The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-02
/ ALKING
IT OVER
: BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, March 2.-some
i Wv eeks ago a distinguished
statesman contrived list. Of men
who are doing big things in this
country. and while I am a bit vague
~ the moment as to the identities
Of all the honored gentlemen, l
don't believe I err when 1 say the
name Of Scarface AL Capone was
not among them. Surely 1t must
be evident to all and sundry by now
that Capone is very powerful fig
ure IN the American picture, with
a peculiar and growing grip on the
public imagination.
n
You read Of his return to Chicago 20
aace some minor charge in the courts and
how thousands cheered him. and other
thousands fought for chance to see him.
Formally branded BY vice investigators as
public enemy. placed at the tor Of the
ranking. above all other Chicago dsspera-
does. Capone returns 10 find himself the
subject Of boIsterous welcome. with such
cries as alta boy Al" and "we're for you
an bursting pleasantly around his ears.
I don't suppose too much significance
should be placed upon the incident. at
that. because IN pinch. IL would not. be
thousand admiring hoodlums at any point
where Capone Was scheduled to appear
And yet there Is Just change that not
all Of these people we're toilers IN the
pineapple orchards Of Cicero. There may
have been one or two shy citizens out on
they owed 70 to the completeness Of their
education TO get an eyefW OF the man
who commands so much space in the news
papers.
TOR several years Capone has
Il been spending his winters on
Palm island, an artificially created
tropical tract in Miami, and with
tourists his home is the most pop
ular show place in the city, or on
the east coast for that matter.
Practically the first thing the prim little
lady from Bridgeport wants 70 see is
where Caponc lives and while the mega
phone boys on the sightseeing busses are
restrained by municipal ukase from direct
tng attention to the white and red stuccO
palace which letters back of a row of
neis, they are glad TO show the customers
asked.
have heard it said. Of course, that Ca
bones business methods are not always
strictly ethical and believe there have
been times when he has been suspected OF
nnnecessarv roughness clipping and piing
on. but vii teyer his methods he seems to
enjoy a mounting prosperity in the face
Of a critical business slump. 1t was
charged in a Chicago court that Capone'
current beer sales amount to $4,000. 1000
weekly. which would seem to be quite
mess OF beer.
TTOw these figures compare with
u Il the Hoover administra-
bon days is not known because Ca
bones business technique apparent
3y does not embrace such stuffy
"Details as graphs, charts and tables,
bhowing relative gains and losses.
at any rate, they are never to be
Found in the financial sections of
bven the most alert newspapers.
associates that the "big fellow" as he
g known to the boys, wants TO get away
Respectable people. This accounts for his
bagerness to court the company of news
paper writers. particularly in Miami where
ground. ANY fair 70 middling newspaper
man is welcome to call upon him.
n
II is a matter of record that no
journalist has yet asked Capone whether
Where. Personally don't think I should
care to be the first one TO ask such
question. For the most part these sessions
With the press representatives are devoted
b creating a feeling of sympathy for
Capone. who Is presented to his guests
hot only a grossly misunderstood person
put martyr to police hysteria and