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Boss Spotlight: Al Capone

Public enemy number one. Leader of the Chicago Outfit by age twenty six. Earning up to a hundred million dollars a year throughout the twenties. Untouchable to everyone but the IRS. Al “Scarface” Capone started in the street gangs of New York before becoming the gangster every other gangster wishes they were. His short reign at the top of Chicago’s underworld was enough to cement him in the annals of history as one of the most notorious and cold-blooded mobsters in memory and the blueprint for any wannabe gangster trying to rise through the ranks.

Since being recruited from Brooklyn by the Outfit, Capone has stamped his boot print all over the faces and places of the South Side of Chicago. Capone is the lethal combination of businessman and rottweiler; he can see the best ways to make money and knows when to delegate to his partner, Mr. Tommy Gun, and get his voice heard down Michigan Avenue.

For Capone, violence is just another part of the job. It’s a necessary trade off in the interests of furthering business prospects and status in the city. That gives him a callous edge and a heavy hand when it comes to sending a message to any chancers to his throne. In his eyes, it’s kill or be killed, and with a wife and child to stay alive for, he always makes sure he’s the man of action and not reaction.

While never convicted, Capone has direct ties to many bloody slayings throughout the city. Cold blooded is a part of his nature, and though some may see him as a ruthless killer, as far as he and his associates are concerned, you don’t get to make Chicago your kingdom without spending some lead.

Detective S. Kennedy of the Chicago Police Department is working closely with the Bureau of Prohibition to build a case against Al Capone, a man they believe to be a growing threat to the sanctity of prohibition law. Below are the notes taken by Det. Kennedy on one of his stakeouts…

[h2]CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT[/h2]
File: #01032-A Status: Open investigation

The following are handwritten notes recorded by Det. S. Kennedy with attending officer J.L. Murphy, during a stakeout and undercover pursuit of Alphonse Capone. The notes are being used as evidence to the ongoing case being built against Mr. Capone.

[h3]CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT – PRECINCT 12[/h3]
Date: 02/15/1920
Time Commenced: 12:00
Attending officer: Det. Kennedy, Ofc. Murphy
Equipment used: Model T, Colt .38, Naval Binoculars

12:00, South Prairie Ave. 60619 – Stationed south of the entrance to the home of ‘Scarface’ Capone. Street is quiet, save for some night-time traffic; seems a pretty residential place for a gangster to live. Looks like he’s got two guards walking a beat around his house for the night, both armed with guns the size of cannons.

12:30 – Ordered Murphy to walk the block; maybe get eyes on the rear entrance — if he can get a view — to spot anything suspicious that arises.

12:50 – One of the goons has come out to the street. He’s standing on the sidewalk looking North and South alternately.

12:58 – Taxi approached from the North and pulled up directly in front of the property. The guard opened the cab door for two ladies and a man — small stature and robust, in a gray hat and trenchcoat. The females: both average height, dark hair, mid-twenties. One in a light coloured overcoat, the other in a fur shawl. Clearly intoxicated. The man is now engaging in friendly conversation with the guard. Cannot tell who it is as he is facing away from view. All three enter the house; the guard resumes his beat around the house.

01:30 – Murphy returns to the automobile. Nothing to report, other than there’s another guard at the back.

04:00 – Taxi pulls up to the house once again. The same guard as before, ushers the three visitors out the front door. The man can now be identified as one Tony Lombardo, known associate of the Capone Outfit. He talks to the guard a minute on the sidewalk, then enters the taxi and the three drive away.

06:30 – The street is slowly starting to wake up now; mail truck, street traffic etc., I sent Murphy on the beat again to survey the back door — from a distance.

07:00 – Murphy has returned. The rear of the house now has two of Capone’s goons stationed directly outside at the back door. Capone must be getting ready to mobilize.

07:05 – A green Rolls-Royce has turned the north east corner of South Prairie Avenue., headed south. Two occupants — a driver and passenger. We are now engaging in a distant pursuit in our motor car.

07:15, Off South Prairie Ave. – Rolls-Royce has stopped at the rear of the building. The passenger has disembarked. There’s a rifle in the fold of his overcoat. Description: Tall, dark hair, clean shaven, early thirties. He’s standing in the street now, looking around…
He’s signalled to the rear of the building and Capone can now be seen approaching the vehicle, flanked by the two guards. I can now identify them as Frank Nitti and Tony Accardo. They have entered the automobile and we are once again pursuing from a distance.

08:00, Fuller Park – Stationed outside a premises near W 42nd St., Capone and Nitti have entered the building through the front. Their car remains idling outside where Accardo set himself on the sidewalk between the auto and the front door to keep watch. He appears to be having a conversation through the window with the unidentified passenger of the motor car.

08:10 – Capone and Nitti exit the building quickly. Both appear restless and Capone puts a package into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and shouts something to Accardo before entering the motor that makes Accardo laugh. Once again, we’re in pursuit.

09:00, Bridge Port – Same as before, Capone and Nitti enter a building at 134 S Halsted St., Accardo keeps watch outside. This is a faster visit and they both emerge within a couple of minutes — Suspected pick-ups of racket cash or protection money.

