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Al Capone — Part 28
Page 48
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Ti vwe io /26 3/
Argument. Assistant U. 5. Attorney
Jacob J. Grossman estimased the Capone
income at $120,000 in 1924: $25¢.000 in
1925; $195,000 in 1926, $220,000 i 1927;
$140,000 in 1928; $104,000 in 1929—to' al
$:.024.000. Declared he: “When thy
Ithe defense] put those gambiers on as
witnesses they admitted that we hod
proved our case. Why prove deductions
if we have not proved income:"
Mr. Fink, still feeling burt, thought the
language of the indictrhent was “vague.
indefinite, uncertain,” felt that a great
injustice had been done to Snorkey in
charging him with “attempting” to evade
gax payments, Snorkey, he said. had only
“emitted” to do his duty. In Washington,
Treasury offciais punched a bole in
Snorkey's only defewse by pointing out
that race track losses could not be de-
ducted frém his income. If he lost con-
sistently, they explained, the money he
jest must have come from other sources
than the track, and therefore he must pay
income on it, Lawyer Abcrn deplored the
“great gublic clamor” aginst Snorkey.
calicd him a “mythical Robin Hood.”
Prosecutor Johnson jndiznantly insisted
the Government was presenting the case
with “high purpose.”
‘Charge. Jude Wilkerson hitched his
chair towerd the jury box and leveled his
bushy brows at the jurymen, to deliver
his chorve. Excerpt:
“Mere failure to file an income tax does
not constilute ‘aitempt’ to evade or defeat
the tax... . To convict you must find
beyond reasonable douln that there was
intent to defraud and also sure act dag
in furtherance of that intent ™
Snorkey looked blissfully contente ¢ as
the jury filed out. In a bricht grees) suit
(Sry) and green-spotied 1ie he stood in
the corridor and smiled. Also pleas. d sith
Judge Wilkerson’s dispassionate charge
were Counscl Ahern & Fink. A moment
later Snorkey disappeared. It was 1.40
pm,
Verdict. At r0:so p.m. the jury was
reidy, but Snorkey was nowhere to be
seen. Lawyer Abern rushed to a telephone.
Fifteen minutes later in popped Snorkey.
panting, sweating. He tossed 2 green coat
& hat on the counsel table, rsopped his fat
bead with a green handkerchief. In came
the jury. ;
“We, the jury. find the defendant guilty
on counts 1, 5. 9. 13 & 18 in the second
indictment, and mot guilty on counts 2, 3,
“ 6, rf S, 10, 31, 12, 24, 36, 17; 19, 26, 21
22. .
Judge Wilkerson looked puzzled, So did
Messrs. Ahern & Fink. “Inconsistent.”
mumbied the prosecution. Snorkey
grinned broadiy_
Soon the meaning of the verdict became
apparent. The jury had decided Snorkev
feloniously “attempted to evade & defeat”
the income tax in 1925, 1976. 1927, but in
1924 & 1978 he only “failed” to pay up.
The jury apparently thoughce be had tricd
his best in 1929.
The prosecucion huddied and counted
up. For each of the two yveats Capone
had merely neciected to pay his tar. he
might be sentenced to @ year in the peni-
leniiary; for each of the other three years
ail her tnree year
he could be given a five-year sentence;
on every count be could be fined $10.000;
sotal. rf years. Ss0.coc. Inconsistent or
not, the Goicrnrnent was satisfied with
the verdict. moted to attach his worldly
possessions in eeu of the $215,000 he
owed.
Snorkey did mot think Judge Wil
kerson would txve him the maximum
penalty. Hr erinted in all directions around
the courtroom, then got to his feet, hur-
ried to an elevatoc. descended to the street.
jumped into a waiting automobile and
disappeared into che sprawling city whose
thousands of ilfia: night Aaunts were his
Empire. -
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