The Untouchables (1959–1963): Season 2, Episode 12 - The Big Train: Part 1 - full transcript

Visitor for you, Capone.

It's your lawyer.

But no word yet on when, huh?

I think it's coming today.

It's got to be today!

I've got to know exactly when

that train pulls out of here.

You're gonna make a break
from the train, aren't you?

Who said anything about that?

Oh, I've been hearing a
lot more than you think.

If you make a break,



I'm going with you, or else!

Or else what?

Or else I get my sentence
cut when I go tell the warden.

Tonight's episode: Part
one of "The Big Train."

Starring Robert
Stack as Eliot Ness".

Co-starring Bruce Gordon.

With special guest
star Neville Brand.

And narrated by Walter Winchell.

It is the decision of this
court that the defendant,

Alphonse Capone,

shall pay a fine of $56,000...

and that he shall serve a term

of 11 years in the
federal penitentiaries.

He's forthwith
remanded to the custody



of the United States Marshal.

On October 17, 1931,

In a federal
district courthouse,

the trial of Scarface Al Capone,

which had lasted 11
days, came to an end.

The man responsible
for the arrest

and conviction of
Capone was Eliot Ness.

Ironically, the two men,

opposing chiefs in a bitter
warfare, had never met.

And although Capone,

as he was taken from
the Chicago courtroom

on November 24, 1931,

passed within a
few yards of Ness,

he did not recognize the
leader of the Untouchables.

At the old Dearborn
station, Chicago,

on the night of May 3, 1932,

a crowd of curiosity
seekers awaited the arrival

of the nation's most
publicized mobster,

America's first public
enemy number one.

Also present were Frank
Nitti, "The Enforcer",

and the men who would carry on

with the gang's multi-million
dollar racketeering interests

during their chief's absence
as a guest of the government.

Eliot Ness and the Untouchables
had provided armed transport

for the prisoner
from Cook County jail

across Chicago to
the railroad station.

United States
Marshals Robert Brady

and Leonard D.
Snyder received custody

of the 33-year-old
Neapolitan emigrant

who had become the most
notorious criminal leader

in all American history.

I am instructed
to deliver the body

of one Alphonse Capone,

which has been done.

Look at all these
people, will you?

You'd think it was
Mussolini passing through.

Rico, Jack, go on in
and check the train.

Do you think Mr. Capone
would say hello to my little boy?

Why, sure, lady.

He's crazy about kids.

Go ahead. Rudy...

Rudy, now you take him these.

Tell him it's
something for the train.

Well, hello, sonny!

Hey, what's that?

Something for me?

Yeah, you guys better be sure

that you make a
thorough investigation.

This kid's one of my mob.

He's sneaking me a tommy gun!

All right, sonny, that's enough.

Go on back to your mother, hmm?

Well, what are you
so mad about, copper?

I've paid out a couple million
dollars for people like this...

Soup kitchens, handouts,
donations, picnics,

free toys for the kiddies.

I'm a saint to these people.

They don't think
I'm a... a monster,

like Uncle Sam does.

Everything on the train is okay.

You can board now.

Thanks for all
your help, Mr. Ness.

You bet. Ness?

You're Ness?

I never ever saw the guy!

Now, ain't that a laugh!

A man gets the drop on Capone

and Capone doesn't even
know what he looks like!

Hey, this is the bull

that finally brought me
in on the income tax rap!

Come on.

Well, here I go.

11 years.

I gotta do it, so I do it.

I ain't sore at anybody. Nobody!

Not even you, Ness.

That's very big of you.

So long, Al. So long, Al.

Hey, good luck in Atlanta!

Don't you worry, Al!

You'll own the joint
when you get there!

You'll be a king!

You think he won't?

Ha!

At the Federal
Penitentiary, Atlanta,

on May 5, 1932,

Alphonse Capone began
an 11-year sentence

for income tax evasion.

He was given the
convict number 40886,

and assigned to cell
number 39 in cell block D.

The name of Everett
Lafferty, a cell block officer,

had significance for Al Capone.

It was one of six names

which had been furnished to
him by former Atlanta inmates,

names of guards who could

and would deliver important
services to prisoners

who paid bribery money.

Capone's cell mates were:

Tony Diaz, doing life

for murder of two women
in Washington D.C.;

and Benny Marcus,
former railroad detective,

serving the last of a
three-year sentence

for fraud and embezzlement.