10:45 – Two more stops in Armor Square and Douglas – Premises are at 130 W Alexander St. and 78 S Slate St., respectively. Capone exited the S Slate Street premises wiping his hands on a handkerchief that appears to be bloodstained — Must have gotten pretty heated in there.

11:30, Michigan Ave. – Stationed north of an entrance to a restaurant named ‘The Olive Branch’. Capone, Nitti and Accardo have gone inside, after the owner — presumably — met them at the door with open arms and back slaps. Must be breakfast. The driver stayed in the car with the unidentified passenger loitering outside the restaurant, doing his best to look inconspicuous.

12:30 – The party emerges. The owner once again escorts them to the door. Capone is speaking to the owner and prodding his chest with a pointed finger. The owner’s a big guy, but damn, he looks like a scolded child. Capone slaps him twice on the cheek and follows his crew to the motor. The owner shouts after them: “Thank you Mr. Capone. You won’t regret this.”
— Regret what exactly?
Note: send Murphy back with another beat cop to scope this place out at a later date.

13:30, Kenwood – Have been in pursuit for the last hour. No stops made, and there doesn’t seem to be any direction in particular that they are going. Either they’re conducting some sort of mobile business meeting, or they smell something’s off. Murphy and I are now hanging back a couple of extra yards so as not to spook them.

14:10, Hyde Park – Their motor car has now pulled into what seems to be a garage on 35 E 52nd Street. We’re stationed south of the entrance without a clear view of what’s going on inside, and I’m not getting too close to blow cover.

14:30 – Something’s up, I can feel it. Just had a cargo truck swing by real slow past our motor, then turn into the same garage. Two guards are outside to direct it in. This could be some sort of hooch deal?

14:35 – The motor car and truck have both left the garage, headed North. We are in pursuit. Unclear if the occupants of the motor car are the same as before, and I cannot identify the driver of the truck.

15:15, Outskirts of Woodlawn – No longer in pursuit. Followed motor and truck to the south end of Washington park. An arm came out of the motor in a beckoning motion and the truck accelerated and overtook it. The motor stopped in the middle of the road and the four occupants stepped out of the vehicle. All faces were covered with bandit scarves and they pointed tommy guns directly at our motor as we approached. They said nothing, just stood there aiming. I swear one was Capone. I could see him grinning under that mask, but of course I can’t prove it was him — beyond those jazzy fuckin’ shoes he wears. We sat at their mercy and after a minute they returned to their motor and took off heading west. What could I do? Take on all four with a fucking pistol? I can’t believe the nerve of these guys. Standing in the street in the middle of the day with automatic weapons.

15:30 – Returning to base. Who knows where that truck went to get the deal done? We now have known addresses for Capone-associated rackets on record at least. They can be added to the ongoing investigation.



Watch the Chicago Chronicles video on Al Capone:
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That's right, boss - we have a release date!


Empire of Sin will be coming to PC, Mac, Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on December 1, 2020!

♠️ That's right, boss - we have a release date! ♠️

Pre-order now: http://pdxint.at/STEAM_EoS_Pre-order

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Chicago Chronicles: Tutorial


An original Scarface and a symbol of a prohibition-era crime boss - yes, that's Al Capone! Join us in the new streaming series, where we will make an attempt to conquer Chicago and become real kingpins of the underground world!

Join Brenda Romero and Ian O'Neill as they venture through the tutorial, laying the cornerstone for their Empire of Sin - today at 5 PM CEST / 8 AM PDT on http://twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive!

Boss Spotlight: Elvira Duarte

Elvira Duarte has achieved what few others in her profession have managed to do: live into old age and still remain an active member of a criminal empire. She’s not some periphery player either, leeching in the shadows of younger, bigger fish. She’s a ruthless, tenacious gang leader bent on claiming more stake in Chicago’s fortune than any of the pissants half her age. 

A whole life lived before coming to Chicago, Duarte began her life in crime in her native Mexico. She had a natural flair for the business and an unforgiving attitude toward challengers to her regime. Working her way up the ranks, she became a gang leader before setting her sights on a better, more fruitful life for her and her sons in Chicago. She upped sticks and came to the windy city to start all over again. It didn’t take her long to get the lay of the land. Using her skill and experience, she muscled her way into the best of the city’s profits. Naturally, she made her way back to the position that fits her so well: gang leader of Los Luceros. Elvira came from nothing, twice, and carved a path to criminal royalty. Providing where she can, she guides her gang using her work ethic. She demands they be as resilient and bull-headed as her, instilling extreme loyalty and confidence among her followers. 

At a glance, there are many who would depreciate Elvira to a frail old timer. This is their mistake, and one she plays to her advantage when the opportunity arises. This long in the game, Elvira is under no illusion as to what it takes to get what’s desired. She is neither phased nor deterred by the prospect of breaking bones, or ending lives to further her own end in this wild city. What some call callousness, she calls business. Jaded to the pleas and bargaining of condemned enemies, if she doesn’t get what she's looking for on first request, she doesn’t think twice about pulling the trigger. She has plenty of heavies to clean up the mess afterward. 

