Al Capone was one of Eastern State’s more famous guests.  He and his bodyguard were picked up in Philadelphia for carrying a concealed firearm in a movie theatre.  The sentence was one year. He was such a world-renowned criminal at this point that he was treated by the guards and prisoners with unbelievable deference.  His room was furnished with his own furniture and he often dined with the warden.  His cell door was even unlocked most of the time. Philadelphia Public Ledger, August 20, 1929: The whole room was suffused in the glow of a desk lamp which stood on a polished desk…. On the once-grim walls of the penal chamber hung tasteful paintings, and the strains of a waltz were being emitted by a powerful cabinet radio receiver of handsome design and fine finish… If you’re going to be stuck in prison, I’d recommend doing it the Al Capone way. The photo is his actual cell, including replica furniture based on published descriptions like the one above.

Al Capone was one of Eastern State’s more famous guests.  He and his bodyguard were picked up in Philadelphia for carrying a concealed firearm in a movie theatre.  The sentence was one year.

He was such a world-renowned criminal at this point that he was treated by the guards and prisoners with unbelievable deference.  His room was furnished with his own furniture and he often dined with the warden.  His cell door was even unlocked most of the time.

Philadelphia Public Ledger, August 20, 1929:

The whole room was suffused in the glow of a desk lamp which stood on a polished desk…. On the once-grim walls of the penal chamber hung tasteful paintings, and the strains of a waltz were being emitted by a powerful cabinet radio receiver of handsome design and fine finish…

If you’re going to be stuck in prison, I’d recommend doing it the Al Capone way.

The photo is his actual cell, including replica furniture based on published descriptions like the one above.