Capone, John Ermino (Apr 12, 1904 – Jul 1985): younger brother of Al and Ralph Capone, also known as John Martin and Mimi. Born in Brooklyn at baptized at St. Michael’s Catholic Church as Ermino Capone, his godfather was Lorenzo Scotti. At the time of his confirmation at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, he formally adopted the name John Ermino Capone. He also attended Our Lady of Peace Elementary School while his family resided at 69 Park Place. Capone finished eighth grade but apparently did not attend high school.
arrested September 1922 for disorderly conduct and fined $5
picked up in Miami in March 1930 for investigation. Was picked up again in May for vagrancy and released the next day. Capone gave officers an address of 93 Palm Avenue (his brother’s home). Later news reports suggested that the Capones were harassed by police to keep them from settling in Miami.
Capone was close to his brother Al during Prohibition, acting as a chauffeur. When Al was in Alcatraz, John visited him at least once, and then often stayed at Al’s Palm Island home until his death.
Capone formed Finer Foods, a produce business, with Jack Sable in the early 1930s. The business was not profitable and Capone left in 1939 — Sable dissolved the firm in 1942. Sable was initially introduced to Capone by Joseph Fusco, as Sable owed the Outfit $2,500 from bootlegging and Fusco helped Sable set up a legitimate business to pay them back.
was picked up on general principles in Chicago in July 1932 using the alias Arthur Colby. At the time of the arrest, he had $4300 in his pocket and was in the company of Rocco Fischetti. Police questioned them concerning the murder of George Barker. He was then turned over to federal authorities who wanted him for a grand jury investigating a beer and liquor bootlegging conspiracy.
married Mary Bogush, a former dancer from Blue Ridge, northern Georgia, in January 1934 in Miami. They often used the surname Martin due to the stigma of being a Capone.
arrested in June 1934 for vagrancy. He was with Joseph Fusco at the Old Mexican Night Club. Fusco said he was the district manager of the Great Lakes Brewing Company, and Capone said he was a salesman for Fusco.
August 1934, traveled to Italy
February 1936, operated the Little Florence Cafe (2130 South Michigan Avenue), which was across the street from the Lexington Hotel
lived at the Del Prado Hotel (5307 South Hyde Park Boulevard) in 1941, as did Murray Humphreys
lived at 5336 South Hyde Park Boulevard, Apartment 202 from 1941-1947
arrested April 1941 for general principles under the alias Philip Cohen. The arrest came during a gambling raid at 6333 Cottage Grove Avenue, a handbook clearing house
1942, worked as a salesman for the United Ice Company of Chicago making $4,300 per year. The business sold shaved ice to taverns.
from October 1944 through 1946, maintained suites 1818 and 1819 at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago. Also staying there on occasion was Anne McNabb, a 26 girl at the Tip Top Inn (South Clark Street), who was believed to be Capone’s paramour. McNabb was close friends with Cleo Ricci.
from November 1945 through February 1946, Capone worked as a salesman for Precision Metal and Machine Company, making $100 per week. The company, which manufactured cigarette lighters, then went into involuntary bankruptcy. Matthew Capone worked for Precision at the same time.
1946, was a frequent visitor at a card game held at the Hyde Park Liquor Store (1506 East 53rd Street) along with Sam Hunt and Murray Humphreys. The store was owned by Herman Kiefus until his death in 1952.
August 1946, issued a $500 check to Goldman Liquor Store in Milwaukee
operated Ciro’s in Miami Beach with Murray Weinger from October 1951-1955, with Max Sherman serving as maitre d’. Sherman and Meyer Soltz were officers of the business. Weinger died circa February 1957.
picked up in Chicago in September 1952 on general principles
1952, was alleged to have a financial interest in the Trade Winds
lived at 5423 South Hyde Park Boulevard (Hyde Park neighborhood) from 1947-1965, having purchased the residence for $30,000.
arrested in September 1953 in Beverly Hills on suspicion of robbery along with First Ward politician Joseph Laino, but was released. At the time of arrest, he was staying at the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel and dining with actor George Raft and booking agent Lou Cohen. Capone told the police he was an oil speculator and real estate investor, and had stock in the Steelco Drilling Company. He had in his pockets $5,362 in cash. The arrest seems to be primarily for the purpose of harassment, as the police record indicates no one had any weapons on them and no specific target of an intended robbery was named.
October 1953, spent four days at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas with Murray Humphreys
made the acquaintance of Joseph George Lease, a horse breeder in Walden, New York, around 1953 in Miami. Lease had an extensive criminal record, and they were introduced through a mutual friend when Lease said he needed to raise some money. Then in 1956, Lease used Capone’s “influence” at Lease’s Oriental Park Racetrack in Havana, Cuba, which he had taken over from Salvatore Granello (alias Sally Burns) of New York. Lease was soon threatened by Granello and beat up by General Battista’s men when he told them he would not allow their slot machines at the race track. After getting beaten and kicked and receiving forty stitches, Lease told Capone about this and Capone went to New York on Lease’s behalf to “make a deal” with the “Old Man” (probably Santo Trafficante). Lease denied that Capone ever had any interest in his business, but freely admitted he had raised money via Capone on multiple occasions. (Granello, incidentally, was later an informant for the CIA and was murdered in December 1970.)
allegedly controlled booking with Joseph Fischetti in Miami from 1954-1955
Capone met Herbert Joseph Goldwater during the winter of 1954-1955, as both men played golf frequently at the Normany Shores Gold Course in Miami Beach. They became friends through golf and games of gin rummy. Goldwater believed that Capone could help him acquire a liquor license, so he allowed Capone to buy in to the Ocean Inn Restaurant for $10,000. Capone was involved from May 1955 through April 1957 and then sold his interest to Goldwater for $20,000. Capone never secured the license.
spent August through December 1957 staying at the Bel Aire Hotel in Miami Beach, where Anthony Ricci ran the bar and night club
was in northern Wisconsin in January 1958 with his wife visiting brother Ralph
Mary began working at Carson Scott Pirie in the handbag department in October 1961, and became the household’s primary income provider. John made money from gambling on his golf games, but was otherwise unemployed.
when interviewed in March 1963, Joseph Fusco told the FBI that Capone was “a broken down old man” who “could not cause harm to anyone.” Fusco was aware that Mary was supporting John, and Fusco loaned them money for living expenses. Fusco said he would hire Capone as a liquor salesman, but now the Capone name would hurt his business.
FBI agents came to interview Capone in October 1963 at his new venture, Continental Carpet Company (3424 Main Street, Skokie). He allowed it, but dismissed his employees for two hours so they would not be aware of the exchange. To his knowledge, no one there knew his true identity and he hoped to keep it that way. Capone denied having ever been in the Outfit, though he freely admitted knowing Murray Humphreys and others through family ties. Capone said the carpet business was competitive, and had been slowing down due to the difficulty in finding clients. By June 1964, the company was operating at a loss and was closed before the year’s end, leaving Capone in debt.
in 1965, Capone sold his home at 5423 South Hyde Park Boulevard and moved next door to 5419 (presumably a more modest residence) until 1972
by 1970, Capone was financially broken, working part time as a laborer at National Liquid Fertilizer Company. He told agents he would have been better off had he not squandered his money on gambling and investments in failed Chicago and Florida restaurants. He refused to accept money from his brothers or anyone involved in organized crime, despite considering some of them to be his friends. Capone had begun relying on an oxygen tank to breathe due to his emphysema.
lived in a 2-flat apartment at 2812 Stark Street from 1973-1974
died July 1985