles offshore in... Read more
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Al Capone paroled and returns home to Palm Island, Florida
Al Capone was paroled on November 16, 1939 from the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island in California, spent a short time in a... Read more
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Al Capone's Armored Cadillac Used as Franklin D. Roosevelt's Limousine
I hope Mr. Capone won’t mind. Read more
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Al Capone Dies
After his release, Capone spent a short time in the hospital. He returned to his home in Palm Island where the rest of his life was relaxed and... Read more
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"Scarface" Is Released
Scarface is a 1983 epic crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana. Based on... Read more
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Geraldo Rivera opens up Al Capone's safe on live TV
The Mystery of Al Capone's Vault was a one-time live American television special broadcast in syndication in April 1986 hosted by Geraldo Rivera.... Read more