Starring: Robert Stack.
Co-starring: Keenan Wynn,
Barbara Nichols
and Pat Crowley.
With special guest star: Neville Brand.
You have just seen some of the stars
of The Untouchables,
the true story taken from the
exciting autobiography of Eliot Ness,
the man who probably did most
to help destroy the Al Capone empire.
To tell you of this era,
here is a man who lived it
and who reported its events,
Mr. Walter Winchell.
It is always a privilege to tell a story
such as this one.
You could say a good deal
about Eliot Ness
and the part he played
in the lawless era.
Fortunately there is no need to.
Mr. Ness' story speaks eloquently
for itself.
Starring: Robert Stack.
Co-starring: Keenan Wynn,
Barbara Nichols
and Pat Crowley.
With special guest star: Neville Brand.
Good evening.
Tonight, the stars you have just seen
will present the exciting conclusion of
The Untouchables,
Eliot Ness' autobiography
about the seven federal agents
who helped rid this country of
the notorious Al Capone gang.
And now, the man who can best
tell you of the era, Mr. Walter Winchell.
The Untouchables had suddenly begun
to cut very deeply into an empire,
and the man at the top of that empire
was not to take it lightly.
Chicago, 1929.
By law, the country was dry.
Through connivance with Al Capone,
Chicago was wet.
Even now, while Al Capone
served a short term
for carrying a gun in Philadelphia,
the organization functioned smoothly.
Helped by corrupt officials
and a public that was indifferent.
Social headquarters of the mob
was the Cafe Montmartre.
This night,
the night of June 17th, 1929,
the gang was to encounter
its chief adversary.
A Prohibition agent
named Eliot Ness.
Federal raid, stay where you are.
Plain seltzer.
My goodness, you don't think
I'd be drinking hooch.
Not a thing yet.
Coming down the stairs
was the man
who ran the mob
while Capone was in jail.
Frank Nitti, "the Enforcer."
Hello, boys.
You got a search warrant?
- These friends of yours, Mr. Nitti?
- Get lost.
This is a private social club.
It's open to members and their guests.
Tell him, counselor.
If you cause damage
to the premises,
I'll have to file suit
on behalf of Mr. Nitti.
- Thank you, counselor.
- I thought you should be advised.
- Find anything?
- Not a drop.
Must have cleaned up
with blotting paper.
Who could have tipped them off?
Next time,
let us know you're coming.
Okay, we might as well go.
Beat it.
- Now, what was the payoff?
- One grand.
A grand?
You stupido.
You could have bought her for 500.
On June 24th, one week
after the unsuccessful raid
on the Montmartre, Eliot Ness
was summoned to the Chicago office
of the new United States
District Attorney, Beecher Asbury.
The appointment
was for 3 in the afternoon.
Now, this is the Capone setup,
$120 million a year
pouring in from beer, booze,
women and gambling.
Mainly from beer and booze.
Thirty-five million is for protection
being paid out each year.
Now, before coming to Chicago,
I conferred with President Hoover
and the attorney general.
We decided there were two ways
of getting Capone:
One is to gather data to convict him
of income tax evasion,
and the other is to close down
his breweries and distilleries
and make it impossible for him
to continue paying graft.
Now, do you have any ideas
on that?
- Yes, I do.
- Well?
We have 300 agents in the district
and the mob still has breweries
all over the city.
Even run their beer trucks
right through the Loop. Why?
Because out of 300 men,
some can be bought.
All you have to buy is a few men.
What if you have a special squad?
Small, operating on its own.
Every man thoroughly investigated.
Brought in from all parts
of the country.
Men who'll spit on Capone's graft.
Just a few he can't buy.
- You think you can find these men?
- I think so.
Sad part is, I can't be sure.
Well, you're going to start looking
for them.
On June 28th, 1929,
Eliot Ness arrived in Washington.
He had full access
to Prohibition Bureau files
stored in the Treasury building.
A simple assignment,
given all available data
about every agent in the bureau.
Find six or seven
out of these thousands
who are reliable, courageous,
dedicated, honest.
Six or seven
of the most honest men.
At 8:00 on the night
of July 5th, 1929,
the men of the special squad
met for the first time.
Six honest men.
LaMarr Kane
of the Richmond bureau.
Law school graduate.
Married. Two children.
Eric Hansen
of the San Francisco bureau.
Former guard
in San Quentin's death row.
Martin Flaherty,
former Boston police officer.
Outstanding bureau arrest record.
New York's Jack Rossman,
former telephone company lineman,
now a wiretap expert.
William Youngfellow,
full-blooded Cherokee,
second team all-American, 1924.
Largely responsible for breakup
of Oklahoma City booze ring.
Tom Kopka, Scranton bureau.
Former Pennsylvania state trooper.
World War I hero.
Six honest men.
Some of you may have
to familiarize yourselves with Chicago.
And the seventh, Joe Fuselli.
I'm sorry I'm late, Mr. Ness.
This is Joe Fuselli.
He's not with the Prohibition Bureau,
but he'll be working with us.
Joe knows every street and alley
in the city.
He's got the finest pair of driving hands
in Chicago.
He also speaks the Sicilian
and Neapolitan dialects.
Maybe you'd better tell them the rest,
Mr. Ness.
Joe's an ex-convict.
He served five years in Joliet
for armed robbery.
LaMarr Kane. Sit down, Joe.
This is Hansen.
- Flaherty.
- Flaherty.
- Rossman.
- Rossman.
Seven honest men against
the underworld empire of Al Capone.
Oh, hello, boys.
Hello, Jake. Willy.
What's the word?
Federal boys have organized
some kind of special squad
just to take care of our setups.
No kidding?
This time I hear they mean it.
Well, we ain't gonna let them get away
with that, are we?
Of course not, Frank.
We'll have the boys take care of it.
There you are.
There are those extra 3 grand
to cover those cops on the North Side.
- Oliver?
- No, no.
You don't have to worry
about this stuff.
No, my wife freezes hard with me if
I come home with liquor on my breath.
I'm gonna have to get
another thousand, Jake.
For what?
Well, some of the boys
have been doing a lot of extra work
trailing those feds for you.
That's their job.
Well, it's still extra work
no matter how you look at it.
I'm not even getting
my commission on this deal.
One grand here, one there,
where are we gonna come out?
Now, don't start holding us up.
They shut them up for you,
didn't they?
Make sure it stays that way.
Give him the grand.
While Frank Nitti was making
arrangements with Chicago Police,
Eliot Ness was having a rare date
with Betty Anderson,
a girl he had been going with
for over a year.
Hello there.
- Stop dancing?
- No.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing. Why?
You don't look as though
you're enjoying yourself.
I'm sorry, honey,
I try to put things out of my mind...
Try harder.
