The Life And Times Of Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers

The Life and Times of Al CaponeAlphonse Capone was born in refreshing York City by two parents Gabrieland Teresa Capone. Capones parents immigrated to the United States in1893 from Naples, Italy. Capone came from a large family and was thefourth oldest of nine children. (Kobler 10). As a child, Capone was verywise when it came to living on the streets of New York. He had a clevermind when it came to street smarts. As far as school goes, Capone was anear-illiterate. He came from a poor neighborhood in Brooklyn, so educationwas not a go on priority. At active the age of eleven Capone became a member of a juvenilegang in his neighborhood. While this was taking place, around the year1900, about eleven percent of all the foreign born population in the UnitedStates were Italian. Capone was forced to either deal with a miserable low pay job with a hopeless future or make an improvement for himself bycommitting first minor, then serious crimes. Al Capones philosophy wasthat laws only us e to people who had enough money to live by them. While in the Bim Booms gang, Capone was taught how to defend himselfwith a injure, and with a gun. By the time Capone reached the sixth grade hehad already become a street brawler. Capone neer responded well toauthority and for this very reason his schooling would soon come to an end.While attending school, Capone was obligated for beating a female teacherand knocking her to the ground. The principal of the school rushed in andpunished young Capone and for this very reason he would never return toschool again. (Sifakis 603) After dropping out of school, Capone took up jobs such as working(a) asa pin-setter at a bowling alley, and working behind the counter at a candystore. Capone was terrific at pool, winning every eightball tournament held inBrooklyn. He also became an expert knife fighter. Although the BimBooms gang was the first gang Capone ever entered, he was quickly pickedup by the Five Pointers. The Five Pointers was th e most powerful gang inNew York city. The gang was headed by Johnny Torrio, and was made up ofover 1,500 thugs who specialized in burglary, extortion, robbery, assault, andmurder. While working ... ...lecting Capones income could be seized. Capone had neverpaid any show persona of income tax and for this very reason he was brought up oncharges of tax invasion in front of the federal court. Capone offered thefederal government $400,000 to drop the case against him, but they rejectedthe offer. Capone was convicted and given the maximum sentence whichwas a $50,000 fine, court costs of $30,000, and eleven years in jail. (Nash116 ) Capone started his sentence in an Atlanta prison. In 1934 he wastransferred to Alcatraz, also known as The Rock. Five years later he wasreleased from Alcatraz as a helpless paretic, due to the untreated pox hegot from prostitutes. Later that year, Al Capone was judged insane and wasreleased to the care of his family. (Sifakis 613 ) In January 1947 Capone ha d a massive brain hemorrhage and died. His body was removed from his estate in Florida and transferred put up to theseen of his underworld triumph, Chicago. The family held a privateceremony at the cemetery, but were affraid of grave robbers taking the corpseso they reburied Capone in a secret place in Mt. Carmel Cemetery. (Kobler122)