"The Runner Up" - Al Capone Becomes Head of Colosimo Gang in Chicago
In 1925, Capone became boss when Johnny Torrio, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt, surrendered control and retired to Brooklyn. Capone had a fearsome reputation in the ruthless gang rivalries of the period. He used brutally violent tactics to acquire and retain “racketeering rights” to several areas of Chicago. His reputation grew as rival gangs were eliminated. Capone yielded major influence in the city of Chicago and dominated the suburb of Cicero. Starting in 9125, Capone began six years of gang warfare that netted millions of dollars.
This event showcased the organized crime that sprung up in the 1920s as a result of Prohibition. However, it did not make the “Top 5” because St. Valentine’s Day four years later was a more momentous event of Capone’s violent career. |