No work tonight, remember?
Every time I see someone drinking
a Capone booze...
No work tonight.
Nothing like a woman
to get your mind off things.
Depends on what things
you're talking about.
Well, you're giving me ideas.
Is that wrong?
You don't know the ideas.
What will we have for dessert?
What do you want?
Something special.
Something special.
"Marjolaine. Crpe suzettes."
It's a pretty fancy place, Mr. Ness.
"Cherries jubilee."
- What are they?
- I'll ask.
No. Let's just order them
and find out.
You're on.
Excuse me.
Miss Anderson, this is Joe Fuselli.
- Pleased to meet you.
- How do you do?
We got a setup.
I'm sorry, honey, we're gonna have
to postpone those cherries jubilee.
Waiter.
Check.
The first Capone still wrecked by the
Ness squad was in Chicago Heights.
Knocking over one wouldn't begin
to shake the Capone empire.
But Ness intended to use this
as a wedge
to pry open some seams
in the organization.
- Come on.
- You sure you're feds?
Yeah, we're feds.
Everything wrecked, 100 percent.
Get the alky cans in the car.
- Boys, what are you doing?
- They're taking us in.
- I've never seen you boys before.
- Who are you?
- Johnny Giannini.
- What are you doing here?
Well, let's talk about that.
You that new bunch of feds?
- Oh, you heard about that?
- Sure.
- Well, we wanna cooperate with you.
- How?
We never been unreasonable in the
past. What do you say we discuss it?
Okay. Discuss it.
Let's just say, meanwhile,
we put the right sugar in the coffee.
- How much?
- I gotta talk to someone.
You meet me tomorrow night, 8:00.
Peach Coloni's up the block, okay?
Eight tomorrow.
Hey, what about
these friends of mine?
We're taking them in,
you haven't forked over yet.
Get them in the cars.
You gonna spring us?
I'll send someone.
You'll be home for breakfast.
See you tomorrow night, 8:00.
We'll make you happy, boys.
It's after 10:00.
I said 8:00. What's the matter?
You're late. Where you been?
What do you got for us?
You know, boys, we got things
fixed around here with the cops
and the Prohibition.
So we make it 100 each.
What do you got operating?
Not much cooking around here.
That is about what it's worth.
We all fixed up, huh?
A hundred is chicken feed.
Look, boys, I don't make the prices.
This is what I was told to give you.
We gotta have more money,
Johnny.
I can't give you anything.
Okay, Johnny.
Wait, wait.
Guys, you're making it tough on me.
Now, wait, boys. Please, wait.
Sit down, huh? I gotta ask someone.
Sit down, huh?
Joe?
Hey, Picco. How are you?
- I'm a little busy right now, huh?
- Sure.
Hey, how's the dog?
Why, he knows me
since I was a little kid.
Someone will see you.
Someone big.
- Who?
- I can't tell you. He wants to see you.
- Where?
- There's a backroom. We wait there.
You guys, you don't know
what you're doing to me.
Party's beginning.
- You know?
- No.
Where's the guy
we're supposed to meet?
He's coming.
- Who's that?
- Some monkey. He works for us.
Just came over from the other side.
Hey, monkey.
He don't speak no English.
I've seen you before.
We hit your Club Montmartre
last month.
Oh, yeah.
So now you're ready to do business?
- I told him...
- Shut up, you.
How much do you want
to lay off our stills?
I want a grand a week.
You cops. You get more dough
out of this than we do.
Okay, so become a cop.
Wait.
They're arguing about how much dough
they're gonna have to give you.
- We'll give you 400 a week.
- That's top figure.
- How many cops are you paying off?
- We're paying off...
Who we pay and what we pay
is our business.
We'll give you $500 a week.
Giannini will make the payoff.
A grand.
You don't have to take the money.
There's other ways to handle this.
A grand.
Just asked Nitti if he should stick
the knife in your back.
Drop it. Drop it.
Move back.
Okay, a grand.
Leave him to me.
Leave him to me.
Ness turned over the bribe to the
Federal District Attorney's Office.
One thousand dollars.
Then, within the next week,
the squad shut down
six Capone distilleries.
From this activity,
Ness got expected results.
I gave them every cent.
I didn't hold out.
What do you think I am?
Frank, why would I hold out?
I gave it to them. Every penny,
every nickel, every dime.
You get hold of those guys.
You hold those guys,
you tell them to lay off.
Otherwise, you tell them
there's gonna be real trouble.
Real trouble.
Tell them.
What's the matter, you crazy?
I got you a deal.
- Sure, Johnny.
- Frank Nitti himself.
He made it himself, and now
you go knocking over the stills.
- Lay off, he says, he means it.
- It's still the small stuff.
- Stills we can find.
- Six stills you knocked off.
You guys, you know
what you're doing to me?
They worked me over already.
Nitti is saying I double-crossed him.
He says I'm holding out.
- You know what can happen to me?
- It's happening, Johnny.
- I'm arresting you for bribery.
- What do you wanna do that for?
- You gave us the money.
- You're wasting your time.
- I'll be sprung before morning.
- I know.
The minute they hear I'm booked,
they'll...
They'll know where you are,
Johnny?
Hey, I'm hot. I'll end up in a ditch,
a hole in my head.
Do you want me
on your conscience?
You can buy your way out, Johnny.
You cops, you're all robbers.
How much you want? Come on,
tell me. How much you want?
- Not a cent.
- You're crazy.
- I ask you, how much, how much?
- The breweries.
I said we're looking for something
bigger than the stills,
something harder to find.
- We want the breweries.
- How would I know
- where there's a brewery?
- Johnny.
- You think they tell me?
- Okay. Let's go.
Hey, wait, wait.
I know one.
One.
I tell you where it is,
you help me out of town, okay?
No double-cross. A deal?
One.
Where is it, Johnny?
The breweries were the heart
of the Capone empire,
the heart and the Achilles' heel.
Stills producing booze could be set up
quickly and inexpensively.
Breweries represented
great investments of time and money,
and very great profits.
So they were artfully concealed,
and further protected
by huge payments of graft.
In the 11 months
before the night of July 28th,
not one Capone brewery
had been touched by any
law enforcement agency in Chicago.
Steel.
Steel door in the rear too.
Hey, Mr. Ness.
They got out through here.
They caught on.
We gave them too much time.
They got out through there.
The birds flew the coop.
We gotta get these guys
and put them away.
Capone can't make beer
without brewmasters.
We gotta think of a way to get through
those steel doors on the first try.
All right, let's tear it apart.
I thought you ought to know about it.
That Giannini we let get out of town,
- he got as far as Kansas City.
- How do you know?
Because that's where they found him
lying in a ditch,
his head blown off by a shotgun.
From the first raid
on a Capone brewery,
both sides learned a lesson.
