The city of Chicago, Illinois has experienced numerous monumental periods and events during its history. From the famous Chicago Fire to the creation of the world's tallest building, it is quite easy to declare Chicago's past to be very eventful. With any form of history, there are positive and negative aspects that change the development of the area. Organized crime, often referred to as the mob scene, became a major trait of the city's personality. During the 1920's and 1930's, the mob scene was at its height, and it reached the point where law enforcement was helpless in its attempts to stop or hinder the acts committed by the gangsters of the time. This window of opportunity allowed many mobsters to rise to power in a very vulnerable city. By far the most famous and influential crime syndicate leader was Al Capone. Capone was connected to, or responsible for, the majority of murders and criminal acts that occurred in Chicago, and thus became one of the most powerful men in the city. He could effortlessly escape capture by means of pay-offs and bribes, not to mention the fact that he always had an alibi when a crime was committed. Capone, along with others, struck fear into the hearts of any and all who considered trying to end the mob rule in the city. This overwhelming control from a crime syndicate, in turn, affected the entire city of Chicago and its inhabitants from economic, political and social standpoints.
[...] The jury sentenced Al “Scarface” Capone to ten years in federal prison coupled with a fine of fifty thousand dollars.[34] The Crime Crusaders had finally accomplished their goal, and it was worth the wait. The trial itself was a distinguished event in Chicago society. Apart from major news coverage, many of Chicago's citizens found themselves forced onto one side or the other of the debate. Capone had reached a state of prominence nationwide, and the media allowed Americans from coast to coast to follow the trial. [...]
[...] This group was responsible for the taking down of many famous Chicago based mobsters, along with Capone. Anon, Al Capone (Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia, accessed May/June 2006); available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone#Birth_and_early_life; Internet. Ibid Ibid Ibid Dennis E. Hoffman, Scarface Al and the Crime Crusaders: Chicago's Private War Against Capone (Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press, 1993) Anon Ibid Rick Hornung, Al Capone (New York: Park Lane Press, 1998) Anon Hoffman Hornung Hoffman Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid [20]Robert Grant and Joseph Katz, Great Trials of the Twenties (New York: Sarpedon, 1998) Ibid Ibid The Volstead Act [...]
[...] Randolph possessed both determination and patience, two key traits that ended up being vital to his ability to successfully take down Capone and also in being the leader of the famous crusaders.[18] These Crime Crusaders, also known as the Secret Six, were a group with the common goal of getting Capone off of their city's streets. They were often labeled as vigilantes, as they took the law into their own hands.[19] They repetitively denied this claim, as they saw themselves as the unsung heroes who were doing what so many other citizens wished that they could do. [...]
[...] Even though Capone lived in a place of power for quite some time, it took the drastic effects on the city's tourism industry to start talks of taking down the crime lord. As long as Chicago had a reputation as an unsafe city of crime, tourists were certain to take their business elsewhere. It was inevitable and only a matter of time before Capone's crime ring pushed Chicago's elite over the edge. As stated earlier, the first few years in which police attempted to take down Capone were to no avail. [...]
[...] It was this fear of losing a vital part of the city's economy to the mob scene that put into motion vast efforts to bring down Capone's reign in the city. Most of Chicago's general public was oblivious to Capone's activities, as their lives were not directly affected by the mob. Others were well aware of the events that occurred around them, and often provided an unvoiced form of support for Capone and his work. This approval and support came from the crowd that opposed prohibition. [...]
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