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[[Image:Al Capone.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Al Capone]]

[[Image:Al Capone.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Al Capone]]

'''Al Capone''' (Alphonse Gabriel Capone, 1899-1947) was perhaps the most notorious American [[gangster]] of the twentieth century. He was born in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City]] and began his criminal career there as a barman, bouncer and small-time thug, moving to [[Chicago]] in 1919. There he became a trusted lieutenant of the gang boss Johnny Torrio and in 1923, by bribery and intimidation in municipal elections, the Torrio-Capone organisation took over the Chicago suburban municipality of Cicero, making the district a safe haven for them. Torrio retired in 1925 after an [[assassin]]ation attempt and turned over his crime interests - largely based on the illegal [[alcohol]] trade which prospered as a result of [[Prohibition]], but also including [[gambling]] and [[prostitution]] - to Capone. However, Capone was vulnerable to attacks by his enemies, notably the Chicagoan 'North Side' gangs. In 1929 he turned on these enemies, organising the [[St Valentine's Day Massacre]] in which seven North Side gangsters were murdered by Capone gunmen posing as police, although the main target, George 'Bugs' Moran, escaped.

'''Al Capone''' (Alphonse Gabriel Capone, 1899-1947) was perhaps the most notorious American [[gangster]] of the twentieth century. He was born in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City]] and began his criminal career there as a barman, bouncer and small-time thug, moving to [[Chicago]] in 1919. There he became a trusted lieutenant of the gang boss Johnny Torrio and in 1923, by bribery and intimidation in municipal elections, the Torrio-Capone organisation took over the Chicago suburban municipality of Cicero, making the district a safe haven for them. Torrio retired in 1925 after an [[assassin]]ation attempt and turned over his crime interests - largely based on the illegal [[alcohol]] trade which prospered as a result of [[Prohibition]], but also including [[gambling]] and [[prostitution]] - to Capone. However, Capone was vulnerable to attacks by his enemies, notably the Chicagoan 'North Side' gangs. In 1929 he turned on these enemies, organising the [[St. Valentine's Day Massacre]] in which seven North Side gangsters were murdered by Capone gunmen posing as police, although the main target, George 'Bugs' Moran, escaped.

Capone also liked to pose as a public benefactor, organising the distribution of free milk for Chicago schoolchildren and starting free soup kitchens during the [[Great Depression|Depression]] years.

Capone also liked to pose as a public benefactor, organising the distribution of free milk for Chicago schoolchildren and starting free soup kitchens during the [[Great Depression|Depression]] years.