The Palmer House is one of the oldest and fanciest hotels in Chicago. It's been here, in some form, since 1871—it burned down 13 days after it opened, thanks to the Great Fire, and was rebuilt bigger.
During Prohibition, it was also one of the most corrupt buildings in the city. Not because of gangsters. Because of politicians.
Chicago's political machine ran on bribery, and the Palmer House was where deals were made. Aldermen, judges, police captains—they all had their price, and they collected payment in the Palmer House bar.
What is true is that Big Bill Thompson, the mayor of Chicago from 1915-1923 and again from 1927-1931, was openly allied with Capone. He once said, "I'm wetter than the middle of the Atlantic Ocean"—meaning he opposed Prohibition entirely. Capone reportedly contributed $250,000 to his campaign.
Here's my favorite Big Bill Thompson fact: he once staged a debate against two live rats, which he named after his political opponents, and argued with them on stage.
That actually happened. The man who protected Al Capone also yelled at rats in public. Chicago politics, everybody.
— From the tour: Bootleggers, Bullets & Baloney
