The secret life of Al Capone's brother who joined the circus
In short: While one brother became the face of organized crime, the other fled his identity to perform in traveling shows across the American Midwest.
James Vincenzo Capone was born in 1892, seven years before his infamous brother Al. Feeling alienated by life in Brooklyn, James left home at age 16 in 1908 to join a circus. He spent the following years traveling through the Midwest under the alias "Richard Hart."
To distance himself from his family's reputation and heritage, James intentionally obscured his Italian roots. He preferred that people believe he was of Mexican or Native American descent, effectively erasing his connection to one of America's most notorious criminal families.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Al Capone and His Brother, the Prohibition Officer
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