# Bismarck Tribune, 17 October 1931, page 1: Capone income tax case is given to Chicago jury

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/clippings/clip-bismarck-tribune-1931-10-17-p1/

Associated Press front-page report in the Bismarck Tribune of 17 October 1931 that Capone's income tax case went to the jury, quoting the closing argument of United States District Attorney George E. Q. Johnson.

Front page of the Bismarck Tribune, Saturday, 17 October 1931. The story is datelined "Chicago, Oct. 17" with the Associated Press symbol, under the deck "District Attorney Pleads For Conviction to Halt ‘Sinister Influence’." It opens: "Al Capone’s income tax case went to the jury at 2:42 p. m. Saturday."

It reports that in closing, United States District Attorney George E. Q. Johnson asked the jury to convict Capone and rid the city of his "sinister influence," and quotes his answer to the defense's "modern Robin Hood" remark and his statement that "The government ... has no more important function, except in times of war, than to enforce the revenue statutes." It reports his argument that Capone had cashed a $2,500 gambling-house check and checks from Jack Guzik.

The page reports the case going to the jury; it was printed before the verdict. The prosecutor's words are argument, not findings. The verdict and judgment are filed in this archive from the court records.

## Sources

- Library of Congress, Chronicling America: https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85042243/1931-10-17/ed-1/?sp=1
- Library of Congress OCR text of this page: https://tile.loc.gov/text-services/word-coordinates-service?segment=/service/ndnp/ndhi/batch_ndhi_ferengi_ver01/data/sn85042243/00383345984/1931101701/0387.xml&format=alto_xml&full_text=1