In 1941, Capone’s mental age was considered that of a 12 year old boy. He had retied to live in Palm Beach Miami where he would be spending the rest of his days till his death in 1947. It was rumored that he would roam in his pajamas and keep looking at fish in a nearby pond. However, it was well known that he took regular walks with his grandchildren to look at and chase butterflies.
His mental state had thoroughly deteriorated and he would be holding several conversations in a day with imaginary people. He would also hallucinate about his gangster days and about friends and enemies some of whom he himself had killed.
Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Capone was suffering from delirium and incoherence in the days preceding his death. However much as he liked roaming about in his PJ’s his family kept him confined to his compound and the house. The reason for doing this was that Capone in his delusional state may just about give away secrets about the outfit in Chicago, especially since he was prone to having conversations with people he had killed.
Image Source: www.pinimg.com
Although Al Capone died of Syphilis, his final cause of death was attributed to heart failure. Capone died on 25th January 1947. He was only 48. Six days before his death, he had a stroke but soon after he regained consciousness and even started to improve in health but then contracted pneumonia. His doctor confirmed he had died from a heart attack which was mentioned in his obituaries. Syphilis was never mentioned.
Capone’s funeral was held in Chicago and attended only by friends and family. He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery but later when his mother died in 1952, his body was removed and buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery. Although rumors at the time were rampant that he died of syphilis because he never really received proper health care in prison, the family never made such things an issue and preferred to let the matter be buried with Capone.
Image Source: www.pinimg.com
In case you feel that he had what was coming and don’t exactly feel remorse for Capone, well here’s a fact that not many know about Capone who actually did something good in life too. Realizing the effects the depression was having on Americas, Capone established a soup kitchen in downtown Chicago.
Capone actually fulfilled a need that the American government should have done. He established the first soup kitchen in 1931. The location was on 9th and State Street and it became immensely popular. Within a short while his soup kitchen was churning out 120,000 meals a day and even created job opportunities for out of work people.
Image Source: www.pinimg.com