Capone Coup

Jails keep prisoners in and prisoners' enemies out. Last week Alphonse ("Scarface Al") Capone, once Chicago's No. 1 under-worldling, now a hunted exile "on the spot," went behind the bars of Philadelphia's Moyamensing jail for a year's "stretch." Philadelphia and Chicago officials were sure that Capone had deliberately taken refuge in prison, where the only bullets he would have to worry about would come from the guards' rifles.

For a week Capone, with his ever present bodyguard, Frank ("Slippery") Cline, had been teasing Atlantic City police officials with his presence in that resort. He prepared to return to Chicago, motored to Philadelphia, missed the Broadway Limited, made a reservation on the Manhattan Limited. With two hours to kill, he went to a cinema. Detectives picked him up as he came out, took from him a .38 calibre revolver, courteously escorted him to police headquarters. Bail was set at $35,000. At midnight he was questioned by Director of Public Safety Lemuel B.Schofield and made these statements:

"I went into the racket in Chicago four and a half years ago. During the last two years I've been trying to get out. ... I want peace. I'm willing to live and let live. I'm tired of murders and shootings.... I'm retired and living on my money.

The situation as revealed by the Grand Jury of this city [Philadelphia] as bad as it was, was nothing to compare to Chicago."

Director Schofield asked Capone if he had met such notorious Philadelphians as Max ("Boo Boo") Hoff. Replied Capone: ";No, but I know them intimately."

The next morning Capone faced the detective line-up at 9:30 a. m., was indicted by the Grand Jury at 10:25 a. m. for carrying concealed weapons, went on trial at 11:30 a. m., pleaded guilty (with Cline) at 12:15 p. m., started a year's sentence at 12:50 p. m. Exactly 16 hrs. 35 min. elapsed between his arrest and the beginning of his sentence--a record. Remarked Capone: "They work fast here."

Capone told Philadelphia officials a yarn about effecting a gang truce for Chicago while in Atlantic City, whereby the Beer Racket would be peacefully divided between what remained of his old mob and that of George ("Bugs") Moran. Chicago officials were skeptical of any such blessing, but, good sportsmen, they congratulated Philadelphia on putting Capone behind the bars for the first time in his notorious career.

State's Attorney John A. Swanson exclaimed: "Good news."