Al Capone: The Most Powerful Man In The 1920's

Anahi Palafox

Lauren Baker

Al Capone Chicago, in the moderate 1920’s the town of unlimited booze, wild parties and ruthless violence. Behind most of that action, was one man. They called him Scarface, Al Capone. The most powerful man in the underworld. Back in the 20’s Capone lorded over the empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars. For a period of time, he virtually ruled all of Chicago. His power came from his mix of generosity and brutality. He was willing to pay off anyone who helped and kill anyone who wouldn’t. No one had ever seen a scene of criminal carnage like the one on February 14th, 1929. 7 men were lined up against the wall and mowed down in a Chicago garage. With blood being everywhere, there were some men were cut almost in half with Thompsons Machine guns. That’s where it went from being a murder to massacre. It was the greatest gangster mass murder in

The Chicago Sun-Times talked of 'the bootleg battle of the Marne' and an editorial in the Herald and Examiner declared 'This is war' as gang killings and gun battles shook the city.

Incongruously, Dion O’Banion owned a flower shop on North State Street, where he liked to serve customers and arrange attractive bouquets and window displays. He also supplied wreaths and flowers for expensive gangster funerals. He was greeted amiably there one day by four customers who shot him dead, and his was the most lavish funeral yet. Capone sent a basket of roses ‘From Al’.

A peace treaty was organized in 1926 by the leading gangsters, but it did not hold. Capone, who was cheered to the echo by crowds at sporting events, drove about in an armored car and was an exceptionally generous tipper. He was intent on taking control of Chicago and was on his way to becoming the most famous criminal of his