Posted by AAA on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 at 4:02PM :
This e-mail was just sent to me from my bro-in-law Dan, he is originally from Ohio, e-mail is from his father David:
Before he was married, Loraine's father, Art Morgenthal, was Al Capone's auto mechanic in Chicago back in the '20's. He always maintained that Al Capone had given him a pistol and that he had it hidden in the house. It was never brought out or displayed, but the entire family seemed to give the story credibility. Art died about 20 years ago never revealing to me the location of that gun even though I always expressed an interest in seeing it. After he died, Katie would never discuss the matter, always changing the subject. Now Katie is in an assisted living facility and Loraine and her sister are emptying out the house which is filled with 60 years worth of accumulated "treasures".
Yesterday Loraine uncovered a pistol in the house. It is an H&R Arms Company Saturday night special, 38 caliber double action Model 1904 with two-inch hexagonal barrel and a 5-chamber cylinder with at least three of the chambers loaded! Is this Al Capone's gun? It was in a dust covered red and gold cardboard box labeled, "Schrafft's Blue Banner Chocolates, Hard and Chewy Assortment, One Pound Net, Red Tassel Package".
Loraine brought the gun home having no idea it was loaded. It appears that I have to pull the cylinder pin to remove the cylinder and unload it. Even then, the cartridges may be corroded into the chambers after this many decades. I am not familiar with this type of pistol, so am not anxious to harm it (or shoot myself) in the process of unloading it. I am trying to get information on how to safely deal with it.
Loraine insists I not handle the gun unless with gloves or through a cloth so that I don't remove any finger prints. ~~ As if we had any chance of finding Al Capone's finger prints on it!!! The gun has a black handle grip and the bluing is in good condition. It is small enough that a lady could handle it with ease once familiar with its operation.
I may have to bathe the cylinder pin in penetrating oil to loosen it so I can unload it. And it may be stuck pretty good. I see what look like pliers marks on the knurling of the cylinder pin where someone in the past apparently needed extra leverage to take it in and out.
The value of this gun is about $100 based on what I see on eBay and a couple dealership websites. But if it has Al Capone's finger prints on it we might be millionaires!
David
Follow Ups: