Al Capone Essay

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He was the “most powerful crime boss of his day” by 26, a mindless brute turned criminal mastermind (Sifakais, “Capone, Al,” The Encyclopedia, 157). The legendary Al Capone is one of the most well known mob leaders today and his legacy will continue on, but the infamous leader of the Chicago mob started off as a very different person. Before he was a businessman with the greatest empire in Chicago, he was just one more brutish bodyguard to the real masterminds (Sifakais, “Capone, Al,” The Encyclopedia, 157). Beginning with his expulsion from school and him meeting Johnny Torrio, Capone’s succession to Torrio’s throne culminated in their takeover of Big Jim Colosimo’s empire and the aftermath of an ambush during a gang war. Al Capone’s road …show more content…

After being released from the hospital Torrio decided he had enough, and choosing to retire, he turned the empire over to Capone. With this sudden inheritance, Capone was forced to go from being the mindless brawn to a businessman. When Capone did gain control, he managed to make Chicago the “biggest drinking, dice, and dames operation in the Midwest” (Burdick). He ended up being the first equal opportunity employer in the underworld, hiring anyone who was a hustler, crook or killer, regardless of their race or religion (Sifakais, “Capone, Al,” The Encyclopedia, 158). Capone also managed to keep good standing with the people and was called a “public utility” because he limited his mob’s activity to rackets with high public support: booze, gambling and prostitution (Sifakis, “Capone, Al,” The Mafia, 66). Soon, his empire would come into full power due to having the backing of the people, with Capone leading a firm with over a thousand workers and a weekly payroll of over $300,000 a week (Sifakais, “Capone, Al,” The Encyclopedia, 158). His ascension to power forced him to become brains rather than brawn, something that required Capone to aler his mentality after being a muscleman for most of his life up to that

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