Capone-era pistol discovered in wall of Chicago distillery once taken over by mobster
Workers renovating a historic Chicago-area distillery with rumored ties to Al Capone have uncovered a surprising relic from the Prohibition era: a fully loaded, well-preserved pistol hidden inside the building’s walls.
According to multiple reports, the discovery was made at the Thornton Distillery Company, which allegedly operated as a speakeasy under Capone’s control in the 1920s. Andrew Howell, founder of the Dead Drops Spirits restaurant housed at the distillery, said a 1908 Colt pistol and its holster were found concealed inside a hidden duct in the brewery’s underground catacombs.
The chrome-plated firearm was still loaded when it was discovered and closely resembles pistols known to have been favored by Capone and members of his organization, Howell told Fox 32 Chicago.
“We’re just trying to learn more about it,” Howell said. “We know it’s a Capone-era pistol, and it’s associated with some of those folks from those days.”
Ari Klafter, head distiller at the facility, said stories about Capone’s presence at the distillery have circulated for decades. He noted that the site was believed to have been taken over by Capone and the Chicago Syndicate during Prohibition, which aligns with the estimated age of the firearm.
“We always heard stories and lore—‘that underground catacomb is where Capone would take people,’” Klafter told WGN. “We took it with a grain of salt because there’s only so much documented history from that time.”
Seeing the firearm firsthand, however, has added credibility to those long-standing tales. “Actually seeing this from that era kind of breathes new life into the stories we’ve been hearing for years,” Klafter said.
The Thornton Distillery Company is home to the oldest standing former brewery in Illinois. The catacombs where the gun was found now house the distillery’s Artisan Well, a popular photo spot for visitors.
After notifying police, Howell said authorities determined the weapon did not match any firearms in law enforcement databases. Once cleared, the gun was returned to the distillery.
Howell said plans are underway to fully restore the pistol so it can be displayed alongside other historical artifacts at the distillery.
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