I don't know about you all, but reading about the mafia and all that jazz is interesting. Once I started reading up on one thing, I get pulled into the vortex and find myself an hour or so later knee deep in someone's criminal life and everything they did.
And this might not be related to any of the unsolved cases I've discussed previously but you can't deny that mafia groups is a great vortex to get sucked into reading about. But let's talk about the notorious "Scarface" Al Capone, one of the most famous mob bosses.
And the reason Capone was nickname "Scarface" was at the age of 18 he hit on a mob bosses sister where he ended up getting three cuts and 80 stitches on his face and upper neck earning him his nickname forever.
But, how did Al Capone even get into the whole mafia ordeal?
Capone quit school after sixth grade and joined a street gang led by Johnny Torrio in 1920 in Brooklynn, New York and would later again join Torrio in Chicago and become a lieutenant in the Colosimo mob. By 1925, at the age of 26, Capone would become the boss after Torrio was wounded in an assassination attempt where he was forced to surrender control and retire back to Brooklyn.
Throughout Capone's time within the mob life, he would become the mastermind behind multiple illegal activities and find his name mentioned throughout media more often than not. Capone used violence and fear to earn respect throughout the criminal world.
Even though Capone was one of the most notorious mob leaders during his time, he was also known for his generosity. He tipped waiters $100 or more and opened some of the first soup kitchens during the Great Depression and help families during a time of need.
Yes, you read that right, even the toughest guy during the 20's and 30's had a heart of giving.
Is there an unsolved case linked to Capone?
Even though there was never enough evidence to link Capone to the valentine's day massacre, it is rumored that he was responsible for orchestrating one of the most violent massacres for a Chicago gang during his time. (Well, guess I lied, there is an unsolved case linked to Capone).
Known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Capone sought to consolidate control by eliminating his rivals in the illegal trades of bootlegging, gambling, etc and reach its climax on Valentine's day 1929. Seven members of a rival gang were gunned down, and about 70 rounds of ammunition were fired.
The officers could only find a few eyewitnesses but eventually, Moran would blame the massacre on Capone though Capone himself was at Florida at the time.
Did Capone ever get caught for his illegal trades and any murders?
The answer is a big fat NO. The government could never get enough evidence to put Capone behind bars for his illegal mafia life. BUT, they did get him behind bars for, tax evasion. Guess good ole' scarface thought he could get away without paying taxes, eh?
Capone did do nine months in jail for a weapons charge, the federal authorities could only pin him down for tax evasion. Capone would be sentenced to 11 years and ordered to pay back $215,000 in taxes. Capone was at first sent to prison in Atlanta but after gaining control and receiving special privileges from guards and other prisons and transferred to Alcatraz.
Alcatraz prison was already awful with cells being blocked from receiving sunlight, and prisoners being confined to their cells 24/7 with only one visit outside a week alone, it's no surprise Capone was isolated just like the rest of the prisoners.
But Capone would only serve seven and a half years of his prison sentence due to showing signs of dementia. Capone was set free from prison November 16th, 1939 where he returned to his home in Palm Island, Florida where he would eventually die of pneumonia on January 25th, 1947.
I could go on and on talking about Capone and others involved in the mafia life, but wouldn't it be more fun to get sucked into the never-ending vortex of searching and reading yourself?
