History of Al Capone in Timeline

Alphonse "Scarface" Capone was a notorious American gangster and businessman. He rose to infamy during the Prohibition era as the boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1925 to 1931. Capone's criminal empire thrived for seven years until his imprisonment at the age of 33, marking the end of his reign as a powerful crime boss.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1916: Capone Plays Semi-Professional Baseball

From 1916 to 1918, Al Capone played semi-professional baseball, marking a period before his deep involvement in organized crime.

December 30, 1918: Capone Marries Mae Josephine Coughlin

On December 30, 1918, Al Capone, aged 19, married Mae Josephine Coughlin. Mae had given birth to their son, Albert Francis "Sonny" Capone, earlier that month.

1918: Capone Plays Semi-Professional Baseball

From 1916 to 1918, Al Capone played semi-professional baseball, marking a period before his deep involvement in organized crime.

1919: Capone Moves to Chicago

In 1919, Al Capone moved from New York City to Chicago at the invitation of Johnny Torrio to become an enforcer for crime boss James "Big Jim" Colosimo.

May 11, 1920: Murder of James "Big Jim" Colosimo

On May 11, 1920, crime boss James "Big Jim" Colosimo was murdered, and Al Capone was suspected of involvement in the crime.

1920: Death of Capone's Father

In 1920, Gabriele Capone, Al Capone's father, passed away. He was an Italian immigrant who worked as a barber.

May 7, 1923: Erroneous Report of Joe Howard's Death

In a 1936 article, the Chicago Tribune erroneously reported that hijacker Joe Howard was killed on May 7, 1923, instead of May 8, 1924.

1923: Capone Buys House in Chicago

In 1923, Al Capone purchased a small house at 7244 South Prairie Avenue in the Park Manor neighborhood on Chicago's South Side for $5,500.

April 1, 1924: Death of Frank Capone

On April 1, 1924, Salvatore "Frank" Capone, one of Al Capone's brothers, died. He was involved in Al's criminal empire.

May 8, 1924: Joe Howard Killed

On May 8, 1924, hijacker Joe Howard was killed after he attempted to interfere with the Capone-Torrio bootlegging business.

November 10, 1924: Murder of Dean O'Banion

On November 10, 1924, Dean O'Banion, leader of the North Side Gang, was murdered at his flower shop. The murder was arranged by Johnny Torrio, leading to a gang war with the North Siders.

1924: Capone's income tax evasion

On March 13, 1931, Al Capone was charged with income tax evasion for 1924, in a secret grand jury.

January 1925: Ambush on Capone

In January 1925, Al Capone survived an ambush. Following the ambush, Johnny Torrio was shot and effectively resigned, handing control over to Capone, who became the new boss.

November 1925: Lombardo Heads Unione Siciliana

In November 1925, Antonio Lombardo, Al Capone's consigliere, was named head of the Unione Siciliana. This angered Joe Aiello and led to a feud with Capone.

1925: Capone Becomes Boss of the Chicago Outfit

In 1925, Al Capone became the boss of the Chicago Outfit, taking over from Johnny Torrio. As the new boss, Capone controlled illegal breweries and a transportation network that extended to Canada.

1925: Capone's income tax evasion

On June 5, 1931, Al Capone was indicted by a federal grand jury on 22 counts of income tax evasion from 1925 through 1929.

September 20, 1926: Attack on Capone's Headquarters

On September 20, 1926, the North Siders attacked Al Capone's headquarters at the Hawthorne Inn using Thompson submachine guns and shotguns. Capone was unhurt.

1926: NY Times Connects Capone to McSwiggin's Murder

In 1929, The New York Times connected Al Capone to the 1926 murder of Assistant State Attorney William H. McSwiggin.

January 1927: Kidnapping and Murder of Hawthorne Restaurant Owner

In January 1927, the owner of Hawthorne's restaurant, a friend of Capone, was kidnapped and killed by Bugs Moran and Vincent Drucci.