Frank Nitti ordered the steel doors
guarding other breweries
to be reinforced.
Eliot Ness confiscated from the mob
a powerful 5-ton truck.
To its radiator was welded
a thick steel shield.
And now that does it.
Will it hold?
Only way to find out
is to give it a try.
It's gotta go through steel, you know?
Welded on real good.
Now all we have to do
is locate a brewery.
In the first week of July,
Eliot Ness' special squad
began its attempt
to locate Capone distilleries
and breweries.
For days, members of the squad
cruised through Chicago,
following trucks
hauling sugar or cereal.
Days of running down leads,
piecing together information.
Observation from rented rooms
finally paid off
in the location of one
of Capone's biggest breweries
on the South Side of Chicago.
Hold it.
Blink the lights four times.
Down the same way you came up.
Go on, move.
Come on, get your hands up.
Against that platform, come on.
Back of your head.
Back of your head.
- Get your hands behind your head.
- Hurry it up.
I know that guy from New York,
Frank Carter, a gunman.
I heard Capone was bringing him in.
The one in the middle is
Steve Svododa, Capone's ace brewer.
This is gonna hurt the mob.
Are you going to arrest me?
Sure thing.
- I want to talk to my wife.
- After we've taken you in.
What good is to arrest me?
I am only doing a job here.
The only job I know.
Too bad the job's illegal.
All I know is to brew beer.
What have I got to do
with some stupid law
that says people cannot drink beer?
- I'm sorry, I didn't...
- Don't waste your breath on him.
I'd like to see what happens to you
when Al Capone gets out.
He'll be out, you'll be in.
Oh, sure.
I'll do time reading your obituary.
- Get them in the cars.
- All right, let's move out here.
Kane, find a phone,
call the marshal's office.
We need someone
to drive these trucks to our garage.
Flaherty, check the office
for records.
Get up.
I can still read.
On the night of November 7th, 1929,
a meeting took place
in the office of Frank Nitti
above the Montmartre Cafe.
The reason for the meeting:
What to do to stop the activities
of the special squad.
What to do about Eliot Ness.
We're gonna take a vote right now
to see if we're willing to take a chance
on killing this Eliot Ness.
Volpe?
Belcastro?
Mr. Ness, I'm George Ritchie.
I'd like to join your squad.
Sit down, Mr. Ritchie.
Martin, the records are on the table.
You said you want to join my squad.
- What gave you that idea?
- Yes, sir.
Well, I thought I could be useful.
- Have you ever been an investigator?
- No, sir, but...
How did you happen to come here?
Brandy, that's my wife,
well, she saw your picture
in the paper, Mr. Ness,
and she said to me,
"Now, there's a real man."
Say, maybe you've seen my wife,
Brandy LaFrance.
Well, she's in burlesque.
Look, Mr. Ness, I gotta do something
to impress her.
I gotta do something.
Sorry, I don't know
how I can use you.
This is what we were talking about.
Suppose I could get inside
the Capone mob.
How could you get inside?
Brandy's uncle
is the mob's treasurer.
- Jake Guzik?
- Her real name is Barbara Guzik.
Well, if she asked her uncle,
he'd give me a job.
You see?
I see.
Why don't you try to get him
to give you an inside job?
That way,
maybe you're some use to us.
Oh, I'll be a real undercover man,
Mr. Ness.
Let us know what happens.
Goodbye, Mr. Ness.
And thanks. Thanks.
No, he can't be for real.
Brandy LaFrance.
Suppose his wife
really is Jake Guzik's niece.
Brandy LaFrance, the stripper?
Something for dessert, monsieur?
Cherries jubilee.
Cherries jubilee.
Something has been on my mind.
I know.
For once, this has nothing to do
with Al Capone.
I bought something today.
It's for you.
I hope you'll accept it, and me.
You goof.
- You didn't even ask me.
- I'm asking you now.
Why, did you think for a moment
I'd refuse?
Darling,
I love you so much.
For always.
Well, come on, put it on.
Excuse me, Mr. Ness.
I saw you and...
There's something I have to tell you.
See me in my office tomorrow.
I think I better tell you about it now.
Got to do with Frank Nitti and you.
Excuse me, I'll go put on a new face.
So they had a meeting last night
about rubbing you out.
Most of them were in favor.
But Frank said they'd have to wait
for word from the big fellow
- until he gets out.
- How did you find me?
By accident. I'm out with my wife,
Brandy, over there.
No, what hap...?
Oh, there she is, dancing.
That's her cousin, Al Kenner,
with us.
Is your wife related
to the Capone mob?
Ain't that the truth?
You can't be useful anymore, not after
Kenner's seen you talking to me.
Oh, they know I know you.
The first thing Jake Guzik said
when I saw him today, he said:
"What were you doing
with them lousy feds?"
- What did you tell him?
- I told him you gave me a job.
Then I said,
"Now I can work for the mob."
- What would you do for the mob?
- As soon as you got to trust me,
I could tell them in advance
what you were gonna do.
What does Al Kenner think
you're telling me now?
Just what I am telling you.
Now, tell me one thing,
who will you be working for?
For you, Mr. Ness.
Suppose Jake Guzik
asks the same question.
Well, I'd have to give him
the same answer.
But you can believe me.
There's some crazy reason I do.
But I can use you.
We'll set it up this way.
You tell the mob that I bought
your story and hired you.
That you're ready to sell them
information about me.
- That's what you'll tell them.
- Yes, sir.
I'll see to it that you know the things
that I want them to know. Understand?
There's just one thing. I don't want
your murder on my conscience.
Are you sure you don't wanna do
something else to impress Brandy?
Like joining a trapeze act
or playing Russian roulette?
No, sir.
Okay.
I want you to start saving
some going-away money.
You're gonna put it in a bank,
and I'll check the balance
from time to time.
One of these days, you might have to
take a quick long trip for your health.
- When do you wanna see me?
- I'll let you know.
- You know where to reach me?
- I'll find that out.
Okay.
I'm sorry, honey.
We're still engaged, aren't we?
You bet.
Cherries jubilee.
Rum, brandy.
Maybe it's legal, prewar.
Pardon me.
I wish we had champagne too.
So do I, but it's my business
to see that we don't.
What a business.
What is it? Eliot, what is it?
Something got left on our table.
- Something got left on our ta...?
- Hey.
Hey, we're gonna be married soon.
The dumdum, a soft-nosed bullet,
designed to tear a hole in the victim,
the favorite weapon
of the Capone gang.
It wasn't often that the Capone mob
gave anyone such a warning.
Even less often
was such a warning ignored.
Following the threat against Eliot
Ness,
it was decided to make an attempt,
no matter how dangerous,
to anticipate future moves
of the Capone mob.
