Being the most powerful and influential gangster of your time period is not an easy task, Al Capone however was able to accomplish this feat. He took over the crime underworld in Chicago at a very young age and would hold that position for many years to come. It was not by accident that Al Capone would acquire the wealth and respect that he did, it took many years of low level jobs and a little bit of luck to become the top gangster in the entire city of Chicago. Al Capone was born in Brooklynn New York to Gabriele and Teresina Capone. His family came over to America from Italy to escape poverty at the time. Despite being immigrants Capone’s father was a well-educated man and made his living as a liked and respected barber in the area. Capone
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Nate Hendley, the Author of American Gangsters Then and Now says that Capone committed over a dozen murders and ordered many more during his time as Chicago’s most feared gangster. Many were thought out and elaborately planned and others were spur of the moment and in front of many people. Capone’s first murder just happened to be one of the more brutal and emotional murders that he would commit throughout his life. On May 8, 1924, a thug named Joe Howard got into a yelling match with Jack Guzik, one of Capone’s friends, Guzik did not lay a hand on Howard even though Howard was calling Guzik offense names. Guzik left the scene and told Capone about what had just happened, Capone let his temper get the best of him and he found Joe Howard and demanded he apologize to Guzik. Howard responded to Capone by laughing at his request and then called him a “dago pimp”. Capone feeling disrespected pulled out his pistol and shot Howard in the head at point blank range without a second thought (31). Capone did not get caught for this murder but it would draw attention to him, which eventually catches up to him. Another gruesome murder that Capone didn’t commit, but was the ring leader for was at Frankie Yale’s Christmas party. The rumor was that rival gangster Richard “Peg Leg” Longergan and some of his goons were going to show up and the party to cause problems. Yale decided he wanted to cancel the elaborate party he was going to throw. But Al would not hear of it. So he went to work, he got a team of hit men together which consisted of John Scalise and Albert Anselmi. On the day of the party Capone had his hitmen wait for the rival gangster and his company to show up. Around 3:00 a.m. the unwanted guests decided to show up. They were behaving horribly and were there clearly to start something, so Capone gave the signal. In a matter of
Nate Hendley, the Author of American Gangsters Then and Now says that Capone committed over a dozen murders and ordered many more during his time as Chicago’s most feared gangster. Many were thought out and elaborately planned and others were spur of the moment and in front of many people. Capone’s first murder just happened to be one of the more brutal and emotional murders that he would commit throughout his life. On May 8, 1924, a thug named Joe Howard got into a yelling match with Jack Guzik, one of Capone’s friends, Guzik did not lay a hand on Howard even though Howard was calling Guzik offense names. Guzik left the scene and told Capone about what had just happened, Capone let his temper get the best of him and he found Joe Howard and demanded he apologize to Guzik. Howard responded to Capone by laughing at his request and then called him a “dago pimp”. Capone feeling disrespected pulled out his pistol and shot Howard in the head at point blank range without a second thought (31). Capone did not get caught for this murder but it would draw attention to him, which eventually catches up to him. Another gruesome murder that Capone didn’t commit, but was the ring leader for was at Frankie Yale’s Christmas party. The rumor was that rival gangster Richard “Peg Leg” Longergan and some of his goons were going to show up and the party to cause problems. Yale decided he wanted to cancel the elaborate party he was going to throw. But Al would not hear of it. So he went to work, he got a team of hit men together which consisted of John Scalise and Albert Anselmi. On the day of the party Capone had his hitmen wait for the rival gangster and his company to show up. Around 3:00 a.m. the unwanted guests decided to show up. They were behaving horribly and were there clearly to start something, so Capone gave the signal. In a matter of