As the months passed,

Big Al would make effective
use of Benny Marcus

in planning the most daring
and audacious stratagem

of his entire career.

On April 21, 1933,

members of the House
Appropriations Committee met

with Homer S. Cummings,

the newly appointed attorney
general of the United States.

Ask Mr. Ness to come in.

Hello, Mr. Ness.
Good to see you.

Mr. Cummings.

Mr. Chairman, this is
Eliot Ness. How do you do?

May I introduce
Congresswoman Kahn...

How do you do?

Congressman Kerry...

and Congressman Oliver.

I'm glad you're here.

They've been giving
me a rough time.

I need a friend in court.

Sit down, Mr. Ness. Thank you.

Nobody likes us.

We're misers.

It's our function to say "no"
almost every time anybody wants

to spend government
money these days.

Well, I'm for that,
within reason.

There is one
sentence in a letter

that Mr. Ness wrote
to me some time ago

that convinced me
that he was on my side.

May I see that, please?

"A special institution
should exist

"for confirmed criminals

"who have neither the desire

nor the ability to be reformed."

Well said?

Very well said.

We just don't happen to agree

that we should recommend
spending big money

for a new prison.

Oh, this is not
just "a new prison."

All right, it's a fancy
hotel for big shots

to be all on one social level.

What's the matter with
Atlanta and Leavenworth?

I'll tell you what's
the matter with them.

May I, Mr. Cummings?
Go to it, Mr. Ness!

I wrote that letter last May,

when we put Capone
on the train to Atlanta.

The crowd there in the
station was treating him

as if he were a
visiting royalty.

One man yelled at
him, "Don't worry, Al!

"You'll own the joint
when you get to Atlanta!

You'll be a king!"

I thought about that a lot.

Well, some crackpot.

No, sir, the man was right.

As long as the Capones
go on being big shots

to the public and to the
other inmates in institutions

like Atlanta and Leavenworth,

they're going to
"own the joint".

Well, that's just a
matter of opinion.

It's not a matter
of opinion, sir,

it's a matter of record.

I'm not talking about
corruption or dishonesty

in any particular prison.

We all know that exists.

That isn't the point.

What is vital is to reduce
these big shots in size,

and to remove the possibility
of their infecting other inmates

and the potentially criminal
elements in this country

with the desire and the
fever to be an Al Capone,

a Machine Gun Kelly!

You can only do
that by isolating them,

just as you'd isolate an
incurably diseased group

that was a threat to society!

That's fine theory,
but what about facts?

He's just getting started!

I said it was a
matter of record. It is.

I can cite you cases by
the score in this past year

of crimes that wouldn't
have been committed,

if small time hoodlums
and racketeers

hadn't wanted to
get to be Al Capones!

That's the point.

Dethrone these big shots.

Take them out of circulation,

remove them from the spotlight,

sterilize their reputations!

Then you'll be a long way

toward stamping out
a contagious disease.

Knock the ego out of
them with psychology, huh?

Yes!

That might be the
modern way of putting it.

And as far as the money goes,

it would cost us
practically nothing.

We get the land free.

We take it over on a transfer

from the War Department.

Where is this again?

It's in San Francisco Bay.

12 acres of rock.

There are these
old military buildings.

We can modernize those.

We'll put in our
own safety devices,

the cells, the steel...

Which is estimated at $537,450.

That isn't bad, really.

I'll tell you this.

We spent nearly
$13 billion last year

in controlling rackets
and law enforcement.

If this prison cuts
that by a fraction,

it's more than paid for itself.

Well, what do you think?

I guess it makes
sense, doesn't it?

Uh-huh.

I'll go for it.

All right.

We'll recommend it.

What's the name of the place?

A-L-C-A-T-R-A-Z.

Alcatraz.

Alcatraz!

An escape-proof island prison

for confining the
deadliest murderers

in this country's history.

The list of the prisoners
to be transferred,

compiled in the greatest
possible secrecy,

included such men as
Machine Gun Kelly, Al Bates,

Big Bill May, Roy Gardner,

and the biggest
big shot of them all.

May 20th brought two of
Capone's original bodyguards

from Chicago on a visit,

Joe Giambatista and
Three-Fingered Jack White.

Happy Birthday, Al!

Oh, thanks. We brought
you a couple of presents.

They made us check them outside.

We were gonna bake
you a cake, with a file in it.

Well, did you bring
me my ten bucks?