The only way to do this was to try
to tap the telephone of Frank Nitti,
running the gang during
Capone's term in a Philadelphia jail.
So disguised as trash collectors,
Rossman and Kopka
inspect the alley behind Nitti's office.
Tapping Nitti's phone is gonna be
the toughest job I ever had.
The terminal box
is on a pole in the alley.
The hoods are up and down the alley
all the time, so I gotta work fast.
Trouble is, that kind of terminal box
has about 150 connections.
You gotta have someone on the phone
whose voice you recognize,
otherwise, you don't know
which terminals to bridge.
- Would you recognize Nitti's voice?
- Well, I'm not sure.
It'll have to be someone
you know real well.
Someone will have to get into
Nitti's office and use his phone.
- That's all?
- That isn't all.
He'll have to use it
at an exact specified time at night.
I can't sit up on that pole
for more than a couple minutes.
If they spot me up there,
I'm a goner.
Maybe we can get an entrance card
for the Montmartre.
Yeah, but Nitti's office
is above the club.
And he hasn't invited us
to use his phone.
The main problem
is getting to the office.
The first step
is to get inside the club.
Nitti knows me, Fuselli, Kane.
So?
I don't mind playing
in Capone's back yard.
Who's gonna lend me a nickel
so I can use the phone?
I want you to get a guest card
from the Montmartre.
- The Montmartre?
- Can you do it?
- Well, I guess I can. Who's it for?
- Frank Morris.
- Morris?
- From out of town, Cleveland.
- Who's he?
- Me.
- Oh, sure, sure.
- You'll take Frank to the Montmartre.
- Can you get your wife to go along?
- Brandy? Yeah, she loves to go out.
You'll tell Brandy the same thing
you tell everyone else.
You know Frank,
you know he's a right Joe.
Oh, I'll handle it. What's it all about?
You only have to know
one thing, George.
- If you tip off the mob...
- I wouldn't do that.
You'd better not. Because if anything
happens to me, it'll happen to you too.
I'm on the level with you.
Strictly on the level, I swear.
This is real undercover stuff, huh?
- Play Brandy's song, will you?
- Yes, sir.
Do they have burlecue in Cleveland,
Mr. Morris?
Sure. What's a town without it,
I always say.
That's what I always say.
Looks like we got
something in common.
Yeah, we do.
We sure do.
That's some song, huh?
Hey, how do you like my friend
from Cleveland?
Oh, I like your friend
from Cleveland.
Oh, he's a swell guy.
How do you like Brandy?
- She's a dish.
- You ain't kidding.
You ought to see her
at the burlesque.
- That's an idea.
- Go in the afternoon,
- you get seats down front.
- Come backstage after the show.
I think I will come backstage.
Who's that coming down the stairs?
That's Tony Liguri.
He runs the place.
How well do you know him?
Oh, pretty good, pretty good. Why?
Think you can get him
to come over here?
Oh, well, I'm not too sure.
I don't know...
Just tell Tony hello from me, huh?
Yeah. Yeah, okay.
What business are you in,
Mr. Morris?
I mean, Frankie.
Georgie didn't say.
Georgie doesn't know.
I'll bet it's something.
Yeah, something.
You know who you ought to meet?
My Uncle Jake.
Does Uncle Jake do something?
Does he?
He's running the whole organization
until Snorky gets back.
- Snorky?
- Al Capone, that's what they call him.
Snorky.
Sounds cute.
Oh, he's not my type.
My type is more like
someone from Cleveland.
We grow them cute in Cleveland.
You're growing on me already,
Frankie.
What do you say,
why don't we ditch little Ritchie
and get out of here, huh?
There's an idea.
Let's have another drink.
We'll take an out from here.
- Hello, Brandy.
- Tony, this is Frank Morris
from Cleveland. Frank, this is Tony.
- How do you do?
- How are you?
From Cleveland, huh? You know
Eddie Santis from Cleveland?
Yeah, I knew him before the feds
knocked him down to Atlanta.
You here on business?
No, just looking for fun.
Fun you can have,
if you know the right people.
I'm beginning to meet them.
Sit down. I'll buy you a drink.
Your money's no good here.
I'll buy the drinks
Charlie.
How did it go?
Me and Tony Liguri.
Quizzed me about a mobster called
Eddie Santis and I knew him.
- I put him away.
- Did he ask you anything else?
He gave me all the answers I needed.
We got along fine, Tony and me.
You think he'll let you in Nitti's room
to make a call?
He just did.
I wanted to make sure he would.
- How about tomorrow night?
- What time?
Two a.m.
Fine.
But in case someone's breathing down
my neck, I better be talking to a girl.
Here, call this number.
Who's that?
My fiance.
She's expecting your call.
Okay.
Oh, about that Brandy LaFrance,
she wouldn't be too tough
to swallow.
Frankie, once more,
why didn't you come to the theater?
I told you, Brandy, I got busy.
Well, anyone who's too busy
to come to the...
What kind of a guy are you?
Don't tell me
you're worried about Georgie?
You wanna go home, Brandy?
No, I don't wanna go home.
I don't want you calling me Brandy.
My name's Barbara.
- I'm sorry, Barbara.
- Now, just one more time.
Why didn't you come to the theater?
I got busy.
Would you excuse me
for five minutes?
Where are you going, Frankie?
What are looking at, you sap?
Superior 2098.
Oh, hiya, baby. This is Frank Morris.
Oh, hello, Frank.
I've been meaning to call you ever
since I got to Chi, but I've been busy.
You know how it is.
Yes, sir, that's perfectly all right.
I'll be over to see you
the first chance I get.
You dirty double-crossing ape,
you coming up here
- to call another dame.
- Hello, baby?
Listen to me.
I'm having a little trouble here,
sweetheart.
Nothing like the trouble
you're gonna have
if you don't stop playing me
for a sucker.
I'm still here with you, sweetheart.
Still with who?
You in the right...
I hate to bother you at home...
- Hello, hello, hello?
- Baby, this is hard to believe,
- but there's someone here.
- You betcha there's someone here.
I'm still with you, baby.
Who are you talking to,
you stinking little rat, you?
Don't hang up, baby.
Oh, come on, Frankie.
What she got that's any better
than little Brandy?
Baby, I'm still with you.
That's what you think.
The faucet is not working.
Come on, I'm sorry...
How's your sister, baby?
Is she still working?
I got news for her
from a friend in Cleveland.
I'll fix your wagon
and her sister and you,
you lousy broad,
whoever you are...
- Hey, what's going on here?
- I'm making this call, then...
- You're not making a...
- Come on, cut it out.
- Will you stay out of this, Tony?
- Hey, you're asking for it.
Go on. Get out of here.
- Go on, get out!
- I'm going! I'm going!
