Two Gun Hart: Lawman, Cowboy, and Long-Lost Brother of Al Capone

By: Jeff McArthur

Narrated by: Ward Paxton

Born in Italy and raised in Brooklyn, Vincenzo Capone left home when he was a teenager. He traveled with a Wild-West show and fought in Europe during the Great War where he earned a medal for sharp-shooting. Upon his return, he settled in Nebraska where he went by the name Richard Hart. He married, had children, and worked closely with the local Indian communities. He dressed like the type of cowboy he had seen in silent movies, rode a horse, and wielded two six-shooters at his side, which earned him the name “Two Gun” Hart.

When the Volstead Act made alcohol production illegal, Richard joined the ranks of law enforcement and became one of the most successful Prohibition officers in the country. He chased down criminals, busted alcohol stills, and protected the Indian reservations he served, all under an assumed name.

But his past caught up with him when his younger brother, Al Capone, became one of the most infamous criminals in the country. They were two siblings on opposite sides of the law, both ambitious and skillful, and both of the same family.

©2015 Jeff McArthur (P)2018 Jeff McArthur

Well Written and Researched

I received a free book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a well-researched story about the Capone brothers. While the title seems to suggest that this book covers only the story about Richard "Two Gun" Hart - aka Vincenze Capone, the older brother of Al Capone-- it also covers Al. It is interesting that Richard left his family when he was a teenager. He fought in the World War under an assumed name and changed his name again after leaving the military when he randomly ended up in Nebraska where he became, initially, a Prohibition Agent. This was an individual who clearly was interested in distancing himself from his family long before Al was a household name for his criminality as not only did Richard change his name, move hundreds of miles away but he also claimed his olive skin was as a result of his Native American heritage [not Italian]. He also did not have any contact with his family for decades and kept his family history a secret from even his wife. The author creates the supposition that Richard met with his family -- and in particular Al, on several occasions -- not with any real documentary evidence but with "stories" heard and the fact that Richard would disappear for periods of time to places unknown - so perhaps they did. What happened at these meetings or what influence they may have had on each other as a result of these meetings is unclear - although the author believes that it was Richard who likely got Al to return some ill gotten gains from a bank robbery. This is not one of those stories where you can question/discuss -- how did two children raised by the same parents turn out so wildly different - nature v. nurture - one a lawman, the other a criminal as Richard left the family at such a young age, basically raised himself and had no contact with them for decades. Regardless of how these two children from the same family ended up so diametrically different [although this book is an interesting historical look at life in America in the early decades of the 1900's], no one would care about the story of Richard Hard if the infamous Al Capone was not his brother. What is interesting and I wish the book could have discussed this at greater length, is the long lasting effects Al Capone's chosen life of crime had upon the subsequent generations of this family - including Richard Hart's family.

The narrator, Ward Paxton, did a really good job. He did not do voices for the different people in the book but his style is very low key - like listening to a good storyteller -- which makes this book an easy listen.

Brothers On Opposite Sides Of The Law

Vincenzo Capone was quite a colorful character but what intrigued me about this book was that he was the older brother of gangster Al Capone and actually became a Prohibition Officer. In fact, Vincenzo, who left the family, changed his name to Richard Hart, busted many bootleggers. The story of how the two brothers' paths crossed years later is remarkable.

Two Gun hart is well thought out and researched using information gotten from Richard Hart's grandson. The narrator's delivery is matter-of-fact but with a storyteller style that works well with the text. The impacts on the family members of the Capones is something I'm still thinking about. All in all a good listen. I was given a free copy and have voluntarily left this review.

Little known facts of the Capone family

I am truly fascinated by al Capone and the whole time period of prohibition and the formation of the Macao in the United States. Somehow in all the reading I’ve done, I never knew about Capone’s brother who was a lawman of amazing repute during the prohibition era. This is not only his tale but also a tale of the entire Capone family. Great history, well written and well narrated. Kept me interested the entire time and presented me with a much better picture than I’ve come across before. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher

Two Gun Hart

I received this audio book free for a honest review 😎 I highly recommend to others that like well researched history, to listen to this story 😎

Incredible

I grew up on the South Side of Chicago and spent many summer days at Hawthorne Racetrack. Also, like Two Gun Hart I moved to Nebraska at 16 and went to the University of South Dakota for college, so I spent a lot of time in Sioux City and had friends on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations. My mother went to the same High school that Al Capone's little sister went to. So this book listed places I am so familiar with and answered a lot of questions for me.

I have also read, American Game and Pro Bono. I am very impressed with Jeff McAuthur's writings. I am a non fiction fanatic and I was a history major in college. I have no problem saying that Pro Bono and Two Gun hart are two of the best books I have ever read. Along with Lars Andersons (another Lincoln Native) Red Grange book, they are the best three books I have ever written. Lincoln and especially Lincoln High school (Ted Sorenson) produce extremely talented writers.

This book is incredible. I listen to it two times in a row. It's a book that makes you sit back and dream of yester year.

Thank you, Jeff

Thoroughly researched and very interesting

This book is thoroughly researched, well organized and very interesting. I learned a lot about this family and their part in American history.

Ward Paxton's performance is excellent. He sets just the right tone for this true crime story.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

facisnating history

sometimes i read up on interesting people that really lived and it's so interesting to me because of things these people did seem so much larger than life. But here they are doing what they do and they do stuff so out of the norm it's so crazy for me.

Two sides of one family

This is a fascinating look at two people from the same family that could not have lived more different lives.

It is a story that is almost Biblical in the contrasts of two men with similar DNA but totally different character.


The Narrator made the story come alive.





This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

A real piece of American history

Two Gun Hart: Lawman, Cowboy, and Long-Lost Brother of Al Capone :- Biographies are by there nature a love it or hate it. This one I found to be a love it, the story of an ordinary boy who grew up into an extraordinary man. This book also contains many little known facts about the infamous Capone family. But the main narrative is about Vincenzo (Two gun Hart) .
This was my book for this weekend and I loved it,
Ward Paxton's narration is excellent, clear and concise he keeps you listening.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook at my own request, and voluntarily leave this review.