Al Capone Biography – On the Infamous Life of the American Gangster

Alphonse Gabriel better known as Al Capone created a prohibition era crime syndicate dealing primarily with smuggling and alcohol bootlegging but went on to become a legendary gangster as he expanded his activities. The Valentine Day massacre killing seven of his rivals shot him to national prominence.

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Al Capone Biography - Life of a Notorious Gangster

Born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York, the Al Capone biography was destined to take a criminal turn as he grew amidst prejudiced treatment due to his ethnic background and subsequent disillusionment with the American dream. After trying at various odd jobs he landed up in a violent work at a bar which got him the nick name of the ‘Scarface’. In 1919 he fled Brooklyn to avoid a murder charge to join the bootlegging business in Chicago where he quickly rose through the ranks to establish himself as a ruthless gangster. Soon he came to be regarded as a menace to the society due to his illegal activities and violent means to achieve them which became the hallmark of Al Capone biography. He was arrested and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on tax evasion charges in 1931.

Al Capone Death - End of a Long Journey

After his arrest in 1931 he rapidly started loosing his control over the crime syndicate that he had created. Syphilis that he had contracted in Chicago started his physical decline while in prison ultimately leading to Al Capone death after release. This disease further deteriorated his physical and mental health after he was released on parole in 1939. His mental capabilities did not allow him to continue his criminal activities any further and he ultimately had a stroke on January 21st, 1947. Though he recovered from the stroke he immediately contracted pneumonia subsequently. The Al Capone death finally occurred due to a cardiac arrest on January 24th, 1947 ending an era of crime and violence.

Al Capone Quotes - Musings of a Criminal

There are many famous Al Capone quotes that speak of his mentality and attitude towards the world from a criminal’s point of view. His faith in the power of violence is exemplified by his famous saying- “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone”. Being sarcastic of the prohibition which propelled him into success in bootlegging he said "When I sell liquor, it's called bootlegging; when my patrons serve it on Lake Shore Drive, its called hospitality”. In fact his disillusionment with the American society and system is brought out when he criticizes capitalism by saying “Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class” and “I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand”.