Al Capone and Mob Tours in Chicago

Characters like Al Capone and other major mobsters once drove fear through the hearts of many of Chicago’s non-made residents. And while few people romanticized the mob or its infamous personalities when they were dealing directly with the oppressive forces of their existence, individuals far removed from mafia threat certainly did. In fact, this has been a tradition of observers and followers of the mob for as long as the awareness of its existence has been established. Al Capone was one of the most infamous and widely sensationalized figures in the mob’s history. Many of the guests who are staying in one of the luxury hotels Chicago include a tour of some of the famous mafia houses and hangouts as part of their agenda.

Al Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York in January of 1899. His parents were immigrants from Southwestern Italy and Capone began his career as a gangster while still living in New York. He also had early work as in both a candy store and bowling alley, though he showed an early potential and interest for a criminal career. He was drawn toward the gangster Johnny Torrio, who became his mentor. He gained early experience with some small town gangs before joining the notorious, at the time, Five Points Gang. He worked for Frankie Yale who was a racketeer and bartender in Coney Island. He received the nickname Scarface while he was still in Brooklyn after having gotten into a fight with the brother of a woman he inadvertently insulted.

Ultimately, Capone saw opportunity in Chicago and moved there where he became the boss of the Chicago Outfit, which is what the local criminal organization was known as. His primary original draw was in the numerous bootlegging possibilities that arose after the institution of prohibition. The FBI followed, arrested and tried to imprison Capone for years before they were finally able to nail him on charges of Criminal Tax Evasion.