Capone << kuh POHN >>, Al (1899-1947), was one of the most famous and powerful gangsters in United States history. During the 1920’s, he built a criminal empire in Chicago that became the model for present-day organized-crime operations. Capone was known as Scarface because his left cheek once had been slashed in a fight. In spite of his reputation, Capone was treated as a celebrity. He was often seen riding in an armored limousine to theaters and sports arenas, where he entertained guests in private boxes.
Alphonse Capone was born on Jan. 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York, to poor Italian immigrants. The original family name was sometimes spelled Caponi. About 1920, Capone came to Chicago to work for a racketeer. A series of gangland shootings soon left the violent and clever Capone in control of much of the city’s large-scale criminal activities. His gang dominated liquor, gambling, and prostitution rackets. It fought off rival gangs with submachine guns, and corrupted police and politicians with bribes.
Capone gunmen were blamed for the murder of several members of Bugs Moran’s gang in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, but this charge was never proved. In 1931, a federal jury convicted Capone of income tax evasion. After eight years in prison, Capone retired to his mansion near Miami, Florida. Capone died in Florida on Jan. 25, 1947, from complications due to syphilis.
