Passing the Torch

After surviving the ambush that left him severely wounded, Johnny Torrio faced the realization that his days as the leader of the Italian gang were numbered. The attack had left him shaken and reconsidering his priorities. Torrio recognized that his life was more valuable than the bootlegging business. In a pivotal decision, he passed the leadership torch to Al Capone, his trusted right-hand man.

At the age of 26, Capone now helmed the nation’s largest bootlegging operation. His leadership style proved to be ruthless and unrelenting, quite different from Torrio’s more considerate approach. This transition marked the rise of Al Capone as a dominant figure in the criminal underworld.