CHICAGO
Al Capone's mentor, John Torrio.
Alphonse lived in Baltimore for a short time after his marriage, but was then sent to Chicago by John Torrio, his mentor, and a leader of the Five Points crime family. Torrio believed there was money to be made in Chicago, especially in bootlegging. Torrio's administrative and organizational talents transformed crude racketeering into a kind of corporate structure, allowing his businesses to expand as opportunities emerged. From him, Capone learned invaluable lessons that were the foundation of the criminal empire he would later build. Political corruption was a tradition in the vast city of Chicago, creating an atmosphere of two-fisted lawlessness in which crime flourished. In 1921, John Torrio and Al Capone became the owners of a gambling joint and whorehouse called the Four Deuces. Through this business Capone met Jack Guzik, a man whose family sustained themselves on prostitution. They became good friends and remained so for life.