Al Capone Essay example:
Italian mobs have been the spotlight of many things. The Godfather has I don’t know how many movies in its series. One of the most watch TV series, The Sapranos, has to deal with the Italian Mobs. Today I will tell you about one of the worlds greatest and most famous mobsters. Al Capone.
Gabriele Capone arrived in the US in 1894, he was 31 years old and came to thUS with 43,000 other Italians. He was a barber, and unlike many other Italian immigrants he could read and write his language. Gabriele brought with him his 27 year old wife Teresina, a.k.a. Teresa. Not as bad as it may sound, it is only a four year difference. He also brought with him his children, 2 sons, Vincenzo and Raffaele. Vincenzo was only 2 years old when he moved into the new world and Raffaele was an infant. Teresa was pregnant with a third child, whose name was to be Salvatore. Her fourth son was born on January 17, 1899. His name was Alphonse a.k.a Al. She would also have 5 more kids. Amadeo Ermino, Umberto, Matthew Nicolas, Rose and Malfalda. They would all adopt American names for the outside world. That is a total of 9 kids, which amount to 7 boys and 2 girls. One of the girls died during infancy.
Gabriele’s plan was to do whatever was necessary to keep his family’s ends tied. Because he could read and write he was able to get a job in a grocery store. Teresa made time to do sewing and bring in a little more money for the family.
Now, I know you may be wondering what these two people could have done to make such a horrible person. But let me tell you, the Capones we a conventional and quiet family. Teresa kept to herself and Gabriele was very subdued. They were rational when it came to discipline. They never hit the kids, instead he talked to them and preached to them. The whole family was very close. They were law-abiding unremarkable people.
A little after Al was born they moved to a better apartment. Like most moves this move would expose Al and the rest of the kids to cultures not supplied by the Italian community.
When Al turned 5 years old he started to attend a Public school. The school system wasn’t very good for Italian kids. Teachers were prejudiced against the kids and did little to help them. The schools were horrible. It wasn’t uncommon for fist-fights to break out against students and teachers. Male, and Female teachers alike. Despite that fact Al maintained a B average all the way until his 6th grade year when he lost his temper with the teacher and she hit him so of course he hit her back, after that he was expelled and never returned to school.
Even though he lived at home and did not attend school he did what was expected still. He worked to support the family. He worked as a pinsetter at the local bowling alley, and later became a clerk for the Candy Store. He was still a good boy well behaved and sociable. Despite what you might think the family was making just fine for themselves under Gabriele’s supervision.
There was a man in the community by the name on Jonny Torrio. Al became one of Torrio’s trusted few and he slowly started to trust him with more things. Torrio wasn’t your common mob man he didn’t drink, smoke, swear, or cheat on his devoted wife Ann. But Torrio would be someone that would pass in and out of Al’s life.
At the age of about 16 Al started to become involved with street gangs. He would be involved in three at seprated times. The 1st was the South Brooklyn Tipper the 2nd the Forty Thieves, and last the Five Point Juniors. These gangs weren’t Gang Gangs, instead they were more or less territorial neighborhood boys with tempers.
Now the good stuff, I’ve told you about Al Capone’s life before crime. Let me tell you about his crime life. Remember how I told you about Torrio before, well. Torrio decided to move his crime life to Chicago. When moving there he asked Capone if he would like to come and be his right hand man.
Let me tell you Chicago was the perfect place to start a life of crime. A journalist of the time once wrote “She was a vibrant and violent, stimulating and ruthless, intolerant of smugness, impatient with those either physically or intellectually timid.” It was a town with no cravings for snobbery. The city was becoming known for its wealth and sexual promiscuity. When Capone arrived in 1920 prostitutions was becoming the capital of crime. The starter of this business was Jim Colosimo. Him and his wife together were earning at least $50,000 a month doing this business. Big Jim was a pimp and no one seemed to care. He owned one of the biggest night clubs in the city. Big Jim made an awesome choice in hiring Torrio to operate this business. Torrio expanded this business and didn’t attract any attention in doing so. On May 11, 1920 Big Jim was assassinated in his club. After the murder Torrio was able to keep up the multi-million-dollar-a-year business. Because liquor wasn’t allowed Torrio decided to build to this business by importing the good stuff and selling it for outstanding prices. Because of this Torrio was overseeing thousand of whorehouses, gambling joints. Al became an employee and soon would go against everything he stood for and become a partner is this dis-honest business. He became the soul manager of the Four Deuces. This club was a whorehouse, gambling joint and secret bar where they would drink that illegal liquor, know as a speakeasy.
After being in this for a while he was way beyond financially stable so he bought a house. To this common house he brought his only son Sonny, his Wife, his mother, and his other siblings.
For years Capone continued this life of crime with out prosecution of his crime. In June of 1930, ten years after being in Chicago, he was indicted for income tax evasion. This means that whole time he hadn’t paid income taxes. In his defense Capone stated, “The government can’t collect honest money from dishonest earnings.” His downfall was caused by Eddie O’Hare. O’Hare is said to be one of the best undercover men the IRS has ever hired. Capone was convicted of three felonies and two misdemeanors. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and was ordered to pay $80,000 in court costs and fines. He started his sentence in an Atlanta Prison but four years later was moved to Alcatraz. Five years later he was released because he had Syphillis, and STD, which he obtained during his whorehouse days. In 1947 Capone suffered from a brain hemorrhage and died.
Capone started his life as an innocent Italian boy, that was thought never to have a name for himself. When Capone’s life ended his name was famous.
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