Chicago letter reporting the 27 March 1929 contempt citation and $5,000 bond

Part 24 of the FBI Vault’s Capone file, scan 10. A one-page “Confidential” letter on Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation letterhead, dated Chicago, April 15th, 1929, from E. J. Connelley, Special Agent in Charge, to the Director, captioned “Alphonse Capone, Dr. Kenneth Phillips, Contempt of Court and Perjury”. The Bureau serial stamped on it is 69-180-23, with a receipt stamp of 17 April 1929. A copy went to the U.S. Attorney at Chicago.

Connelley writes that on receiving the Director’s confidential letter of March 25th he conferred with United States Attorney Johnson, who said he would ask later for whatever investigation he wanted. The letter then states: “On March 27, 1929, contempt citation was had before U. S. District Judge [Woodward] at Chicago, as against ALPHONSE CAPONE, charging him with contempt as to his action in failing to respond to subpoena served upon him in Florida March 12th, 1929. On this same date Capone was arraigned before the Court and gave bond in the amount of $5000 for his appearance when called to answer to this charge.” The judge’s middle initial is not clear on the scan. No hearing had yet been held, and the matter was held in abeyance pending a request from the U.S. Attorney.

The text was read from the page image stored here. The date the letter gives for the subpoena differs from Judge Wilkerson’s 1931 finding, which says the subpoena was served on 27 February 1929 and required an appearance on 12 March 1929; each date is reported as its document prints it.