Let''s be clear about murders Capone committed personally vs. those he ordered or that occurred under him after he became boss of the outfit:

John Kobler, author of an excellent Capone bio, says he killed two men in Brooklyn and almost beat to death a "White Hand" Irish gang member. With the cops after him for the murders, and the Irish gangster seeking revenge, he moved to Chicago in 1919 or 1920. The only man he killed in Chicago with his own hands was Joe Howard, who had slapped around Capone's pal and mentor Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik.

Laurence Bergreen, author of a later Capone bio, says he killed one man in Brooklyn, Tony Perotta, who owed $1,500 to Capone's boss, Frankie Yale. He says nothing about a second Brooklyn murder, or about the White Handers. He agrees about the Joe Howard murder.

Both authors say that Capone baseball-batted Scalese, Anselmi and Joe (Hop Toad, not Head) Giunta. But they were still breathing after he got done. Kobler says Capone's bodyguards finished them off; Bergreen credits Tony Accardo with dispatching them.