Who needs you?
I happen to have
a very nice husband.
I'm still with you, baby.
Hey, let me talk. I'll fix it.
Hello, honey?
Frank's been telling me
all about you, baby.
I want your duty tonight.
Are you...?
You cheap bum.
What are you doing out here?
What do you think we're doing?
We're just having a smoke.
I ought to smack you
all over the place.
Come on and start something,
loudmouth.
Why don't you come down
to the club?
Oh, well, baby doll, it's...
It's so late.
It's early. I'll send a car to get you.
Where do you live?
Leave him alone, Joe.
Come on, you guys,
let's have a drink and forget it.
I want to explain to you...
I'm dying to meet you, honey.
Can I talk to Frank again?
She wants to talk to you.
Hiya, baby.
This is a swell guy
I want you to meet.
He's an important man.
Well, how about tomorrow night?
Like I said, this is one swell guy.
And I know you gonna like him.
What do you mean
you're leaving town?
I'll be back in a couple of weeks.
Okay?
This guy won't keep for a couple of
weeks. He's murder with the dames.
I'm not making up to any broad.
Not even for a pal.
- Forget it. You want a cigarette?
- No.
Listen, Frank.
I got a couple of fresh ones downstairs.
Come on, let's set them up.
Then after nine days,
the tap on Frank Nitti's phone paid off.
Here's a good one.
They're opening a new brewery
on South Wabash tonight.
Get there for the opening.
In the following weeks,
using information gathered
through the tap of Nitti's phone,
Eliot Ness' special squad located and
wrecked four more Capone breweries.
Eliot Ness and his squad
were succeeding in their job
of choking off the most important
source of all Capone revenues.
But time was beginning to work
against Eliot Ness.
Time that had been measured
in days, weeks and months
by a man a thousand miles away.
Finally, on March 19th, 1930,
having served 10 months
in a Philadelphia jail for carrying a gun,
Al Capone returned to Chicago,
and a very critical situation.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
Drinks on the house for everybody.
Capone went first to headquarters
for the organization
in the Cafe Montmartre,
where offices were maintained
on the second floor.
Here, Capone presided over a meeting
of the heads of his organization.
I got some bad news, Al.
We had some breweries
knocked over.
Eight to be exact.
Three on the South Side,
including two new ones
we set up while you were away.
One in the Heights,
two on the North Side,
one of them we took over
from Lorenz,
a big one out on Diversey,
and another new one
we set up on the county line.
What did that add up to?
We lost 3850 barrels a day.
But we're setting up a big new one
out near the stockyards,
big enough to replace the loss.
How about the equipment?
How much have we lost there?
I'm carrying that loss
at $3.5 million.
What about our protection?
Well, Frank can tell you about that.
You tell me.
Our operating loss
is gonna make us
have to cut down on the local graft.
But we ought to be able to keep them
looking the other way.
- It's these other guys, Al.
- What other guys?
The feds have gotten up
this special squad.
- You tell me.
- Well, it's a special squad,
like Jake says.
From all over the country,
just to knock over our stuff.
How big is that squad?
- Well...
- How big?
Seven or eight guys.
Seven or eight guys.
- But, Al...
- Seven or eight guys.
Punks!
You two-bit punks.
You lousy, stupid, yellow,
stinking punks.
I'm away for...
I'm away for ten months.
Ten months,
and we got a problem with this...?
- Ness.
- Ness, Ness, Ness.
Well, I've had plenty of problems
and I took care of them.
So now I'm back.
And I'll take care of Ness.
Al Capone.
Took care of O'Banion.
And Weiss.
And Drucci.
And Genna.
And all the rest.
And that's what's gonna happen
to Ness.
Just seven, eight guys.
While the mob heads met,
Eliot Ness and his squad
gave Capone
their own welcome to Chicago.
These men, specially selected from
thousands in the Prohibition Bureau,
were preparing to raid and wreck
still another Capone brewery.
The effect of this raid would soon
be felt by the mob and by Eliot Ness.
I'm Ed Marriatt.
I've come to do a favor for some people
in my ward. You too, Mr. Ness.
What's the favor?
You've never met Al Capone,
have you?
Not face-to-face.
Well, he's got his poise,
the big fella has.
Yes, sir, he's got his poise.
And after all,
you get right down to brass tacks,
what's he doing that's really wrong?
Peddling some booze and beer?
Can you sit there, Mr. Ness,
and honestly say
that you haven't had a drink
since the Prohibition?
Stick to Capone.
Well, for one thing, he's generous,
if you know what I mean.
Christmastime,
you got any idea how many families
he feeds?
Ten thousand families of the poor
wouldn't have any Christmas at all
if it wasn't for Al.
I never thought of it that way.
A hundred bucks to waiters
because they're working men.
Twenty five bucks to hat-check girls.
Al likes to help people.
You play it square with the big fellow,
he takes care of you.
You think he might wanna
take care of me another way?
I think he might.
Let's stop horsing around.
How much?
Two grand. Two grand a week.
Starting when?
Now.
Show.
Two grand.
This louse just tried
to give us 2 grand a week.
He's an alderman.
An alderman of the city of Chicago.
You scum.
You're the worst scum of all.
You make the Capones possible
by selling them your office.
Well, scum, I'm gonna pin
a bribery rap on you.
I'm gonna pin it to your stinking skin.
What are you gonna use
for evidence, huh?
That look like a bribe, huh?
All right. All right, let's go.
Come on, alderman.
I should have slugged him.
He'd hang an assault charge on you
that would keep you busy for weeks
defending yourself.
You ain't the only one.
We was driving along,
a car comes alongside,
and a guy in a gray hat
throws this in the back seat.
We thought it was
a Capone pineapple.
Turns out to be cabbage.
That's a lot of green.
Makes you sweat
to see all that dough.
Kind of sticks to your fingers.
I see it sticking, Joe.
It'll peel off.
Sure wish I could get
that kind of dough legit.
- So do I, but I don't see it happening.
- Who are you going to call?
The newspapers.
This was thrown into one of our cars
by some of Capone's mobsters.
It's a bribe.
It's a bribe that's going to the
United States Marshal's office
and it won't buy anything
from us.
Capone has threatened us
and he's tried to bribe us,
as he has most of the people
of this city and county.
Like most of them,
we're a little tempted and a little afraid.
We're not gonna give in to Capone.
Not to his threats, not to his bribes.
We're not gonna be swerved
from our duty.
We want every citizen to help us
by giving us information,
by lending us support.
We want everyone to know,
especially Al Capone,
we can't be bought off,
and we won't be killed off.
"Eliot Ness and his men have flung
a challenge in the face of Al Capone.
They have proved to Capone
and his mob that they are untouchable.
A few more untouchables
like them and Chicago can be..."