Sure thing, Al.

I got it all in ones

so it would feel
like a big roll.

Al, uh, how do you like
living on ten bucks a month

after what you've been used to?

Oh, you learn to
make adjustments.

Hand it over to my
guard pal, will you?

Two, four, six,
eight, nine, ten.

Correct. Ten bucks.

So, put it in my
account, will you?

Well, now, what's
going on in Chicago?

Well, well, well!

What's the boss
gonna say about all this,

your loving brother-in-law?

About what? I've been
waiting for this, Lafferty.

For what?

My, my, my!

Ten bucks, huh?

Just look at that!

Like magic it
turns into a grand!

Anybody with your
talent for making money

I've got to make a partner of.

You off tonight?

New Deal Bar and
Grill, around 9:00.

We'll talk things over.

We've got a big fat
chicken by the heels there

and we're gonna make
him lay plenty of golden eggs

and we get everything we
can while the getting's good.

He's only going to be
here a couple of months.

What do you mean?

Alcatraz!

I hear they're shipping him out

as soon as The
Rock gets finished.

Him and 52 other guys.

Come on.

This repeal and, um,
liquor becoming legal,

well he thinks maybe,

maybe we ought to
unload the breweries...

Nitti thinks!

Nitti thinks! Nitti thinks!

I'll tell Nitti when to think!

When I want to unload
the breweries, I'll let...

Well, what do you want?

That guard!

He-he knows about us!

He knows about the
money. He wants his cut!

What am I gonna do?

I'm supposed to
meet him tonight,

because he said we gotta talk,

because you're gonna
be shipped to Alcatraz.

I'm going where?

The Rock, when it's finished.

What am I gonna do?

Shut up, will ya?!

All right... first
thing's first.

You're supposed to
meet him tonight, huh?

Yeah. A bar and grill on
Stillman Street, at 9:00.

All right, you go
ahead and meet him.

Well, you've, uh...

you boys sure helped
to make it a nice birthday.

Well, well, well,

my distinguished
colleague, Mr. Lafferty.

Hello, Charlie.

Big celebration
tonight, eh, Lafferty?

Blue champagne, maybe? On you.

Sure, Charlie, but look.

Let's have our
little talk first, huh?

It's gonna be mobbed in there,

so let's get our business
over with out here,

where it's nice and private,

then we'll go inside
and have a drink, huh?

On me.

By all means, let's be private.

Where do you have in mind?

Well, uh... let's go over here.

Uh, look, Charlie, this
is a good place to talk.

All right, now this
is how we operate.

Capone is in your
cell block... Hey!

We got room for
just so many partners,

and you ain't one, friend.

Ahh!

This guy just ain't
never gonna learn.

Here, this is yours.

You're working for Capone now,

and don't you ever forget it.

The next thing he'll want

is all the dope on
this Alcatraz deal.

You find out everything you
can and keep him posted.

Okay?

Pretty, ain't he?

The road to Alcatraz,

like every road Al
Capone ever traveled,

was destined to be
paved with the dead bodies

of those who stood in his way.

Two days after the murder

of Atlanta prison
guard Charles Ravetch,

convict 40886 was granted an
interview with Warden Hubbard.

I've been waiting for two days

for this interview, Warden.

Is that a fact?

What's this about
sending me to Alcatraz?

Where'd you hear that?

Well, I can't do it!

I don't wish to discuss
the subject, Capone.

Is there anything else?

Warden, this Alcatraz is for
tough guys, not people like me!

What did I ever do?!

Just show me on my record!

I'm here on a... on a
lousy income tax rap.

It's just not right!
They can't do it!

We're flattered you
like Atlanta so much,

you don't want to leave.

Warden, it's for the
worst men in the country.

That's what is says in
the paper... the worst men!

You got yourself named
Public Enemy Number One,

maybe you deserve that honor.

That's all, Capone.

June 15, 1934.

The construction of the
island prison of Alcatraz

moves steadily
toward completion.

And just as steadily Al Capone,

with his pipeline to the front
office, was kept informed

of plans for the transportation

of eastern prisoners
to The Rock.

Hey, how about this?

"Dillinger in Sensational
Indiana Jail Break!

"$10,000 Reward
Offered for His Recapture."

Boy, that Dillinger...
Imagine him breaking out.

Did you read...?

But why did he break
out... That's the thing.

You know why?

