◆ SpookStack

¢ Howard,” said McSwiggin, +Who, me?" seplied Al witha mT "ssc This was in 1923, after the pork- ced Capone already was well the road to success. How was he Je to fix the witnesses so surely at he could waik into the hands the 2 few weeks later with: + the slightest fear of taking the p? What was bis background? an to win out over all others Jn e frenzied scramble to control the 0,000,000-a-year bootleg liquor busi- ‘6 which started with the advent prohibition in @ city that was ve-to-one wet? What factors aped the career of this extraordl wry being who in a different age ad environment might have been & ussolini or @ Napoleon? He was a sleek, solidly built boy vn te things quickly in ‘hoot and was @ help to his moth- . He lived near the corner of roadway ana Flushing avenue, rooklyn, N. ¥., in an Italian tene- 1ent and was known to the boys 4, eon of Capone the barber, who ad recently migrated to America rom Napies. , rome While still in the fourth grade Al uit school to help his parents in heir struggfe for existence in the lums, Only ten then, his funetion ras to bring home firewood or any ther useful supplies he could cot- act. He seemed affable and soft- pdken txeeft to the few who knew im In anger, He was smooth es a dancer and requented # hali then known as he Broadway Casino, He also be- ‘ame one of the beat pool players n the Greenpoint section of Brook- yn. He was never afraid of a fight and could hold his own against the vest of them. ‘At the age of twenty-one he had never been arrested. But he wi too close to the gang life to be im- mune for long. The world in which his associates moved was a world mostly of opportunism, a world in which cops were one’s natural ene- mies and anyone carrying money or valuables one’s natural prey. It happened one evening when Al was Hstening to a political rally. A fellow from his favorlte poolroom came up. “ley, AH” he sak, “You gotta cue Yack to the joint right away. We need you, A pool shark came in « couple of hours ago an’ bas been cleanin’ we owe the guy about eight hun- Ware cosles jut ia, we did when Tleft. He's stuck-up as hell, but we 4 take him. You gotta hurry, though, Al” Capone hurried to the spot, The boy. were cverjoyed to see him, for thev knew he never drank and that hat sort of training qualified this ° he said he must 2 wo, ashe was due ntiizting position and demanded thet Al remain, but Al put on hig coat and smooth gray hat, Without a word the stranger pulfed @ long-bladed knife from his pocket, opened it, and gave Al to understand he'd play poot or ese! Al did not healtate one second. His right shot out to the man’s chin with all bis 200 pounds behind it. The man dropped and lay motlon- less. Al ran for home, Twenty minutes later # misin- formed friend from the poolroom arrived to tell him that his late op- ponent was dead. There was excite home. ‘But Al thought of his tough cousins in the Five Points gang in lower Manhatten at the other end of the Williamsburg bridge, The Five Points gang was then consid- ered the best training schoo] for hoodlums in the country. Surely the Five Points boys would know what Al ought to do. They did. They assured him he, had better get out of town immedi- ately. They said they could help him to the extent of trying to get a former captain in the gang, one Johnny Torrio, to look out for him when he got to Chicago. Torrio had gone there to be associated with “Big Jim” Colosimo, « politi- cian and vice overlord of a section in the southern part of Chicago's First ward. Al Capone took their advice. He came to Chicago in his best new suit, and, sure enough, Johnny Tor- rio fixed him up. Torrio got a job for the oversized boy from Brooklyn as watcher for a house of prostitu- tion in Burnham. While young Capone watched du- tifully at his post in Burnham, with his neat scar (said to have been re- ceived