May 28, 1927: Attack on Aiello's Bakery

On May 28, 1927, Al Capone's men attacked Joe Aiello's bakery on West Division Street with machine-gun fire, wounding Aiello's brother Antonio. This attack was in response to Aiello's plot to poison Capone.

November 1927: Aiello's Failed Ambush Attempt

In November 1927, Joe Aiello organized machine-gun ambushes targeting Antonio Lombardo and Al Capone, but the plans were foiled by an anonymous tip. Aiello was later arrested but released with a police escort.

1927: Aiello's Bounty on Capone

During the summer and autumn of 1927, Joe Aiello offered a $50,000 bounty to anyone who eliminated Al Capone. Numerous hitmen tried to collect, but all failed and were killed.

1927: Thompson's Mayoral Victory

In 1927, Republican mayoral candidate William Hale Thompson won the election, allegedly with a $250,000 contribution from Al Capone. Thompson campaigned on a platform of not enforcing Prohibition.

1927: United States v. Sullivan ruling

In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Sullivan that illegally earned income was subject to income tax.

April 10, 1928: Pineapple Primary Bombings

On April 10, 1928, during the Pineapple Primary, voting booths were targeted by James Belcastro, Capone's bomber, resulting in at least fifteen deaths. The bombings targeted wards where Thompson's opponents had support.

1928: Capone Buys Home in Palm Island, Florida

In 1928, Al Capone purchased a 10,000 square foot home at 93 Palm Avenue on Palm Island, Florida, for $40,000 from Clarence Busch of the Anheuser-Busch brewing family.

1928: Capone's income for 1928

In 1928, Al Capone's lawyer made admissions that Capone was willing to pay tax on income of $100,000.

February 14, 1929: Saint Valentine's Day Massacre

On the morning of February 14, 1929, Capone's men, disguised as police officers, executed the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre at Moran's headquarters on North Clark Street. The massacre resulted in public outrage and damaged Capone's image.

March 19, 1929: Meeting at the White House

On March 19, 1929, Walter A. Strong, Frank Loesch, and Laird Bell met with President Herbert Hoover at the White House to request federal intervention to stem Chicago's lawlessness. President Hoover directed all the Federal agencies concentrate upon Mr. Capone and his allies

March 27, 1929: Capone arrested by FBI agents

On March 27, 1929, Al Capone was arrested by FBI agents as he left a Chicago courtroom after testifying to a grand jury investigating violations of federal prohibition laws. He was charged with contempt of court for feigning illness to avoid an earlier appearance.

May 1929: Plot uncovered by Frank Rio

In May 1929, Frank Rio, one of Capone's bodyguards, discovered that Albert Anselmi, John Scalise and Joseph Giunta were planning to depose Capone and take over the Chicago Outfit.

May 16, 1929: Capone arrested in Philadelphia

On May 16, 1929, Al Capone was arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for carrying a concealed weapon.

May 17, 1929: Capone indicted by a grand jury

On May 17, 1929, Al Capone was indicted by a grand jury and a trial was held before Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge John E Walsh. Capone was sentenced to a prison term of one year.

August 8, 1929: Capone transferred to Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary

On August 8, 1929, Al Capone was transferred to Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.

1929: Saint Valentine's Day Massacre

In 1929, Al Capone was widely assumed to have ordered the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, which aimed to eliminate Bugs Moran, leader of the North Side Gang. The motive may have been the hijacking of expensive whisky illegally imported from Canada.

1929: Capone's income for 1929

In 1929, Al Capone's lawyer made admissions that Capone was willing to pay tax on income of $100,000.

1929: NY Times Connects Capone to Murders

In 1929, The New York Times connected Al Capone to the 1926 murder of Assistant State Attorney William H. McSwiggin and the 1928 murders of chief investigator Ben Newmark and former mentor Frankie Yale.