Because he's on the list
for Alcatraz, that's why.

He figures anything's better
than getting sent to that place.

Do you think
they'll get Dillinger?

Sure they will.

Well, so what?

You're better off on
the outside, anyway,

even if it is only for
a couple of weeks.

Man, it's better
than living in...

here the rest of your life!

Do you call this living?!

Come on, Charley, calm down!

You'll get the screws on us.

Let's play a game, huh?

You only got 11
more days to beat me.

I don't want to play a game!

Better play while you can.

You won't get a
chance in Alcatraz.

You'll be in a little
old cell all by yourself.

Hey, where is this
Alcatraz, anyway?

I'll show you.

It's way over here.

See, that old little
train comes into here.

That's Napa Junction.

And then switches
over, up to Tiburon,

then they barge the cars
across the bay to The Rock.

Look, I'll show you.

Here's where we are.

So, Atlanta to Birmingham,

Memphis, Kansas City, Denver...

Hey, that's right...

You used to be a
railroad dick, didn't you?

I know every inch of
track there is on this route,

every water stop,
every freight yard...

You're getting out in 11 days?

Yeah, I sure am.

Uh... where you gonna
go when you get out?

I don't know. I haven't decided.

I don't care much.
I'll be on parole.

How about Chicago?

I got a lot of friends there.

I could see that you got
a real good paying job.

Best dough you ever made.

Hey, Al, what
are you getting at?

I don't know myself yet, kid.

Now, uh, how did you say

that train's gonna
be running again?

Atlanta to Birmingham,

Memphis, Kansas City, Denver...

Chicago, June 29.

In the office of the Capone gang

over the old Montmarte Café,

Benny Marcus, parolee
from Atlanta relayed

his ex-cell mate's plan

for the most
spectacular delivery

in all criminal history.

It's crazy, I tell ya.

How can you spring
somebody from a train like that?

There'll be guards and
bulls all over the place.

Say you get him off,
you make the delivery.

Say you make it,
what does Al do after?

You ain't been listening, Frank.

We fly him from
here down to Mexico.

Get him over to the east,
and before you know it,

he's on a boat to Italy.

How do we know
this train is gonna stick

to its regular stops?

Suppose they-they
cross us, change the route,

just to be safe?

Al brought that up, too.

That's why I figure, this
is the spot that fits the bill.

They have to arrive here if
they're going into Alcatraz.

See, they come into Cloverville,

then they switch over to
Northwestern Pacific Line.

That way, they avoid
going into Oakland.

Now, the switchover's got
to take a good ten minutes.

Now, another thing,
it's just a little hick town.

Ten or 20 guys can take over
the whole joint as easy as pie.

Now if... Let's not go
through all the details tonight,

shall we, gentlemen?

I have a previous engagement.

It's apparent that Benny here
knows what he's talking about.

Now we must assume
that Mr. Capone has thought

this all out very carefully
before he made his decision.

We do it, right?

Everybody. Yeah.

Okay, it's unanimous.

Now when does this
train make that trip?

As soon as they
get Alcatraz finished.

Yeah. And when's that?

A month, maybe two months...
maybe only three weeks.

Aah, this whole thing is nuts.

We got to know exactly
when that train leaves Atlanta.

Yeah, and that
ain't gonna be easy.

They probably won't let
that leak until the last minute.

We must go under the assumption

that it's better to have things
ready too early than too late.

Now, take money for instance,

Mr. Capone is going to
want plenty waiting for him

when he gets to the old country.

So we'd better start
converting things to cash.

I have here a list of
the holdings and assets.

Suppose we start
with the hotels.

July 4th, while the city
celebrated Independence Day,

a family gathering was taking
place at the suburban home

of Vito DiMarco,
wealthy hotel owner

and chairman of
the realty board.

Mr. DiMarco?

Yes?

Happy Fourth of July.

On July 10th, a newspaper
item aroused the interest

of Eliot Ness and caused
the Untouchables to pay a visit

to the DiMarco home.

They really put the
pressure on him, didn't they?

They sure did.

Let's go.

Mr. Ness?

That's right.

This is Mr. Hobson, Mr. Rossi.

I'm Gennaro DiMarco.

This is my brother, Paul.

If it's about the murder,

we've already told the
police everything we know.

Please, we can't
talk about it anymore.

It's... Well, we've
thought of nothing else.

It's too painful.