What's taking so long?
He's gotta find the right wires.
You stupid idiot!
How could you let them
tap your phone?
You know what this
is gonna cost me?
I ought to bleed it out of you,
drop by drop.
- Stupid.
- B, C, D, E, F,
- G, H, I, J, K, L,
- Stupid!
M, N, O, P, Q...
V, W, X, Y, Z.
A, B, C, D...
I don't get this.
He's going through the alphabet.
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P...
They're breaking our wiretap.
H, I, J, K, L, M...
- P, Q,
- Hey.
R, S,
- T...
- He got it.
Well.
They got it.
Without the tap of the Capone outfit's
private phone,
Eliot Ness had now only one possible
source of inside information
about Capone's activities.
Mister, how are you? How are you?
Say, does Mr. Ness know I'm out here?
- Yeah, he knows you're here.
- That's wonderful. Thank you, mister.
- Hi, Mr. Rossman. How are you?
- Hello.
Nice to see you.
Hi.
You know his wife Brandy?
She's sporting a rock that big.
Must be worth
a couple of thousand bucks.
And Ritchie,
all you gotta do is look at him.
He has a new car,
an Auburn, very flashy.
Has it parked around the corner.
All right, let's set it up.
Okay.
Come on in, George.
Hi, mister.
Well, hello, Mr. Ness.
- Hi, how are you?
- Sit down, George.
That's a nice-looking suit
you're wearing, George.
- Oh, this?
- Yeah, new, huh?
- Well, yeah.
- How did you get down here, George?
- I come by the L.
- What about the car you got parked?
Where did you get the money?
Where did you get the money?
I made some money
on the stock market.
The bottom's dropped out
of the stock market.
- What's the name of your broker?
- Hey, what...?
He's a friend of Brandy's uncle,
that's all.
- Jake Guzik's investing for you, huh?
- Oh, no, not exactly that. L...
- You're playing ball with the mob.
- Wait a minute.
- Double-crossing us, huh?
- I haven't done anything...
You sold us out.
What did you give them?
- Look, all I did was...
- All you did was what?
- All I did was just promise.
- Promise what?
I'd just find out what you were gonna do
and let them know.
- But I wasn't gonna do it.
- Why don't you cut it out?
No, honest, I wasn't.
The mob never pays before delivery.
What did you deliver? What was it?
All right. Just some names
and addresses, that's all.
- Whose?
- It was just yours...
- Come on.
- There were just some others.
- And what else?
- Nothing. Nothing. Nothing else.
I didn't do nothing. I just...
- What else?
- Nothing.
- What else?
- All right, I just...
I just drew a plan of the office,
that's all.
- What else? What else?
- That's all.
That's all, nothing else.
- What else?
- I swear, nothing else.
I just promised whatever they asked,
that's all. I just promised.
I promised. I just promised.
George, listen.
Now you're gonna do something
for me.
- Oh, Mr. Ness, I'm on your side.
- I heard the mob has a brewery.
- A real big one, the biggest.
- No.
Come on, George,
you must have heard about it.
- No, nothing definite.
- Where's the brewery, George?
- Where's the brewery?
- I don't know.
- What do you mean?
- Where is it?
- Look, I don't know.
- George!
Suppose we let the mob know
how we managed to tap their phone.
Suppose we let them know how
you got our man into the Montmartre.
You wouldn't do that, Mr. Ness.
- Why can't we?
- They'd kill me in a minute.
- They'll let me have it.
- We know.
Give me another chance.
I'll be on the level with you in the future.
- Too late, George. Too late. Too late.
- Where's the big brewery?
I don't know. I don't...
All right, let's just say they got one.
They got one.
They're getting half their beer
from it.
But I don't know exactly where it is.
I just don't know. All I know is that...
Okay, it's somewhere near
the stockyards.
Now, that's all I know.
Now, you gotta believe me about that.
Look, I swear.
Please, believe me.
Look, I swear.
George.
George, you're gonna do
one more thing, then you're through.
And we'll take you away
someplace safe.
You're gonna find out
where that brewery is.
How am I gonna do that, Mr. Ness?
From Uncle Jake.
Two nights later, George Ritchie
and his wife Brandy
had dinner with Brandy's uncle,
Jake Guzik.
Ritchie tried to get information
from Guzik
about the location
of the key Capone brewery.
I hear he got a big setup
the feds will never find.
I hear it's real covered up, huh?
- You heard?
- Yeah.
Where is it anyway?
You can tell me.
I mean, you don't have to keep
any secrets from me.
Georgie, eat your soup.
Yeah, Georgie, eat your soup.
Yes, Brandy.
Much later that same night,
George Ritchie waited in the wings
of a State Street burlesque theater
for Brandy, his wife, to finish her act.
Like Jack Horner in a corner
Don't go nowhere
What do I care?
Your kiss is all worth waiting for
Believe me
Hello, Georgie.
We got something to discuss with you.
Yeah? Well, can we wait
until Brandy gets through?
I try never to miss her act.
Well, you'll wanna miss it tonight,
Georgie. Snorky wants to see you.
He got something real important
he wants you to do for him.
Al Capone? He wants to see me?
He's got something important
for me...?
Real important, Georgie.
He's gonna make a big man
out of you.
No kidding?
Gee, I hate to miss Brandy's finish.
But Snorky, that's important.
That's something, huh?
- Good. Come on, Georgie.
- Hey, wait a minute.
- She'll finish in a couple of minutes...
- But Snorky is waiting for you.
Come on, let's go.
Three miles from the theater,
Betty Anderson had just received
a late telephone call
from her fianc, Eliot Ness.
They made arrangements
to have lunch the following day.
In a happy frame of mind,
Betty Anderson
was ready to go to sleep.
- Who is it?
- Wire for Betty Anderson.
- What?
- A wire for Betty Anderson.
Don't scream.
This guy Ness
has got something here.
He's keeping it all to himself.
Oh, God.
Operator.
Superior 7599.
- Hello?
- Eliot.
Eliot, come right away, please.
Get over here right away.
I'll be right there.
Betty. Betty, honey.
They'll never get at you, I swear.
Eliot, what are they?
I know what they do.
I know the things they do,
but I can't understand,
what are they?
They're warped, sadistic,
rotten little cowards.
Well, how do we let them get away?
Behind crooked cops
and corrupt politicians.
They hide behind their guns.
Now we're making them come out.
They're afraid. That's why
they have to try to frighten us,
like breaking into your room.
Hello.
Yes, this is Betty Anderson.
What?
What did you say?
I said, baby,
I've been thinking about you.
You looked pretty good.
Maybe I'm coming back
with some of the boys.
Betty, what is it? Tell me, what is it?
He said they're coming back.
He said they're coming here again,
Eliot.
