Al Capone In the days of the Great Depression and Prohibition, there was a gangster who would become one of the most notorious in history. This man grew from a poor upbringing in New York to become feared and respected in the streets of Chicago. Unable to arrest him for his mob crimes, the President and FBI joined forces and had to settle for charging him with tax evasion. This man’s name was Al Capone. Al Capone’s would ultimately be brought down by charges that had nothing to do with his violent, criminal activity. Al Capone was born to a poor immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York in 1899. Capone had eight siblings and lived a normal life in the city. Capone grades started falling in the six grade so he had to repeat the grade over again. He started staying home from school and going to the local docks. “One day, Capone’s teacher hit him for insolence and he struck back” (History). At that moment, Capone quit school and his family moved to a new house. While at the new neighborhood, he meet his mentor, Jack Torrio. Jack was running a gambling business near the Capone’s …show more content…
The jails where U.S. Penitentiary located in Atlanta and the world famous prison, Alcatraz, located in California. While Capone was in the Penitentiary, he would manipulate the guards and had luxury furniture in his cell. Some guards would sit in his cell with him listening to the radio and others started working for him. Everything changed when Capone was sent to Alcatraz. “Capone got into a fight with another inmate in the recreation yard and was placed in isolation for eight days” (Alcatraz). Capone also got stabbed while he was in line for a haircut. Capone spent four and a half years in Alcatraz before being relocated because he was ill with syphilis. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease and left untreated can cause serious health problems. Capone had been carrying the disease for years and it had affected his mental