February 1930: Capone's organization linked to Rosenheim's murder

In February 1930, Al Capone's organization was linked to the murder of Julius Rosenheim, who served as a police informant in the Chicago Outfit for 20 years.

March 1930: Capone listed as "Public Enemy #1"

A week after his release from prison in March 1930, Al Capone was listed as "Public Enemy #1" on the unofficial Chicago Crime Commission's widely publicized list.

April 1930: Capone arrested on vagrancy charges

In April 1930, Al Capone was arrested on vagrancy charges while visiting Miami Beach. He was later charged with perjury but acquitted in July.

1930: Ralph Capone tried for tax evasion

In 1930, Ralph Capone, Al's brother, was tried for tax evasion and spent the next 18 months in prison after being convicted in a two-week trial over which Wilkerson presided.

1930: Aiello's continued plotting against Capone

In 1930, upon learning of Aiello's continued plotting against him, Capone resolved to finally eliminate him. Capone's men tracked him to Rochester, New York, and plotted to kill him there, but Aiello returned to Chicago before the plot could be executed.

1930: Capone's letter to federal authorities

On the second day of the trial, July 30, 1931, Judge Wilkerson deemed that the 1930 letter to federal authorities could be admitted into evidence.

February 1931: Capone tried on contempt of court charge

In February 1931, Al Capone was tried on the contempt of court charge. Judge James Herbert Wilkerson sentenced Capone to six months, but he remained free while on appeal of the contempt conviction.

March 13, 1931: Capone charged with income tax evasion

On March 13, 1931, Al Capone was charged with income tax evasion for 1924, in a secret grand jury.

April 6, 1931: Anton J. Cermak winning the mayoral election

The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre led to public outcry about Thompson's alliance with Capone, and this was a factor in Anton J. Cermak winning the mayoral election on April 6, 1931.

June 5, 1931: Capone indicted on income tax evasion

On June 5, 1931, Al Capone was indicted by a federal grand jury on 22 counts of income tax evasion from 1925 through 1929 and was released on $50,000 bail. Capone was then indicted on 5,000 violations of the Volstead Act (Prohibition laws).

June 16, 1931: Capone pleads guilty to income tax evasion

On June 16, 1931, at the Chicago Federal Building in the courtroom of Wilkerson, Al Capone pleaded guilty to income tax evasion and the 5,000 Volstead Act violations as part of a 2+1⁄2-year prison sentence plea bargain.

July 30, 1931: Wilkerson refused to honor the plea bargain

On July 30, 1931, Judge Wilkerson refused to honor the plea bargain, and Al Capone's counsel rescinded the guilty pleas. On the second day of the trial, Wilkerson deemed that the 1930 letter to federal authorities could be admitted into evidence.

October 17, 1931: Capone convicted on income tax evasion

On October 17, 1931, Al Capone was convicted on five counts of income tax evasion and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, fined $50,000 plus $7,692 for court costs, and was held liable for $215,000 plus interest due on his back taxes.

1931: Capone Convicted of Tax Evasion

In 1931, Al Capone was convicted on five counts of tax evasion and sentenced to eleven years in federal prison. The conviction was based on his admissions of income and unpaid taxes.

1931: End of Reign as Crime Boss

In 1931, Al Capone's seven-year reign as a crime boss concluded when he was imprisoned at the age of 33.

1931: The One-Way Ride: The Red Trail of Chicago Gangland from Prohibition to Jake Lingle book published

In 1931, Walter Noble Burns published the book 'The One-Way Ride: The Red Trail of Chicago Gangland from Prohibition to Jake Lingle'. The book contained the claim that Capone beat Albert Anselmi, John Scalise and Joseph Giunta with a baseball bat before ordering his bodyguards to shoot them. The veracity of this event has been questioned.

1931: Belcastro Wounded, Police Suggest Independence

In 1931, after James Belcastro was wounded in a shooting, police suggested to journalists that he was an independent operator, indicating the attitude of local law enforcement toward Capone's organization.