Elvira has outlived countless other gang lords who have fancied themselves kingpins of the city through their schemes and ventures. The demise of each one has given her knowledge and experience of how not to do things. She can smell lies, betrayal, and ambitious ego under the best poker faces. There is no scam, backhanded deal, or mutiny she hasn’t heard of - or used herself in the past. She’s already four steps ahead of those considering the idea of attacking her domain. 

After a lifetime of cunning and violence, backed up by a gang of stone hearted trigger fingers, it shouldn’t be long before she sees herself as sole ruler of Chicago. 


The Letters


Raul, the adopted son of Elvira sent a letter to his relatives in Mexico to learn more about his mother and her roots. This is the translation of the response he received from his Tia Yoly.
Hello Mijito,

Raul, this is what I remember about my sister Elvira: she was a very proud woman, hard and strong. She was so rigid and tough; the only person I was ever afraid of. Elvira was a business woman and did not put up with any weakness from anyone. She raised her family during very hard times and had to do whatever she had to do to make ends meet. 

Tough as she was, she always paid it forward. Elvira helped so many people throughout her time in Hermosillo. Everywhere she went around here, she was well known. Police, professionals and other locals would always say hello to her. She raised her family the only way she knew how to. 

I don’t know when or how we came to get into the business we did, but we did. With the help of your Tios and I, she decided on brothels. They were combined with bars and restaurants. They were named ‘Waikiki’, the ‘B-21’, and the other one...I don’t remember the name. 

Your Tios were all bartenders, and we all helped out. Elvira had a friend at one time who couldn’t take care of her child, and asked Elvira to raise him. That child was you, Raul, and she raised you as her own. As you know, Mama Elvira was very strict with her children. Josephina, your sister, rebelled when you were still a baby. She ran away to Los Angeles. The last I heard she became a nurse.  

Elvira used to always help the poor and took in children. At one time she probably had around thirty. I always remember having new nephews and nieces to meet. 

Once, she won a quarter of a million pesos in a lottery. After that, she had a little chapel built across the street from our family house. She opened a second-hand store in Hermosillo, and she would help many people get back on their feet. All in all, Elvira was an extraordinary, tough, hard working person in our life. She did what she had to do to support her family in tough, unapologetic times. She wouldn’t stand for weakness. 

I loved her but was always afraid of her. After she got a hardening of her arteries in the back of her neck, she ate rattlesnake meat. She heard it was a good remedy. She would pay a man to collect some snakes, and she would blend the meat up and eat it. She claimed that it helped. I remember attending our business meetings, sitting across the table from her as she chewed on it. I do not know how she is managing now. I imagine there are fewer rattlesnakes in Chicago.

Her house is still here. Someday you must come to see it. I have her wedding picture if you want me to send it to you. I hope you guys are safe and well. 

Take care of yourself mijito, love you.
Aunt Yoly.

P.S.: If you ever want to find out about Grandpa, who was a revolutionary soldier and fought with Pancho Villa, get in touch with Tio Donny. He knows all about it. 



A translation of a letter written by Elvira when she left Mexico. The letter is addressed to the Madam of one of her operations.
Madam Maria,

I leave the houses under your control for now. You have proven yourself ready. I always told you - never be sentimental. Here is a case in point. My life in Mexico has reached a hiatus, and I have no time nor like for goodbyes. I have made my choice. It is time to bring our operation elsewhere. What I have achieved here is my greatest pride. Now I will expand across the border, to capitalise on the affluence of foreign soil. Chicago seems the right place to spread our influence. 

In a way, I am back to my roots, which will be good for me. The easy life can become boring, I need the challenge. I need hard people who can make hard choices, adept to the values of real work. That is what our business runs on. For this reason, I’m leaving with no more than I require and a loaded pistol. Whatever is left in our house, the safe, my office, is yours to manage. Spend it, invest it, build upon our empire. 

I once considered retiring to what my mama would call “a decent life,” but thought better of it. I have acquired too much knowledge over our years here to squander it on honest living. The old ways are best, and our business model will translate well in America. Real money is rooted in the thrill, desire and false hope of common people, not the work of respectable professions. Remember that, tailor the house toward it, and we will have an operation that spans two nations. 

I am leaving swiftly, without warning, so we can avoid your teary farewell. Life is hard, and you need to harden to it. Now take what I taught you and continue the empire. I will do the same in Chicago, bring our business to people who know no better. They will have their eyes opened and their pockets emptied, and I will build another fortune with the help of my sons. 

I do not worry for you - you have shown me time and again that I have no reason to - so, do not worry for me. Look after yourself. Until we meet again. 

Vaya con Dios,
El.


Watch the Boss Spotlight on Elvira Duarte here:
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Boss Spotlight Stream: Elvira Duarte


Fearsome mobster boss in Empire of Sin and John Romero's real life great grandmother! This week John and Brenda Romero and Katie Gardner tell us about Elvira Duarte and take a closer look at missions and RPG elements.
Join us this Thursday at 5 PM CEST / 8 AM PDT on http://twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive!