Al Capone Myths Exposed

Cam Robinson and Gary Jenkins interview Mario Gomes, Al Capone historian and blogger on www.myalcaponemuseum.com .  Mario has made it his mission to expose the various myths that have been perpetrated about Al Capone and his life.

Was Al Capone a cocaine fiend?

For example, after the modern Al Pacino film, Scarface became a massively popular film about a cocaine-addicted Cuban drug lord, rumors arose that this film was based on the first Scarface film released in 1932. Some folks believed that this first Scarface was based on Al Capone and that he was a cocaine fiend like the modern-day Scarface. In fact, cocaine in powder form was not available and that Al Capone was never known to take any kind of drugs and even only drank beer sparingly.

How were the St. Valentine’s Day massacre and the murder of Frankie Yale connected?

He also tells the real story about the St. Valentine’s Day massacre and how it was connected to the murder of Capone’s first mentor, New York mobster, Frankie Yale. Mario explains how Al Capone hired a group of St. Louis killers called the “Americans” to commit the Valentine’s Day massacre and how a ballistic expert connected one of the Chicago Tommy Guns used on that massacre to the murder of Frankie Yale in faraway Brooklyn.

Did Capone offend President Herbert Hoover?

Mario tells a story about how Capone threw a big noisy party at his Florida mansion and disturbed his neighbors. He ran into a neighbor named J.C. Penny and told him he would not charge him for the music and invited him to a future party, When the department store magnate advised Capone that the President was staying with him, Capone arrogantly said, “Well, tell him to come too.” It is believed that an offended President Hoover, upon his return to Washington,  told the Treasury Department to go after Capone after that encounter.

A new Capone fact revealed!

Wiretappers, be sure to listen to the very end of the show because Mario tells about a new and never discovered Al Capone fact he has unearthed.

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