The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-28
Copyright. 1929, BY united Press

the opposition of rival gunmen-
Copyright. 1929 by United Press
CHICAGO, March 28.-Scarface
Al Capone is the third successor to
the vice, beer and gambling throne
in Chicago by right of conquest.
Big Jim Colosimo was the first,
but that was in the days before
prohibition made it easy for rivals
to enter the racket" and for many
years Big Jim and his viyacious
wife, Dale Winters, ruled alone.
Colosimo's cabaret in South Wabash
street was headquarters for the vast
gambling and vice concessions which
Big jim controlled.
The business grew into such far
reaching enterprise that Big Jim
found it necessary to take in a part
ner. The partner was Johnny
Torrio.
TOrriO Is Next
Johnny Torrio was the second
successor to the vice, beer, and gam
bling throne in Chicago by right
of conquest. He hired the Genna
brothers, three of whom later were
murdered in the beer war, to shoot
big Jim" as Colosimo sat at a
table in his cabaret.
Torrio ruled alone, with the sane
ton of frankie Yale, head of the
Unione Siciliano in the United
States, at the time prohibition
opened new road to riches for
underworld operators. He was in
a strong position when a man came
to town who for several years was
destined to be known only as Scar
face AL" proprietor Of the famous
Four Deuces cabaret in South IN
diana avenue.
"Scarface Alp was ambitious. He
worked hard at his racket" had
himself deputized by the sheriff as
a defender of the law, the better
to violate it in his own way. and
gradually gathered around himself
the beginnings of an. organization
which now is conceded to be the
most powerful of its kind in exist
ence.
Al Takes Throne
Three years ago "Scarface Az
found himself at the head of a gang
which he believed could have its
own way in Chicago by removing
Torrio. Subsequently, Torrio was
shot by Schemer Drucci, Bugs
Moran, and Hymie Weiss, who then
were allied with Capone. Within
three months after that episode.
Torrio fled to Italy.
And "Scarface" Al Capone sue
ceeded to the throne by right Of
conquest.
Until his recent withdrawal from
the scene to take up the life of a
wealthy sportsman in Florida, Ca
pone was the heart and soul of the
| beer war. Police estimate that no
less than thirty men went to their
deaths because of Capone's deter
mination to retain his power.
Many Of the victims were c.
pone's own men who had broE i
away from the Capone organization
and tried to set up their own.
Dissension always has been COM
| mon in the Capone ranks. The
gang chieftain paid high salaries,
but loyalty often can not be bought
with money and there were many
who felt that Capone was becoming
unduly rich through the risks that
they were taking in his behalf
Kent Own Books
One of the most common causes
for grievance was that Capone
would promise a lieutenant a GER
tain percentage of the beer profits
in given territory, but refuse to
show the lieutenant his account
books. When the helper needed
money, Capone would give it to him.
Here is your share for today"
Capone would say, but the man had
no way of knowing whether the
sum actually represented the per-
centage he had been promised.
Truck drivers were paid fiat SAL
airy of 500 week and gunner
were paid by the Job" and well
supplied with narcotics.
Among those who paid with their
lives for setting themselves up as
rivals were Dion O'Banion, Hymie
Weiss, the Gennas, Antoine the
Greek and the seven Bugs" Moran
gansters, who were slain in a north