During the 1920’s crime was at an all time high in Chicago due to prohibition and turf wars between rival gangs. One of the most famous gangsters during this time period was Alphonse “Al” Capone. Born in Brooklyn, New York to two poor immigrant parents on January 17, 1899 he grew up being active in two different kid gangs, the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors. When he got older he started working at different jobs in a candy store, a cutter in a book bindery and a pin boy in a bowling alley.(Chicagohs)
When he was a teenager he was recruited by a famous gangster named Johnny Torrio. Capone ran errands and did small favors for Torrio. During this time Capone snagged a position at a bar called the Harvard Inn working as a bouncer and bartender under Frankie Yale at Coney Island. This is where Al Capone got his nickname “Scarface” by insulting a lady and her brother got mad and slashed Capone's face three times.(Umich) After getting in a fight with another Italian man from another gang Yale sent Capone to Chicago to work under Torrio.
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Opening up another source of income for the Torrio-Capone business.(Youtube) Al and his brother started working at two of the brothels that Torrio ran. Only after a year of running the brothels, Torrio put Al in charge of the Four Deuces, headquarters of Torrio’s operiostions. In 1925, Torrio was nearly killed by a rival gang and he decided to get out of the criminal world while he was still alive.(History...) He handed over the business to Al Capone and Capone continued to expand the bootlegging empire as he wished. Within two year, Capone was earning $60 million a year from alcohol sales alone. Other rackets earned him an extra $45 million