Al Capone and the prohibition

Capone’s real name was Caponi but the Public Records Office made a mistake when they wrote his name and Caponi became Capone. His origins were Italian but unlike his parents who had lived in Italy before moving to New York, he was born in Brooklyn. He had an eventful youth mind you, since he soon joined bands with evocative names such as “The Brooklyn Rippers” or “The Forty Thieves Juniors”! How can a young man think of robbing or ripping people? Actually, Capone’s youth was not that of an altar boy, and he wasn’t an angel. Later, he joined “The Five Points” gang, and it was then that, whereas he was fighting in a bar, a man holding a razor blade in his hand slashed Capone’s face, and that episode was the cause of his nickname "Scarface"...

- alcohol prohibition
- alcohol trade
- gang
- Scarface

who raged in the 1920s and 1930s: qui a fait rage dans les années 1920 et 1930
before dealing with: avant de parler de
to move to: déménager à
an eventful youth: une jeunesse riche en événements
it makes my blood run cold: ça me donne la chair de poule
an altar boy: un enfant de choeur
slashed: tranché, réduit
to hire somebody: embaucher quelqu'un
wounded: blessé
the alcohol trade: le commerce de l'alcool
to increase: augmenter
to bring down conjugal violence: faire baisser la violence conjugale
henchmen: acolytes, hommes de main
he could not run the risk of being caught red-handed: il ne pouvait pas courir le risque d'être pris en flagrant délit
everyone remained silent: tout le monde resta silencieux
an evidence: une preuve
to get rid of: se débarasser de
to smoulder: couver
to earn: gagner
to topple: se renverser
to dismantle: démanteler
to rely on: compter (sur quelqu'un)
yielded: rapporté
to bribe: suborner
to thwart: contrecarrer, déjouer
the income: le revenu