And yet not so
painful as to prevent

your having business
dealings yesterday,

authorizing the expenditure
of over a million dollars.

What was the hurry?

That was a transaction that...

We were carrying out
Uncle Vito's wishes.

Oh, really?

On July 3rd, your uncle
told the realty board

that he'd been approached
about these hotels,

and that he definitely
was not interested

in adding to his chain.

He changed his mind.

Overnight?

We took advantage
of a very low price.

The hotels have always
operated at an excellent profit.

If they've operated at a profit,

why should the owners
want to sell at a low price?

We don't know.

That's the truth...
We don't know.

You paid for these
hotels in cash.

Isn't that a rather amazing way
to conduct business these days?

One-and-a-half million
dollars paid in cash

to the Volpone Corporation?

The cash was the reason...

was the reason
for the low price.

Do you know that the
Volpone Corporation is one

of the holdings of Al
Capone and his associates?

Mr. DiMarco,

you loved your uncle
and your aunt, didn't you?

Yes.

Yes, they were the
closest ones we had.

They were wonderful to us.

They were so good.

Tell us, then...

So that more good
people won't die this way...

He was threatened, wasn't he,
when he wouldn't buy the hotels?

That's why he was
killed. You know that.

Gennaro!

I... We know nothing.

Nothing more!

Please.

All right, Mr. DiMarco,
thank you.

Excuse me.

They're scared to death.

Yeah.

I can hardly blame them.

What are they up
to, Capone's boys?

Why do they need all
this cash in such a hurry?

I wonder.

And now back to
The Untouchables.

During the days following,

the Untouchables
uncovered evidence

of a highly concentrated
drive by the Capone interests.

Huge deposits were
withdrawn from banks.

Gambling palaces, bookie joints

and houses of prostitution
were put up for bargain prices.

The pattern of converting
assets into cash,

which had begun with
the DiMarco murders,

was consistent and unmistakable.

On July 21st, Eliot
Ness in Washington,

revealed his findings.

And all of it being sent
out of the country to Naples.

Four, almost $5 million.

Cash and negotiable
securities transferred

to the Banca di
Sicilia and held in trust

for the San Carlo Oil Company

and/or its governing
officer, Mr. Paolo Spechanne.

Now, we find

there is no San Carlo Oil
Company, not as yet anyway.

Well, there may not be

a San Carlo Oil Company,

but there is a
Mr. Paolo Spechanne.

I know, because I
arrested him in Kansas City

in 1930 for carrying a gun.

Spechanne? You arrested him?

Now, that was the
name he was using.

He always had a sense of humor.

You got to give him that.

And he loved word puzzles
and codes and anagrams.

He was delighted with
himself about this one,

showed me how it worked.

Now, just change a few
letters around, and you've got...

So, if there are
$5 million waiting

for Mr. Paolo
Spechanne in Italy...

I guess that clinches it,
doesn't it, Mr. Cummings?

A delivery for Capone?

Where would they try it?

Well, the most
logical time would be

while the prisoners were
being taken from the pen

to the railroad
station in Atlanta.

Well, there's one
way to prevent that.

How? Simple.

Don't bring the
prisoners to the train.

Bring the train
to the prisoners.

You mean move this train
right into the prison yard?

Why not?

And so, in an
unprecedented action,

the tracks of the
Southern Railway

were extended from a spur

and laid directly
into the prison yard

of the Atlanta pen.

Hey, pretty smart.

Very smart.

If somebody was planning it

the way they think
he was planning it,

this could cause
him a lot of trouble.

Visitor for you, Capone.

It's your lawyer.

But no word yet on when, huh?

I think it's coming today.

It's got to be
today! I got to know

exactly when that
train pulls out of here.

You're gonna make a break
from the train, aren't you?

Who said anything about that?

Oh, I've been hearing a
lot more than you think.

If you make a break,

I'm going with you, or else!

Or else what?

Or else I get my sentence
cut when I go tell the warden.

Okay, kid.

You want to go to Italy with me?

You mean that, Al?

No monkey business?

You're in, kid.

My word of honor.

I'll give you all the moves
when we get on the train, okay?

Here.

On August 11th,

the day on which the newspapers
announced the completion

and the readiness
of Alcatraz Prison,

a meeting was held
behind locked doors

in the office of Warden
Hubbard of Atlanta.

The railroad officials
discussed the route

of "The Big Train", as it
had come to be known,

and received instructions
from the government agents.

