The Tragic Life And Death Of Gangster Al Capone

Psalms 7:11, “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”  Psalms 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalms 10:4, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” Psalms 11:5: The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” Psalms 11:6, “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” Psalms 28:4, “Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.” Psalms 32:10, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.” Psalms 34:21, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.” Psalms 36:1, “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.” Psalms 37:10, “For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.”

Those are some powerful Scripture passages. Arguably, the most infamous gangster in history is Alphonse Gabriel Capone (January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface." Al Capone was an American Italian gangster and corrupt businessman, who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era (1920-1933) as the co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit. His seven-year reign as a crime boss ended when he went to prison at the age of 33. Something about Al Capone's criminal life drew my curiosity right away—he was so young!

Al Capone was born in 1899, the same year that Pastor Dwight L. Moody went to Heaven. Both of these men lived and made their mark on the world in the city of Chicago. That is very interesting! I remember as a boy watching The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre (full movie), which is a Hollywood enactment of one of the most brutal mass-assassinations in history in 1929. I watched the film each year, and never got tired of seeing it, because like so many people in the world I was intrigued by the gangs of the 1920's. Today in Chicago, literally, you'll see giant pictures of Al Capone painted on the side of tall buildings, and all kinds of tributes to Chicago's infamous gangsters of history. It is quite interesting.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre Movie (1967)

In the 1967 film, actor Jason Robards (1922-2000) starred as Al Capone, making him about age 45 at the time the movie was made. But in real life, in 1929 at the time of the massacre in Chicago, Capone was only 30 years old. So Al Capone was much younger in real life than the movie portrays him to be, as an older mob boss. In real life, Capone died in Florida at age 47. One thing that amazes me is the loyalty of Al Capone's wife Mae. She was an Irish Catholic. She stayed married to Al Capone despite his infamous life as a mob boss! Women and men back then in America still believed once married, always married, the way it should be!!! Today in 2020, 69% of American women initiate divorce, and 90% for college women. Shame!

Contrary to what many people think, Al Capone wasn't a senseless murderer, he almost always killed thugs who were hired to come kill him first. In a few cases he killed people who owed him a lot of money, or became informants for the police. Even though murder is murder, it is obvious that gangster killings were part of doing business. It is still wicked and brings the judgment of God, but I can understand why a gangster would want to knock someone off who is coming to do the same to him! Still, if Mr. Capone had not become a criminal in the first place, shaming his family, then he wouldn't have put himself into such a dire situation.

I am intrigued that Al Capone was so young during his reign as the mob boss of Chicago. He was only in his late 20's. That is remarkable! Jesus is the most famous figure in human history, Who only lived to be 33 years old. And yet look at all the wonderful things Jesus did during His short time on earth. I once heard Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) point out that most of our freedoms were paid for with teenage blood. That thought had never occurred to me before. Most of the tens of millions of soldiers who were killed by each other during World Wars I and II, were teenagers. That is a startling fact. My heart breaks when I stop and think that most of those 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 year olds never had a girlfriend, never knew the pleasure of marriage, never had the privilege of becoming a father, or the pride of being a grandpa. It is not fair! Life is not fair. Old men start wars, young men fight wars, and everybody in the middle loses! Truly Satan is the god of this world.

Al Capone was only 33 years old when he went to prison in 1932. When he arrived at the prison, medical doctors diagnosed him with gonorrhoea and syphilis, two deadly venereal diseases. 

Capone was sent to Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary in May 1932, aged 33. Upon his arrival at Atlanta, the 250-pound (110 kg) Capone was officially diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhoea. He was also suffering from withdrawal symptoms from cocaine addiction, the use of which had perforated his nasal septum. Capone was competent at his prison job of stitching soles on shoes for eight hours a day, but his letters were barely coherent.

SOURCE:  Al Capone

Al Capone was diseased from all the adultery he committed. Capone attempted to justify his evil business by saying that he simply gave people what they wanted. Ungodly people wanted booze! They wanted fornication and adultery! They wanted gambling! Capone gave it to them, and it made him filthy rich, with the emphasis on FILTHY! Think about how short his parade of wickedness was! Al Capone went to prison at age 33, and only served 6 of an 11 year sentence due to his failing health. At the time he was released from prison at just age 39, Capone's doctor documented that he had the mind of a 12 year old. Penicillin wasn't invented until 1942, but by then the damage to Capone's brain had been done. The diseases of syphilis ate him alive! 

Venereal diseases were rampant throughout the ancient world. Most theologians agree that king David suffered in his old age from venereal disease, from all his wives...

Psalms 38:3-7, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.”

There is no doubt that Solomon likely suffered this tragic ordeal too, considering that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. The Roman empire was infected was much venereal disease. During the American Civil War, a shocking 25% of the Confederate Army has STD's, which compelled the state of Tennessee (and other states) to legalize prostitution during the war. Oh how sin thrills and then it kills! Oh how sin fascinates and then it assassinates! Al Capone died a diseased, broken and wearied man, at only age 47. A life of sin never wins! There's a high price for low living!!! Capone's reign of crime over the Chicago underworld only pasted 7 years! Just 7 years of wine, women and song.

My father was a Skid Row preacher in Chicago. He directed the Chicago United Mission at 34 S. Displaines Ave. I grew up tagging along with my father to the various rescue missions, helping to feed, cloth and house the poor and homeless. I remember that right next to the mission there was still standing The Legion Hotel, with a big fancy outdoor balcony overhanging the front of the hotel. This is where Al Capone lived high during his sinful years! I watched years later when the wrecking crews came to tear down the hotel. They left the north wall standing, for concern that tearing down the wall would also destroy the mission's north wall. My father and I found an old soda pop machine in the abandoned Legion Hotel, which we brought over to the mission. Coke bottles were only 25 cents. My father ordered sodas regularly, and we enjoyed cold Coca-Colas. That was pretty cool.

I just wrote this blog to emphasize the worthlessness of living in sin. It's just not worth it dear friend. This earthly life is so short. Look at Eddie Van Halen's miserable life of sin. All that horrible noise, called rock music. They ran with the Devil, as their song titled boasted, but now where is Eddie? He died in 2020? Catholics don't go to Heaven according to the Bible (Mark 7:6-13; Galatians 1:6-9; 1st Corinthians 15:1-4). The Bible does not teach keeping Seven Sacraments to get to Heaven. It is a counterfeit plan of salvation. I also read today that Al Capone was a devout Roman Catholic in his youth, but strayed from his roots. Kindly said, Catholicism is a prisonhouse of religion! There is no salvation in the Catholic religion, only rituals, phony priests, pedophiles and manmade traditions which cannot produce the new birth. Religion is the worst thing that ever happened to this world!

Al Capone was only in his 20's when he murdered 30 people (and that's just the killings that authorities are aware of). And then there were 3 more murders in his early 30's. When the Prohibition era ended in 1933, so did Capone! Al Capone's motive for all the evil things he did was the love of money. Money is the same motive for Hollywood's filth, Netflix's filth, street gangs selling drugs across America, Mexican drug cartels, and a thousand other evils! They that live by the sword die by the sword. Chicago has a notorious history, even still today, of having a strong criminal underground. Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” 

“Listen if you're politically correct, you're Biblically perverted (and vise versa). It cannot be both! ...You know why we don't accept change? 'Cause we believe in something! We've got something to believe in.” —Pastor Danny Castle, a quote from the sermon titled: “THE HARVEST IS PAST, THE SUMMER IS ENDED, AND WE ARE NOT SAVED!!!”