al caponeeee paper - 1013 Words

Anjali Patel
Mr. Windle
English 10
11 March 2014
Al Capone: The alluring 1920’s are remembered as the “Roaring Twenties,” an era of miraculous growing affluence influenced by the most notorious gangsters who contributed to the booming of our economy. Al, Capone, born Alphonse Capone, was the most prominent gangster around the 1920’s who was well known for bootlegging, the manufacturing and distribution of alcohol into the states during prohibition in which alcohol was banned. Prohibition led to the bootlegging of liquor and various violent tensions between popular gangs who aspired to earn wealth from this trendy business. Al Capone took advantage in this new opportunity and began a multi-million dollar empire in prostitution rings, gambling and bootlegging, dominating all organized crime throughout the Chicago area until about 1935. Al Capone was born on January 17th, 1899 in Brooklynn New York to parents who were Italian immigrants. His family was educated and represented themselves professionally, but Capone’s poor intensions and hatred toward authority began when he was enrolled in a brutal Catholic institution that led him to cruel forms of discipline in which he quit school. Capone joined the James Street gang led by Johnny Torrio and Lucky Luciano. In 1920, Torrio offered an opportunity to Capone to earn immense amounts of money that was tempting by working with Torrio’s uncle in Chicago who operated the city’s largest prostitution and gambling ring. Agreeing to work with him was the beginning of Capone’s affluent and illegal empire. He became America’s best known gangster and a symbol of destruction of law and order in the United States leading to Chicago’s nickname as a lawless city. When the 18th amendment brought upon the prohibition of selling and the consumption of alcohol to reduce crime rates, they began focusing on the business of bootlegging. Capone dominated this business in 1929, where he made a profit of $60 million dollars per year making him one of the wealthiest men in the United States. Curiosity and interest spread quickly among other gangsters when witnessing Capone’s success, wanting a part in the profitable bootlegging business, multiple gangs and mobs began to form which created intense competition. As the demand for alcohol grew among the people, the boom of the new business did also. Every gang wanted to dominate in order to make money so they aspired to eliminate other gangs in order to decrease competition. Capone did this frequently and as much as he could, he was very unobtrusive and wasn’t directly the murderer in any of the killings. He hired his gang members to complete the dirty work. One of the most recognizable and famous gang wars took place on February 14th, 1929 between Capone and his all-time rival, George “Bug” Moran. Moran had attempted to previously kill Capone and Torrio and was now after his gunman Jack McGurn. That morning Moran and his Irish/German gang members were at a liquor storage building where they expected there was hijacked liquor trucks. A police car pulled up and Moran took cover expecting it to be a police raid, McGurn’s gunmen posted as police and assassinated seven of Moran’s men. Minutes later, publicity flourished around this bloody crime scene, full of disgusted civilians and curious reporters. During the whole time of the Massacre Capone was indirectly involved and was in Miami but was directly blamed for the massacre by the public. Capone’s attempt to keep a respectable and exceptional image among society by making daily visits to City Hall, opening soup kitchens, and lobbying milk bottle dating for the safety of the children, suddenly didn’t matter as he was looked as a disgraceful criminal. Not only did this violent act bring attention to the public but also to the Federal Law Enforcement. It brought national attention to President Hoover who demanded Capone be brought to justice. President Hoover demanded

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