13. Bootleggers Rejoiced
When the 18th Amendment passed, bootleggers started counting the piles of money they would make. No longer would they have to rely on aiming and gambling to make fast money. Liquor was quicker. The likes of Al Capone and Lucky Luciano capitalized on the opportunity to smuggle booze to speakeasies and private distributors. On booze alone, Capone raked in $60-million a year. In direct conflict with the goals of the great noble experiment, the rising violence from these gangs ran unbridled. The 1929 Valentine’s Day Massacre, carried out by Capone’s thugs, remains one of the most gruesome tales from that time. Seven people died, five gang members, two innocents, all shot to death over gang rivalry.