Please, don't let them
come back, please.
Baby, we got disconnected.
I'm trying to make a connection.
You stinking little rat.
I'm gonna get you
and tear you limb from limb.
You lousy little yellow rat.
Oh, that you, Ness?
We got plans for you too, Ness.
The boys are gonna have
a real party.
You told him enough.
They'll never get at you, I promise.
This I promise you.
We're getting married now.
We're not waiting.
You mean tonight?
We'll cross the line to Indiana,
get a justice of the peace.
Is this because of the phone call?
There's a lot of things,
because of the phone call included.
I'm not sure what's gonna happen
from now on
and I don't wanna wait, do you?
No, I wanna be with you.
Better get ready, honey.
By the authority vested in me
by the state of Indiana,
I now pronounce you man and wife.
Good wishes, my dear.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you, Joe.
I know you're both
gonna be very happy.
Thanks, Joe. We will be.
God bless you.
Miss LaFrance, you know who it was
who killed your husband, don't you?
No. No, I don't know.
I don't know why anyone
would wanna kill Georgie.
He was a real nice guy.
We think the Capone mob did it.
Don't you wanna help us?
No, Uncle Jake wouldn't let them
kill him.
He wouldn't do a thing like that.
Are you sure that the last time
you saw him was back in the wings?
He was watching me do my number.
He was always watching me
do my number.
That's my cue.
The last time I danced
he was standing right there
in the wing.
Why would anyone wanna kill
poor Georgie?
He was...
He was such a nice little guy.
If George Ritchie's tip was right,
Capone's big one is somewhere here.
We'll have to check out every building
above and below ground.
See if someone, resident merchant,
anyone, can give us a lead.
- Fat chance.
- We'll take that chance.
- Joe, you know people in that district.
- I know a few.
- Let's get something from them.
- I'm on my way.
Hansen, you and Youngfellow
start covering all garages.
Kane and Flaherty
will cover stores and food suppliers.
Kopka and Rossman, start checking
all residents near speakeasies.
We gotta get a breakthrough
somewhere and fast.
Maybe there is this brewery.
But I don't know nothing about it.
- Who gonna tell me?
- Stop that, Picco.
You remember the old days?
You and my old man,
you were very good friends.
- You remember?
- Yeah, I remember.
You were always very nice to me, Joe.
But l...
I just thought maybe
you heard something, that's all.
When I work, I'm deaf.
I don't wanna see,
I don't wanna hear,
I don't wanna know.
Can't you just hear this one thing?
Do me a favor.
Well, this a favor I wouldn't do,
even if I could.
You ought to know that, Joe.
Okay.
- Stay, have a glass of red, Joe.
- I can't, I'm working.
- You ain't sore at me?
- No.
I don't know nothing.
This is honest truth.
You're the only guy nice to him, Joe.
He likes you. He don't take to people,
but he likes you.
Dogs got a good instinct, Joe.
They know.
Come to the house next week.
Have dinner.
That's nice.
I'll bring you a bottle of red.
The real stuff from other side.
You bring that bottle,
I'll break it over your head.
Can't you get it through your thick skull
I'm working for the government?
Yeah.
I'll bring it, Joe.
Never mind that. Here.
Take this in.
The Mafia ritual known
as the kiss of death.
The man being ceremonially kissed
by the others in this room
had been chosen
to commit a murder.
You're home, boss.
Why don't you and the bride go away
for a couple of days and relax?
Get everything off your mind.
I will when this is over.
If we can knock over this big brewery,
it might be over sooner than you think.
- We gotta locate it first.
- We will.
Joe, three guys like you
are an army.
Three guys? Two guys.
- You wanna come up for a minute?
- No, you give my best to your bride.
- What time will I pick you up?
- Eight-thirty.
You got it.
Watch it.
Eliot!
Oh, Eliot.
While Joe Fuselli was dying
on a Chicago street,
Al Capone was dining,
visible to scores of people
in a Chicago night club.
Frank.
Hey, dancer. Dancer.
Hey, kid, you're good,
you're gonna go places.
Here, this will help you on your way.
Gee, thanks, Mr. Capone.
Thanks a million.
- What's your name?
- Dolly.
Amen.
Joe was my friend.
He never laugh at me.
Never pushed me around.
What did you see, Picco?
I ain't gonna let them get away
with killing Joe.
If I would have known
they were gonna kill Joe,
I'd have grabbed that knife
and then ripped him myself.
Who were they?
Wasn't it, Frank Nitti,
and Volpe and D'Andrea.
And the big fellow was there.
Capone?
What did they do?
You know what that is?
Kiss of death.
Which one did they kiss?
Jimmy Napoli was the one.
Nitti, Volpe and D'Andrea,
they sent Jimmy Napoli.
Who's Jimmy Napoli?
From Brooklyn, "the Torpedo."
I lied to Joe.
The last thing
I said to him alive, a lie.
He asked me
where Capone's big brewery is.
I lied, "I didn't know."
But I just know where it is.
I gonna tell you too.
Thanks.
Picco, we're gonna take you
somewhere where you'll be safe.
Come on,
we'll take good care of you, Picco.
What's going to be with my dog?
Who's going to take care of my dog?
- Here. Take your dog, Picco.
- Thanks.
- Joe Fuselli.
- Who?
- Say, who are you guys anyway?
- Fodder, old man.
Where were you all night?
You run my life?
Hasn't been slept in.
Come on, Napoli.
- What's the rap?
- Come on.
Wait a minute, I gotta get dressed.
Just put your coat on.
Listen, you got nothing on me.
I was playing poker with six other guys
until an hour ago.
How would you like a dumdum
right in the face like Joe Fuselli?
I was playing with my friends
until an hour ago, I'm telling you.
They'll back me up.
You can't touch me.
Come on.
Say, who is this Joe Fuselli?
Never mention that name again.
To safeguard the only witness
who could definitely link Al Capone
with the murder of Joe Fuselli,
Ness made arrangements
to keep Angelo Picco under guard
in a cell in Chicago City Jail.
We don't wanna lock you up,
but this is the best place.
- Later, we'll take you out of town.
- Please, don't keep me too long.
Just until you testify
against Napoli and Capone.
- Not too long.
- I'll be close by, Picco.
Amen.
Within two hours of the arrest
of Jimmy Napoli,
Al Capone forestalled his own arrest
by appearing at the office
of Deputy Police Commissioner
Hallowell.
With him was the mob's attorneys.
Well, commissioner.
- I heard you was looking for me.
- That's right, Al.
We have a few things to ask you.
- That's why I'm here.
- Before you ask any questions,
it's understood that Mr. Capone
is here of his own free will.
Just what is the charge
in connection
with which you wish
to question Mr. Capone?
About the murder of a federal agent.
