USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Historical review of Chicago and Cook county and selected biography, Volume II > Part 35
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While thus serving as police inspector Mr. Shippy continually strengthened his reputation as a fine disciplinarian, and upon the occasion of unusual disturbance of the public peace and in the unrav- eling of many notorious crimes, his coolness and bravery as an officer and his skill as a detective were in high demand. During the labor riots of April 29, 1900, while still captain of the South Chicago station, he was sent to the Desplaines Street station by the mayor, to assist the veteran John D. Shea. Of the prominent cases of which he has been placed in charge within recent years perhaps the most notorious was that of Johann Hoch, who expiated his many crimes at the gallows. In April, 1907, he reached the height of his deserved promotions at the hands of Mayor Fred A. Busse, who appointed him to the superintendency. He has there demonstrated a marked admin- istrative ability, and has instilled a new spirit of earnestness and reform into the service. On March 2, 1908, less than a year after he had assumed the duties of the superintendency, occurred the most tragic event of his life, which also stirred the city and the police department as it has not been agitated since the memorable casualty on Haymarket Square. Shortly before nine o'clock, on the morning of that day, a Russian youth, named Lazarus Averbuch, and a late arrival in this country, called at the chief's house on the north side and asked to see him. Mr. Shippy was about to start for headquar- ters, his horse and driver waited for him in front of the house, and he himself answered the youth's summons. Averbuch handed him an envelope purporting to contain a note to be read, but the chief became instinctively suspicious, and, seizing the Russian's hands, called to his wife who was beside him to search the stranger for concealed weapons. There was an instant and fierce struggle, during which, however, a revolver was discovered in Averbuch's pocket ; the Russian stabbed the chief under the arm, and, although thrown
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to the floor, shot the driver through the wrist and Harry, Mr. Shippy's son, through the chest, Both had come bravely to the rescue, the latter rushing from a sick bed to his father's assistance. When Harry Shippy fell, with blood gushing from his wound, both his father and the driver (Foley) directed a fusillade of bullets at the would-be assassin, who himself fell to the floor and almost instantly expired. Mr. Shippy's son was at once taken to Augustana Hospital, and by skilful and tender nursing, aided by a naturally robust constitution, recovered from what at first was feared to be a fatal injury. The result of the attempted assassination was to stir not only the department to activity against all anarchists and their organizations, but to start a movement among the national authorities which bids fair to result in the passage of deportation and exclusion laws directed against known and notorious enemies of constituted government.
Chief Shippy comes of good police stock, for his father, Richard Shippy, was a member of the police department from 1857 to 1877, and was the first member of the Lake Street squad, now known as the Central Detail. The elder Shippy came from Utica, New York, to Chicago, in 1846, and was married at the Matteson House to Miss Mary E. Smith, of Syracuse, New York. Chief Shippy married Miss Sadie Randall in Lee county, Illinois, on the 27th of October, 1879, and of the four children born to them two are still living. In his private relations he presents an admirable example of upright and able citizenship. His fraternal connections are with Masonry, in which he has reached the degree of a Knight Templar and Shriner, being a member of Medinah Temple and the Eastern Star. Professionally, he belongs to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and is also a member of the Chicago Association of Commerce, South Shore Country Club and the Illinois Athletic Association.
Herman F. Schuettler, assistant general superintendent of the Chicago police department, is a marked proof of the value and
HERMAN F. necessity of long practical training for the higher
SCHUETTLER. officials of the city government, as well as of the justice of the workings of civil service. He is a native of Chicago, born on the 14th of July, 1861, being a son of Frank and Minna Schuettler, his father being an old and well known mason contractor of Chicago. Captain Schuettler was educated at
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the old Newberry school, on the north side, and at a German Lutheran institution, but at the age of thirteen went to work at the machinist's trade. He served several years of apprenticeship at this trade and was conductor for the North Chicago City Railway thirty-seven years. He became interested in police, becoming convinced that he could bet- ter his condition, joined the force on June 13, 1883, a month before he reached his twenty-second birthday.
The police department of Chicago has therefore enjoyed the best years of Captain Schuettler's life, and it is not too much to add that the betterment in condition has been mutual. On March 1, 1888, he was promoted to be patrol sergeant ; lieutenant, April 18, 1888, and captain, January 1, 1890. His position as captain was re-con- firmed under civil service rules on the Ist of February; 1898. From November II, 1903, to November II, 1904, he served as temporary assistant superintendent and was appointed permanently to the office, by civil service examination, on the 21st of November, 1904. Captain Schuettler is not only one of the finest disciplinarians on the force, but he has also accomplished some of its most difficult detective work. He is the kind of an officer who has always been depended upon to take hold of any especially knotty business with determination, vim and bravery; and one of the principal reasons of his continuous advancement and present standing is the physical care which he has taken of himself, his temperance even extending to the disuse of tobacco in all its forms. He is an active member of the Policemen's Benevolent Association and is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the A. F. & A. M.
On December 9, 1884, Captain Schuettler was married to Miss Katherin J. Flint, his wife being a native of Watertown, Wisconsin. Their children are as follows: Harriette, born September 24, 1885; Ella, September 15, 1887, and Arthur, March 9, 1889.
Patrick D. O'Brien, captain commanding the detective bureau of the Chicago police department, is a native of Peterboro, Ontario,
PATRICK D. Canada, born on the 27th of August, 1857, being
O'BRIEN. a son of Patrick and Margaret O'Brien. When
he was seven years of age his parents brought him to Chicago, the date of their arrival here being October 9, 1864. What education he enjoyed was obtained in the city schools, and in his early youth he engaged in the coal business with his father and
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his brother, Michael, under the firm name of P. O'Brien & Sons. He afterward learned the butcher's trade, and for many years worked for George W. Squire, Harrison and Desplaines streets.
Captain O'Brien joined the police department July 31, 1882, more than a quarter of a century ago, being first assigned to the Harrison Street station. On July 8, 1886, he was promoted to the position of desk sergeant, and in 1888 transferred to detective headquarters. He became a lieutenant of police July 1, 1893, being assigned to the Cottage Grove Avenne station, and was afterward appointed bailiff of police courts, with headquarters at Thirty-fifth and Halsted streets. On June 19, 1897, he was promoted to lieutenant in command of the Cottage Grove Avenue station, and on June 26, 1901, to a captaincy, in command at the Twenty-second street district, and later transferred to the command of the South Chicago district, comprising some of the most difficult criminal territory to handle in the city. His fine. record as an incumbent of that position legitimately advanced him to the active head of the detective bureau, to which he was appointed August II, 1906, and retained by Chief Shippy.
Many years before he was formally assigned to the detective bureau, Captain O'Brien figured prominently in the unraveling of many murder mysteries, showing his unusual ability for such work. Notable among the cases in which he thus participated was the Andrew McGee murder, the dead body of the victim being found in a vacant house at No. 2028 Indiana avenue, on the Ist of March, 1896. Mr. McGee was an agent for the Charles Creamery Company, and no clue was found upon his person other than an order book. But this simple clue was followed, chiefly through the persistency and under the direction of Lieutenant O'Brien, until the crime was firmly fixed upon George H. Jacks and William Willows, who were found to have met at 43 Eldridge court to arrange the murder. Jacks was hanged and Willows was given fourteen years at Joliet and died in prison. In his police bulletin of March 7th, