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The Faces of Prohibition
Al Capone
Perhaps the most famous gangster of the Prohibition era, Al Capone ruled Chicago's underworld through bootlegging, gambling, and violent enforcement of his criminal empire. His organization, the Chicago Outfit, was responsible for numerous murders, including the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929. Despite his criminal empire, he was eventually brought down for tax evasion and sentenced to prison, where his health deteriorated until his death in 1947.
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were infamous outlaws who led a crime spree across the United States during the early 1930s, robbing banks, small stores, and even police stations. Their crimes captured the public's imagination, and they became romanticized as rebellious lovers defying the system. However, their spree ended in 1934 when they were ambushed and killed by law enforcement in Louisiana.
Pretty Boy Floyd
Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd was a bank robber known for his violent heists and his reputation as a Robin Hood-like figure, as he was rumored to destroy mortgage records during robberies to help indebted farmers. He was involved in the infamous Kansas City Massacre, in which several law enforcement officers were killed. He was shot and killed by the FBI in 1934 after years on the run.
John Dillinger
A notorious bank robber during the Great Depression, Dillinger led a gang that terrorized the Midwest with daring heists and violent getaways. He was famous for his ability to escape from jail, once using a fake gun carved from wood. Declared "Public Enemy No. 1," he was eventually tracked down and killed by the FBI outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago in 1934.
Baby Face Nelson
Lester Joseph Gillis, known as "Baby Face Nelson" due to his youthful appearance, was a ruthless bank robber and killer who worked alongside John Dillinger. Unlike some criminals who tried to gain public sympathy, Nelson was known for his excessive violence, including the murder of several FBI agents. He died in a dramatic shootout with federal agents in 1934.
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