When did this alleged homicide
occur?
At 1:15 this morning.
At that hour, Mr. Capone
was dining at the 318 Club.
How do you know?
We can produce a number
of reliable witnesses to attest to that.
I'll bet you can.
We have a witness too.
You didn't kiss Jimmy Napoli
for fun, did you, Al?
Who is this Jimmy Napoli?
Give me the city jail.
Once again, a man who could have
testified for the state
had been silenced.
There could now be no way of proving
that Capone had hired Jimmy Napoli
to commit murder.
Take it easy.
- Make a statement, Al.
- Take it easy, fellas, relax.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Everything that happened in Chicago,
they say Al Capone did.
They try to make me the goat.
Now, you fellas know that all I ever
did was to sell it to the best people.
Maybe that includes
some of you boys, huh?
- How about another statement, Al?
- You want more pictures?
How about...?
This is gonna be the big one.
I'll need about a dozen more men.
The best you can get for us.
I don't want them to know
what they're going out on.
I want them to meet us
at the warehouse at midnight sharp.
I'll lay it out for them then,
but not until then.
I don't wanna take chances
on a tip-off.
All they have to know is to meet us
at the warehouse at midnight sharp.
At midnight, a rendezvous
was made with other agents
in the warehouse
used by Ness' squad.
The men were briefed
on their assignments.
To help you find the way,
I'm putting one of my own men
on each of the cars.
They'll be in charge
after we get inside.
You don't know the layout,
but you'll be able to size things up fast.
If there's any resistance,
let them have it.
Any questions?
Let's go.
Come on, let's go.
Come on, everybody.
- Get your hands up. Come on.
- Pull him out.
- Let's go.
- Get your hands above your head.
Get your hands up there. Come on.
- Let's go.
- Get your hands up.
Get your hands above your head.
Kane.
Number, please.
Calumet 6098.
- Hotel Lexington.
- Put me through to Capone's rooms.
Just a moment, sir.
Yeah?
Let me talk to Capone.
- Who's calling?
- Just tell him Eliot Ness.
Mario.
Al. Telephone, Al.
It's Eliot Ness.
This is Al Capone.
I just knocked over your new brewery
down at the stockyards.
- What?
- Look out your window
at exactly 11:00 tomorrow morning.
- What is this?
- Take a look
and see what we got for you,
Snorky.
What are you talking about?
You talk straight, or I'll jam
this phone down your throat!
What are you gonna do?
I'll make sure Al Capone
never forgets Joe Fuselli.
- Anything?
- Not a thing.
It's some bluff, Al.
That's all it is.
A guy shooting off his mouth.
- Well?
- That's all, Al.
What about the brewery?
- Maybe we gotta set up out of town.
- Where?
- Well...
- Where?
Maybe we can go over the line.
- Over what line?
- Into Wisconsin.
Wisconsin?
Yeah, Wisconsin may be okay.
Okay? You talk, but they're
closing me down. And you talk...
Al.
Look at that. Look.
At exactly 11:00,
the funeral procession of Joe Fuselli
passed under the windows
of Al Capone's suite
in the Lexington Hotel.
It's just one more funeral.
They're our beer trucks.
Following the hearse
was truck after truck
confiscated by Eliot Ness
and his squad in their raids
on the Capone breweries.
These trucks, which might have been
delivering Capone beer,
were instead delivering
a message of defiance to Al Capone.
With Capone's power to frighten
and corrupt diminishing,
people began to give information.
With the assistance of Eliot Ness,
U.S. Treasury agents started
to put together
the mosaic of an income-tax-evasion
case against Al Capone.
- Eliot, we've got Al Capone.
- Are you sure?
We've been working on this
for the last two weeks.
He's gonna plead guilty.
Why isn't he fighting?
My office is entering
a recommendation for leniency.
- You're kidding.
- The arrangement's been worked out
with the approval
of the attorney general.
Leniency for Capone?
Our Al Capone?
Is that what we've been knocking
ourselves out for?
- To let Al Capone off?
- Look, Eliot...
Is that why Joe Fuselli got killed?
For what?
Advertise a man
can get away with murder?
How do you think I feel about this?
I came to put Capone away for good,
but this is all we've got.
- It's the best we can do.
- The records, the data.
Not enough
to make sure of conviction.
If we try Capone and don't convict him,
we can't try him again.
It's too great a risk.
We put him away for a while,
then maybe we can finish the job
of wrecking him.
We've got to take
what we can get, Eliot.
Just what do we get?
Two years.
Two years.
Well, that's the best we could
bargain for. I feel sick about it, Eliot.
Two years for Capone.
After all this, two years.
What a joke.
What a lousy, lousy joke.
Finally, on July 30th, 193 1,
Al Capone entered a plea of guilty
to income-tax-evasion charges
in the Federal District Court presided
over by Judge James H. Wilkerson.
Will the two counsels
approach the bench, please?
A plea of guilty
is a full admission of guilt.
If the defendant asks for leniency
by throwing himself
on the mercy of this court,
he must be prepared
to answer all proper questions
put to him by the court.
If the defendant
expects leniency of this court,
he must take the witness stand
and testify on what grounds
he expects leniency.
The federal district attorney said
that if a plea of guilty was entered,
he would make a commitment
about the length of the sentence.
I will decide the length of sentence.
No prior agreement binds this court.
We'll stand trial.
The defendant withdraws
his plea of guilty.
He will stand trial on charges.
The defendant
will approach the bench, please.
After a trial lasting three months,
Al Capone was convicted.
On November 24th, 193 1,
Judge James H. Wilkerson
pronounced sentence.
It is the decision of this court
that the defendant, Alphonse Capone,
shall pay a fine of $56,000.
And that he shall serve a term of
11 years in the federal penitentiaries.
He is forthwith remanded to the custody
of the United States Marshal.
Stand back.
After exhausting every legal delay,
on May 5th, 1932,
Al Capone was taken from Chicago
to start serving his sentence.
Between Eliot Ness and Al Capone,
no word had ever been exchanged
except for the brief
telephone conversation
preceding the funeral of Joe Fuselli.
Ironically enough,
absorbed with the thought of the long
years in prison before him,
Al Capone did not recognize
the man staring at him.
Ness was occupied with the thought
of the long years of struggle ahead
to destroy the remnants
of the Capone organization.
And so Al Capone
disappeared from view
to be replaced by other racketeers,
more subtle, even more destructive.
Against this new breed
of racketeer,
who are managing to steal,
extort, divert and pervert,
almost 10 percent of the income
of the people of the United States,
Eliot Ness fought
until his death in 1957.
Al Capone is dead.
Eliot Ness is dead.
But the struggle between
the Capones and the Nesses
witnessed by a public that remains
dangerously indifferent
goes on and on.