Capone, Gabriel biography
Date of birth : 1899-01-17
Date of death : 1947-01-25
Birthplace : Brooklyn , New York, USA
Nationality : American
Category : Famous Figures
Last modified : 2010-04-23
Credited as : American gangster, leader of crime syndicate, Untouchables
A knife fight would lead to his title as the dreaded Scarface, but Al Capone became a symbolic icon of highbrow, organized crime in Chicago. Elsewhere in the United States, he controlled casinos, prostitution rings, and was behind the killing of several prominent figures. His glory days ended with his eventual detention and mental breakdown that occurred in Alcatraz.
Al Capone was born in Brooklyn, where his parents had emigrated to from Italy. Speaking Italian at home and English on the streets, Capone learned about crime at an early age. He often ran with area gangs, committing petty thievery and making a name for himself in the neighborhood. By the age of fourteen, he was out of school and working by day in a bowling alley and by night as a bartender and bouncer under Frankie Yale, a notorious crime lord and mob leader.
The young and ambitious Capone wanted to climb rank and committed two murders for his gang in the New York area. He was then transferred to Chicago upon Frankie Yale’s recommendation. He soon married and had one child. It would be in Chicago where Capone would have a taste of true power as a second-hand man to Johnny Torio. Capone was put in charge of all the prostitution rings and underground casinos in the area. During the time of prohibition, Al Capone controlled the underground distribution of alcohol to his clientele.
One of Capone’s major enemies was Bugs Moran, who headed the northern sections of Chicago – a rich area Capone wanted control over. The two were always conjuring up assassination plots to destabilize their roles as leaders over their gangs. And, even though many knew of his powerful dealings, they could never convict Capone for any of his crimes. What eventually brought him down was a case against him on tax evasion and was sent to solitary confinement in Alcatraz. Many biographies, films, and documentaries detail his life. The most popular series and films are the Untouchables and Road to Perdition.
