Al Capone's Influence On Organized Crime

Who was the biggest and most daring criminal during the Roaring twenties when bootlegging and was at it organized crime was at its peak? Many would say it was Al Capone. Alfonso Caponi was born in Brooklyn, New York in January of 1899. He was the fourth child of ten children born to his family. Al Capone was a normal kid growing up, that is until he got into an altercation with his 6th grade teacher and afterwards was whipped by his principle. Even though Capone was 14 years-old at the time he never returned to school after the altercation. He eventually moved on to a neighborhood gang where he eventually met his future boss and partner Johnny Torrio.
When he was 16 years-old Torrio introduced Capone to another gangster running a bar on …show more content…
The press estimated the yearly earnings of his empire to be about 100 million U.S. dollars per year. Capone, for the next few years, would flaunt and display his wealth openly with fancy dining, expensive suits, and even a green Cadillac. The Cadillac was equipped with armored shields, bullet proof windows, and tires that when flat were still operational. He purchased a 14 room mansion in Palm Island Florida in 1928. With all of his profits from the past decade, it wasn't surprising when Capone and his former bodyguard were released after being arrested for concealed weapons. At this time, it was March 20, 1929, a little over a month after the “St. Valentine Day Massacre”. Al Capone, after being suspected of the murders of 6 men, testified and posted a bond of five thousand dollars. He was released after spending only nine months in prison. The Massacre was Capone’s attempt to kill Hymie Weiss, and George “Bugs” Moran; the North Side Gang members responsible for the the attack on Torrio. Although Hymie Weiss was confirmed to be killed, “Bugs’’ escaped the cataclysmic …show more content…
On November 24, 1931, he was sentenced to 11 years of hard labor in a Federal prison in Atlanta and was later transferred to Alcatraz. With the fine of $57,692 and extension of $215,000 with interests due on his back taxes, Al Capone was bound to serve his sentence this time. After 9 years of imprisonment, Capone was released on parole from Alcatraz Island on November 16, 1939 because his mind was deteriorating away due to the STD, Syphilis. After his release from a hospital in California, he returned to is estate in Palm Island Florida where he lived out the rest of his life with his wife. On January 24, 1947, his Syphilis caused him to contract pneumonia, and the very next day he died of cardiac