Capone Cell:
Alphonse “Scarface” Capone got his first taste of prison life in Philadelphia.
He stopped in Philadelphia while traveling from Atlantic City back to his home in Chicago in May, 1929. He was arrested outside a movie theater for carrying a concealed, unlicensed .38 caliber revolver. The Philadelphia courts were tough. They handed Capone the maximum sentence: one year in prison
Capone served seven months of that sentence in this cell. Philadelphia newspapers noted that Capone's cell contained fine furniture, beautiful rugs, tasteful paintings, and a fancy radio. He liked to listen to waltzes in his cell.
Capone was often accused of hiding in prison intentionally. He spent thousands of dollars trying to get himself released, and he denied all his life that he came to Philadelphia to hide.
Find out more at www.easternstate.org.