in a Brooklyn aaloon) for his chevron, Big Jim Colosimo wes en- joying the lucrative fruits of his political success in the 22d street district. Big Jim had come to Chi- cago fn the nineties and got himself a job as water boy on a railroad section gang, His next fob, pushing a broom through the streets of the First ward, gave the ambitious youth much better social opportu- nities. With broom in hand he met such colorful personages as Alds. Michael (Hinkf Dink) Kenne and “Bathhouse John" Coughlin, and it was a natural development for Jim to shift from broom-swinging to voteawinging, He rose to promi- nence in the street sweepere’ union and organized hig fellow wnewing {nto @ social and athlete club wht could deliver as a unit at election time and was as bridle-wise as a riding-school nag. “Some day I'm going to run this ward,” Colosimo once said to a fel- _ Courtroom wane at trial of ‘hom. The stran- - Krueger, Yinel, bepty Ser 20-996 neteenti————————___ “Reeentful at deing lett in this hu- ‘Wo meant tt, and chortly broom for a fob in a café.- He al ready was learning how to turn his friendships with “Bathhouse John” and “Hinky Dink” into a goiden- egg-laying goose, and in short order he owned his own poolroom. A year or two later saw young Jim a pre cinet captain with various privileges appertaining to the old levee district located within the boundaries of the ward and bisected by the nightlife whoopee spots of 22d street. From poolroom proprietor he-became honkytonk owner, then partner in ee Joe Howard .ssssesrsseeeee foe. CAL May 7, 1923 Eventually Big Jim became the: acknowledged boss of the south side ~ underworld, and his revenue came | “not only from the resorts he himself but also in the form of trib > ute from ajl other illegal resorts in g the district. But wealth brought with it bot comfort and complications. Jim was victimized by the "Arnerieas 3 Mafia. He received letters threaten. + 3 DAN E VINE DATE Because he tried hijack contemptible braggart + - tant state torney) 2~—Dion O'Banion.............| Nov. 10, 1924 | Because he ran the nort war on the south side It the Sicilians!” 3—Thomas Duffy..,... April 27, 1926 | Because Capone suspec! ames J. Doherty... April 27, 1826 liam H. MeSwiggin april 27, 1926 | Recause he happened t night. 6—Earl Hymie Weiss... Oct. 11, 1928 Because he was O'Bai. and out to get Capone. 7—John Costenaro Jan. 7, 1927 Because they were pla &—Santo Celebron. Jan, 7, 1927 a conspiracy trial. 9—Antonto Torchio...........| May 25, 1927 Because he was a New 10—Frank Hitchcock.......,..| July 27, 1927 Because he was a boot wanted to put out of t? Bi Anthony 1 K. Russo Because they were impc Sept. 24, 1927 Because he was importe 15—Joseph Cagiando .,. Jan. 18, 1928 Jan. 18, 1928 Because they were hija: 16—Joseph Faso... TID] Tan, 18, 1928 17—“ Diamond Joe” Esposito,.| March 21,1928 | Because he didn’t want 18—Ben Newmark........+- ...| April 23, 1928 | Because he tried to org Capone, and also becat guard who did the job such a gesture of loyal 19—Francesco Uale.......- wees} July 1, 1928 Because he doubie-croi (Frank Yale) running manager. 20—Frank Gusenberg... Feb, 14, 1929 Because they were in ¢ 21—Pete Gusenberg Feb. 14, 1929 | Valentine's day when 22-—John May Feb. 14, 1929 | desperate attempt to w ZB—Al Weins Feb. 14, 1929 James Clark Feb. 14, 1929 25—Adam Heyer... Feb, 14, 1929 26—Dr. Schwimmer. Feb, 14. 1929 Z—Albert_Anselmi. May 8, 1929 Because Guinte, es pre 28—John Scalise... May 8, 1929 treacherously planning 29—Joseph Guinta (Juno) lay 8, 1929 by Anselmi and Scalise. 30—Frankie Marlow.........0+ Tune 24, 1929 | Because he welched on 31—Julius Rosenheim........ ++ | Feb, 1, 1030 Because he was a prof and a paid newspaper: BQ—Jack Zuta.sscssesessscsee | AUZ. 1, 1980 | Because he was a Spy B3—Joe Alello ......ccevee Oct. 23, 1930 Because he was a dang Bugs Mor