At the same hour,

Al Capone was also
conducting a secret conference,

and on the very same
subject, with Archy Devlin.

Lafferty hasn't heard
about his application yet.

But with his in with
the assistant warden,

it's in the bag.

There's one thing
we're still missing,

and that's the Big One.

Sure. When?

It's got to be
soon. It's got to be.

They're laying that
track out there now.

The Rock is completed, Al.

It's open for business!

Any time now. Any time!

And we've got to know soon
so our men can move in out there

and be ready for
me when I get...

You're wanted in
the warden's office.

I'll take over.

How long has this
visitor been here?

He just arrived.

18 minutes more,

and you'd better
cram all your news

for the next couple
of weeks into it.

All visiting days have been
canceled until further notice.

Well, how about mail?

How about sending letters out?

No more mail, either,
until further notice.

Now go on. You guys
are wasting your own time.

Hey, Lafferty, you'd
better get back here

and relieve this guy before
my 18 minutes are up!

He don't like us!

What happens now, Al?

No visitors.

No letters going out!

Shut up, will you? Let me think.

I've got to get word
out to Chicago.

Just as soon as I get that date.

How? How can you
get word out, Al? How?

A wire. That's it... a
wire. An emergency wire.

They let you do
that if you've got

an emergency!

What emergency?

So what do you say on the
wire, "I've got an emergency"?

It leaves Friday at 6:30 p.m.?

A code. A code.

A code like they
got in the books.

Just a couple of words.

They look legitimate.

Here!

I got it.

Well, these are the
men from Atlanta

who will be aboard with me.

Bailey, Levine,
Lafferty and Evans.

Gentlemen, this is
Mr. Ferguson from Washington.

How are you, sir?

Now, you men have been accepted

from the volunteer applications

to be aboard the train

that will take certain prisoners

from this institution
to Alcatraz.

Now, as of immediately,

you will not be allowed

outside the
penitentiary grounds.

Your wives and
families will be informed

that some
confidential assignment

has rendered you
incommunicable for a short period.

Are there any questions?

Well, yes, sir,
there is one thing

that we'd all be
interested in knowing

so that we could make plans.

What-what I mean, uh,
could you tell us the date

that we'll be leaving
here for The Rock?

As you can imagine, it was vital

to keep this completely secret

until it was too late
for any of the inmates

to communicate with the outside,

but now it seems impossible
that word could get out

in time to do us any harm.

All right, gentlemen.

We think that on a
Sunday would be the best,

and very early in the morning,

because we must
arrive at our destination

during daylight hours.

Very well, then.

Here it is.

The Big Train will
leave Atlanta at exactly...

That's it. Time.

Okay, Archy.

Couldn't be simpler, could it?

Yes, yes, I guess we're all set.

So long, Al.

You'll hear from me.

Hmm.

All right, Capone.

Open up!

What's up?

Just walking through.

Here's that book.

He wanted me to get him a
book on Italy from the library.

Well, thanks.

Looks like I'll really enjoy it.

Would you mind putting
it in my cell for me?

I, uh, kind of got my
hands full right now.

Sure.

Machiavelli, no less!

What's it worth to you

to spend a couple
of days in solitary?

Are you kidding?
Cut it out, will you?

I mean it!

I'll give you $100 a
day, five C's in advance.

They may only throw
you in for a day or two.

You keep it anyway. A deal?

Yeah, sure, okay.

Here. Take this.

This will be the preliminaries.

Tomorrow's the main event.

I'll tell you later.

Yeah, fine, but, listen...

Pick a fight with me! Huh?

Pick a fight with me!

No muscles, just
an argument. Now!

Hey, look what you
did to my shoes?!

There, I washed
them off for you!

Oh, that's it. Why, you...

What's the matter with you guys?

Well, make him leave
me alone, will you?

Been picking on me all week!

You're stir crazy!

Just because I like to
play my radio at night!

Stir crazy! What?!

Now, you just keep quiet
and get back to work!

Okay. I won't cause
any more trouble.

Forget it, huh?

Let's shake, huh, Al?

At 9:45 on the
morning of August 16th,

a front page news story was made

in the basement
barbershop at the Atlanta pen.

Well, was the radio loud
enough for you last night,

you little punk?!

Ooh!

Oh, guard!

Guard!

Guard!

