Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-17
CAPONE's FOLLOWERS HOLD BAG
AbdicatiOn Of Gangster Chief Leaves
So to Face Court Trials.
BY OWEN l.. SCOTT,

Special Dispatch to The star.
CHICAGO, June 17.-Al Capone, i'm
ported New York gangster, who ruled
as monarch of Chicago's underworld for
six years, really abdicated ANONYMOUSLY
when he pleaded guilty to income tax
and prohibition law violations In Fed
eral Court Tuesday.
BY his act he left in the lurch 90 of
his own gang followers, who now must
stand trial on charges Of prohibition
crimes, which their leader admitted
This confession. Federal officials assert
means the end of Capone as q SUPER
gangster and the end of the modern
supergang which he built.
Al himself. by his tame and almost
eager submission, suggested that he was
glad to get out Of the mess he had
created Five years in prison. his ex-
pected lot, seemed o minor punishment
compared with the bullet he long had
thought would mark his exit.
Spoke Of Retirement.
Three years ago Capone told Frank
J. Loesch. president of Chicago's Crime
Commission, that he would like to re-
tire, but couldn't. At that time he in
dicated that he was beginning to think
of his family and Of the future. He
wanted to provide for his son, AlphonSe,
jr. who now is sick and giving his
father concern. AS evidence CT q change
of heart, Al then gave orders to his
hoodlums that Chicago was to have a
quiet election. after the bitter campaign
then going on. His orders were carried
out.
This hoodlum car is supposed 70
have established q trust fund to care
for his family and for himself when he
1NAa les
prison term. The fund Is said to be
between 100000 and $4,000. 900
ample to care for his needs.
It was in 1919 when Chicago first
caught sight Of Capone, then q lad OF
10. He had come here from the Five
Points gang in New York. to serve as
bodyguard for Big Jim Colosimo. then
the ruling power in Chicago'S under
world. Colosimo suddenly was muir
dered mysteriouSly and Capone was
found almost at once to be In close re-
lationship with Johnny Torrio, the MUIR
dered mans secretary. Torrio became
car, with Capone his secretary and
handy-man.
TOrriO Driven Out.
After Dion oBanion was slain In
1924 a carload of hoodlums waylayec
Torrio and filled him full Of poisoned
slugs, but he recovered and went into
voluntary exile. Capone was on hano
and quickly stepped into his shoes.
During the Capone regime. ruthless.
ness was the watchword. He set on,
to syndicate the booze, gambling Af1c
Vice business. Any aspiring opposition
was answered by gunfire. The Gennas
aspired and were killed on. Samooti
Anatuna thought he could become .
factor in the booze situation and NJ
died. Tony Lombardo, who aspired V
higher things, was killed. There wa
the COUP when seven followers OF George
"Bups" Moran. were massacred in 1929
Soon after that Capone ruled the en-.
tire Chicago underworld, but he hac
little time to enjoy his monopoly. HI
was continually harassed and gradually
his followers fell before the tactics Of
George E. @. johnson, Federal district
attorney here. When he reached Al, tn
chief hoodlum of the age capitulatec
without q fight.
Fair Real Objective.
There is some talk that Johnny Tor.
rio almost scared to death by the at.
tack on him In 1925, Is over his frigh
and might come back to try his hAnt
with the remnants of his old organiza'
ton. Federal officials point out, how
ever. that If. the So Capone followers
now facing trial are convicted. TorriC
would have little to work with. And
besides, he has served one term fol
prohibition violation on plea of guilty
and II caught again there would b
the prospect Of flve years In prison.
The outlook, even As Capone views 1t
is not hopeful for q return to the pros.
porous condition Of the years from 1922
to 1928, when hundreds Of millions o.
dollars worth of business was done.
If sentenced to more than two year
in prison, Capone viii be out Of Chi
caRo at the time of the Worlds Fail
| here in 1888 That was the real OBJ
| jective of officials who have been OF
his trail.