James Vincenzo Capone
Encyclopedia
Richard James Hart (1892 – October 1, 1952) was the oldest brother of Al Capone
, the most noted gangster in 1920s and 30s in Chicago.
James Capone left home at the age of 16 and moved from Brooklyn
to Nebraska
, ostensibly to join a circus. He worked to lose his Brooklyn accent and tried to disguise his Italian ancestry
as well. He enlisted in the Army in World War I
, served in France
, and earned a commission as a lieutenant
.
After the war, Capone legally changed his name to Richard James Hart, partly in honor of his favorite cowboy film star, William S. Hart
. He married in 1919 and soon became a federal Prohibition
agent, making his home in Homer, Nebraska
. Following a series of successful raids against bootleggers, he gained the nickname of "Two-gun" Hart. In the mid-1920s, newspaper reporters learned of his kinship to the Chicago gangster; the resulting publicity forced Hart and his family to move from Homer.
In 1926, Hart became a special agent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
. He was assigned to the Cheyenne Indian reservation
in South Dakota
. While there he once had the duty of protecting President Calvin Coolidge
and his family on their visit to the Black Hills
. Later, he was transferred to the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. He was credited with the arrest of at least 20 wanted killers while in that area, besides pursuing Indian law breakers and hunting down moonshine
stills. He spent some time as a law enforcement officer on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation in Plummer, Idaho
.
Hart returned to Homer as a Prohibition agent in 1931. With the repeal of Prohibition two years later, he became a justice of the peace
. He died in Homer in 1952 of a heart attack
at the age of 60.
The above info is wrong. Hart was never in the service.
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
, the most noted gangster in 1920s and 30s in Chicago.
James Capone left home at the age of 16 and moved from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
to Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, ostensibly to join a circus. He worked to lose his Brooklyn accent and tried to disguise his Italian ancestry
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
as well. He enlisted in the Army in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and earned a commission as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
After the war, Capone legally changed his name to Richard James Hart, partly in honor of his favorite cowboy film star, William S. Hart
William S. Hart
William Surrey Hart was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered for having "imbued all of his characters with honor and integrity."-Biography:...
. He married in 1919 and soon became a federal Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
agent, making his home in Homer, Nebraska
Homer, Nebraska
Homer is a village in Dakota County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 590 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homer is located at ....
. Following a series of successful raids against bootleggers, he gained the nickname of "Two-gun" Hart. In the mid-1920s, newspaper reporters learned of his kinship to the Chicago gangster; the resulting publicity forced Hart and his family to move from Homer.
In 1926, Hart became a special agent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
. He was assigned to the Cheyenne Indian reservation
Cheyenne River Indian Reservation
The Cheyenne River Indian Reservation was created by the United States in 1889 by breaking up the Great Sioux Reservation, following its victory over the Lakota in a series of wars in the 1870s. The reservation covers almost all of Dewey and Ziebach counties in South Dakota...
in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. While there he once had the duty of protecting President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and his family on their visit to the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
. Later, he was transferred to the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. He was credited with the arrest of at least 20 wanted killers while in that area, besides pursuing Indian law breakers and hunting down moonshine
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
stills. He spent some time as a law enforcement officer on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation in Plummer, Idaho
Plummer, Idaho
Plummer is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is the largest city within the Coeur d'Alene Reservation.-Geography:Plummer is located at ....
.
Hart returned to Homer as a Prohibition agent in 1931. With the repeal of Prohibition two years later, he became a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He died in Homer in 1952 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at the age of 60.
External links
The above info is wrong. Hart was never in the service.