March 1932: Frank Nitti Takes Over

In March 1932, Al Capone's underboss, Frank Nitti, assumed leadership of the Outfit after Capone's imprisonment for tax evasion.

May 1932: Capone sent to Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary

In May 1932, at the age of 33, Al Capone was sent to Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary where he was officially diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhea. He was also experiencing withdrawal symptoms from cocaine addiction.

1932: Ralph Capone Imprisoned for Tax Evasion

In 1932, Ralph Capone was imprisoned for tax evasion. He had managed Al's bottling companies and acted as the front man for the Chicago Outfit.

August 1934: Capone moved to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary

In August 1934, Al Capone was moved to the recently opened Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary off the coast of San Francisco.

June 23, 1936: Capone stabbed in Alcatraz

On June 23, 1936, Al Capone was stabbed and superficially wounded by fellow Alcatraz inmate James C. Lucas.

1936: Chicago Tribune Article on Capone's Career

In 1936, the Chicago Tribune published an article highlighting Al Capone's criminal career, including an erroneous date for Joe Howard's death.

February 1938: Diagnosis of Syphilis

In February 1938, while at Alcatraz, Al Capone was formally diagnosed with syphilis of the brain, marking a significant decline in his mental state.

January 6, 1939: Release from Alcatraz

On January 6, 1939, Al Capone completed his term in Alcatraz and was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island in California to complete his sentence for contempt of court.

November 16, 1939: Release from Prison and Referral to Johns Hopkins

Due to failing health, Al Capone was released from prison on November 16, 1939, and was referred to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for treatment.

November 16, 1939: Parole

On November 16, 1939, Al Capone was paroled after his wife Mae appealed to the court, citing his diminished mental capacity.

1939: Speculation on O'Hare Murder

In 1939, some historians speculated that Al Capone ordered the murder of Edward J. O'Hare a week before his release, allegedly for helping federal prosecutors convict Capone of tax evasion.

March 20, 1940: Departure from Baltimore

On March 20, 1940, Al Capone, in poor health, left Baltimore after receiving inpatient and outpatient care and traveled to his mansion in Palm Island, Florida.

1942: Penicillin Treatment

In 1942, Al Capone was among the first American patients to be treated with penicillin, which slowed down the progression of his disease, though it was too late to reverse the brain damage.

1946: Mental State Assessed

In 1946, Al Capone was examined by his physician and a Baltimore psychiatrist, who concluded that he had the mentality of a 12-year-old child.

January 21, 1947: Stroke

On January 21, 1947, Al Capone suffered a stroke, leading to further health complications.

January 25, 1947: Al Capone's Death

On January 25, 1947, Al Capone died of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke. This marked the end of the life of the infamous gangster.

1947: Capone Dies of Cardiac Arrest

In 1947, Al Capone died of cardiac arrest following a stroke. He had been debilitated by neurosyphilis during his time in prison.

1950: Remains Moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery

In 1950, Al Capone's remains, along with those of his father, Gabriele, and brother, Frank, were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.

1952: Death of Capone's Mother

In 1952, Teresa Raiola, Al Capone's mother, passed away. She was an Italian immigrant who worked as a seamstress.

1952: Hoover Memoir Published

In 1952, the former President Hoover reported in his Memoir about his meeting on March 19, 1929 with Walter A. Strong, Frank Loesch, and Laird Bell and his directives to all the Federal agencies to concentrate upon Mr. Capone and his allies.

1987: The Untouchables film released

In 1987, the film 'The Untouchables' was released, depicting a scene where Capone beat Albert Anselmi, John Scalise and Joseph Giunta with a baseball bat before ordering his bodyguards to shoot them. The veracity of this event has been questioned.

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2004: Death of Albert Francis "Sonny" Capone

In 2004, Albert Francis "Sonny" Capone, the son of Al Capone and Mae Josephine Coughlin, passed away. He had lost most of his hearing in his left ear as a child.