The wounded prisoner was
allowed to send a short message

to his worried colleagues
and relatives in Chicago,

a privilege set forth

in prison regulations for
such emergency cases.

Just a couple of
words, you know, short.

But it ought to sound like
me so they'll know I sent it.

It just didn't come
from the prison, right?

Right. Oh, you just
dictate it, and I'll send it.

Well, it goes to Frank Nitti.

That's N-I-T-T-I.

1180 South Street,
Chicago, Illinois.

You got that?

Yes. And the message?

Now, take this
down, just like I say it.

You ready?

Right. Go ahead.

"Not hurt bad.

Don't worry."

And then sign it "Alphonse."

"Not hurt bad." How about badly?

It sounds a little
more grammatical...

"Not hurt bad,"
just like I said.

Never mind the grammar.

It ought to sound like me.

Right. Okay.

"Not hurt bad. Don't worry."

Signed "Alphonse".

You want to say
something like love

or regards or anything?

No, no, no! I don't mean to
be fussy, but just like I said.

Okay.

Hey, give me another
shot of that water.

Al Capone had performed a feat

considered by federal
men to be impossible.

He had gotten
word to the outside

from the bolted and
barred confines of his prison.

He had transmitted the
final, essential information,

which could implement
a sensational escape

and insure him a lifetime
of luxurious freedom.

And Capone does not
appear to be in any danger

from the wound that was
inflicted during this quarrel.

The telegram which he sent

to his friends here
in Chicago reads:

"Not hurt bad. Don't worry."

And it's signed, "Alphonse."

Not the best grammar, perhaps,

but that's the
way he dictated it.

So Al Capone will
undoubtedly be off the sick list

in Atlanta within a few days.

Turn it off, Jack.

Turning to the political news...

That's quite a coincidence,
Capone getting hurt.

And that train scheduled
to leave Atlanta

for Alcatraz any day now.

Probably just a scratch,

so he could pose
as a hospital case

to avoid being sent down there.

Yeah. Well, he'll
be sent to Alcatraz

regardless, right, Eliot?

Sure hope so, Lee.

Why'd he send it to Nitti?

Why not his wife?

Why so formal, "Alphonse"?

Why, when he could send

ten words for the same price?

Got it.

Got it! I'm positive.

This one was so
simple, it was hard.

Rico, get me Warden
Hubbard in Atlanta.

Use the direct line.

What's the date?

The 17th, Friday.

Yeah, that figures.

That would make it Sunday.

Do you think this is a code?

Last time I was in Washington,

they mentioned Capone's
hobby was word games and codes.

Warden Hubbard, please.

Thanks.

Hello, Warden. Ness.

Have you set a date and time
yet for the start of the train?

Yes, we have.

It's all hush-hush, of course.

Let me see if I can
guess this big secret.

The 19th at 5:00.

Well, that's correct.

Absolutely accurate, Mr. Ness.

But how...?

The wire Capone sent,

19 letters, five words.

The 5:00, is it a.m. or p.m.?

A.M.

That's what the
"Alphonse" meant.

If it had been p.m., he
probably would've signed it Al.

Well, it's too late now
to change the time.

As you can imagine, it's
an enormously complicated...

Yes, I understand.

It might be an idea to put
Capone in a cell by himself

in case he's been
hatching plans.

He is alone.

We moved the man
that was with him, Diaz.

Capone only had
one other cell mate,

but he was released on
parole over a month ago.

To Chicago, I believe.

To Chicago?

Yes, uh, Benny Marcus.

Benny Marcus, a month ago, eh?

We'll check him.

Yes, he was released on June
29th, after serving two years

of a two to four for
theft and embezzlement.

What's he look like?

Well, he's a small man, dark.

Has a limp from a leg injury

he received on his job
before he came here.

What job was that?

A railroad detective.

Say, maybe... Maybe, indeed.

At the Capone office,
the wire from Atlanta

had galvanized the
gang's preparations

into speedy action.

The three senior hoods,
Giambatista, White and Menken,

made ready to fly
to Salt Lake City,

from where they would
proceed by private plane

to Cloverdale, California,

the rendezvous
for the big delivery

of Al Capone from The Big Train.

Two younger henchmen, Geller
and Herrmann, were detailed

to go to San Francisco
by train in company

with Benny Marcus.

Well, everything's set.

Let's go.

Uh, you two are
gonna pick up Marcus.

Yeah, we're picking
him up at his place

on our way to the station.

I was wondering something.

