Alphonse
Gabriel
(Al)
"Scarface"
Capone
Born January 17, 1899
in Brooklyn, NY
Son of
Gabriele Capone and
Teresina Raiola
Brother of
James Capone, Raffaele Capone, Frank Capone, Erminio Capone, Albert Capone, Matthew Capone, Rose Capone and Mafalda Maritote [add sibling]
Husband of
Mary Coughlin
(Married in
[location?] [marriage date?])
Father of
Alfred Capone [add child]
Died January 25, 1947
in Miami, FL
About Al Capone
Al "Scarface" Capone was born in Brooklyn, NY. His parents were immigrants from Italy.
Al was kicked out of the Catholic schools. Growing up, Al's mentor was Johnny Torrio, a gangster.
Al worked as a bartender at the Harvard Inn in NYC. One night Frank Gallucco came in with his sister. Al Capone made a "unfavorable comment" about the female and Gallucco pulled out a pocket knife and slashed Al's face. The wound -- a permanent scar 4" long across the left cheek -- was the origin of his nickname "Scarface."
On December 30, 1918, he married Mary Mae Josephine Coughlin (born April 11, 1897 in NY - died 16 Apr 1986 in Hollywood, FL). Mae, an Irish gal, worked as a sales clerk in a neighborhood department store.
Their son -- Albert "Sonny" Francis Capone -- was born Dec. 4, 1918. Al Capone moved to Baltimore where he acquired a job as the bookkeeper of a construction firm.
He began his life of crime in Brooklyn and then moved to Chicago, Ill. He became the head of the "Chicago Outfit". For the record he stated he sold used furniture.
In 1921, Al moved to Chicago to work for Johnny Torrio, a "gentleman gangster" with specific ideas and codes of honor concerning his business enterprises. He was famous for being a numbers racketeer but did keep a good income from whores and brothels coming in on the side.
During the Prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s, Capone was involved in smuggling of illegal alcohol.
Al lived with his wife Mae and son in a large home in Chicago Heights. When Al's father died in 1923, the rest of his family moved to Chicago and lived in a house provided by Al. Al attended baseball games, he loved the game.
He also owned Capone Estate at 93 Palm Island in Biscayne Bay near Miami, which he had purchased in 1928.
Al Capone's plan to wipe out "Bugs" Moran went wrong at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre on February 14, 1929.
Eliott Ness was an aggravation to Capone. Ness was always busting up distilleries and stopping Capone's gang from making deliveries.
Federal charges in June 1931 involved income tax evasion for which he was convicted. There were twenty-two counts of tax evasion for a sum of over $2,000. First sent to Atlanta, GA Federal prison then soon sent to California and Alcatraz Prison.
Al was in Alcatraz for eight years in the 1930s, none of his brothers could really take his place. It was Alcatraz where Capone spent much of his time inside. On November 16, 1939, Al Capone was released after having served seven years, six months and fifteen days, and having paid all fines and back taxes.
Upon release from prison he was rapidly failing in health due to the advanced stages of syphilis. The City of Miami, FL, allowed him to live in his 25-room villa there.
Al died Jan. 25, 1947 of brain disease brought on by untreated syphilis. He was later reburied at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Chicago. His Headstone reads 1899 - 1947.
NOTE: January 17, 1899 has been marked his official birthdate. However, on the 1900 US Federal Census - Al Capone (in Brooklyn, NY with his family, siblings) was a boy of 2 years old with his birth listed as May 1898.
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