Why do we need Marcus anymore?

That's a good question, Frank.

Yeah. It sure is.

We got all the dope
out of him we could use.

We got the complete layout

of the railroad yards out there.

That's right.

From here on, that
nervous little guy

would be nothing
but a liability.

The parole board will
start nosing around

when he don't check in.

You're 100 percent right, Frank.

Right? Right.

So do we pick him up or not?

Oh, you'll pick him
up like he expects,

but he don't go with you.

He don't go no place.

Right? Right.

Salud! Salud!

The Untouchables,
informed by the parole board

of the address of Benny Marcus,

converged on a boarding
house at 169 Carvan Street.

Mr. Marcus, your
people are here!

Come right in.

He's all ready to leave.

His bags is packed
and everything.

You mean Benny Marcus?

Who else?

Second floor front.

You can't miss it.

If he's expecting someone,

maybe I'd better stay down here.

Right.

Come in.

Have a seat a second, fellas.

I'll be through in a minute.

Just bought me a nice, new map.

I thought I'd make
us a nice, clean...

Going someplace, Benny?

Who are you guys?

Ow!

Give me that!

You got no right to...

Benny, you're a two-time loser.

We know you're in on the attempt

to get Capone off the train.

If you go up this
time, it'll be for good,

So come on, talk.

I don't know what you mean.

Who's coming here to meet
you? Who's picking you up?

All right, we'll go
downstairs and wait.

A couple of guys are coming.

Don't come in!
The cops are here!

This one's in bad shape.

Can't move.

Jack, give Rossi a hand.

He's paralyzed.

The lady's calling an ambulance.

He'll never make it.

Benny, can you speak?

Lee, the map.

Benny, listen, you're
not going to make it.

We know they're going to try

to deliver Capone
from the train. Where?

Where will it be?

Now, here's the map.

Just point.

Point to where it will be.

Let me through, please.

Eliot, I found this
on that other guy.

Two clues, slender clues, only,

to guide the Untouchables.

Benny Marcus had
attempted to pinpoint

the rendezvous location,

for the delivery of Capone.

He had traced the route
as far as Denver, Colorado,

but had died before
he was able to complete

the information.

And a card.

"Lone Eagle Flying
Service, Salt Lake City.

Chartered Flights in
Comfortable Private Airplanes."

All right, sir, I understand.

Good night,
Mr. Cummings, thank you.

He says it's
impossible to change

the route of the
train beyond Denver.

All the arrangements are made,

every railroad employee's
been checked out for honesty.

They try to alter anything now,

it'll just cause a big
mess of confusion.

So, we're on our own.

He wants us to stick with it

and do whatever we think best.

Which means we fly to Salt Lake.

It's the only lead we've got.

On Sunday, August 19, 1934,

at 2:30 in the
morning, The Big Train

was backed into the prison yard

of the United
States Pen, Atlanta.

Let it open.

Capone?

Capone! Yeah, yeah.

What do you want?

If you got any
trinkets or keepsakes

you want to take with
you, get them together

so they can be inspected.

You're going out.

Out? Out where?

Not Alcatraz?

You guessed it.

Well, golly.

I didn't think that'd
be for weeks yet.

Come on, get into your clothes.

Okay, all right, all right.

During the next two hours,
the 54 hardened criminals

who were being sent to The Rock,

were taken to isolation wards.

They were examined, bathed
and dressed in new uniforms.

Oh, three days on that
thing, kid, and then...

Do you really think
we're gonna make it, Al?

Trust me, kid.

All right, men, move it along!

Move along! Come on, move along!

All right, Tallman, see
you in about ten days.

Bye, Warden.

All right, snap on
these leg shackles.

Come on!

At the precise
minute of 5:00 a.m.

on August 19th,
exactly on schedule,

The Big Train moved out
of the Atlanta prison yard.

Come on, snap them on.

Snap on those leg
shackles. Come on, wake up.

Snap on the leg shackles.

Leg shackles, snap them on.

Put on the leg
shackles, Mr. Capone.

Come on!

Okay.

Come on, snap
on the leg shackles.

Snap them on, come on.

At some western spot at some
time within the next 72 hours,

the Capone mob planned,
with violence and bloodshed,

to free the most famous criminal

in all American history.

Eliot Ness and the Untouchables
were faced with the task

of preventing a
national disaster,

which was scheduled
for a place and an hour

unknown to them.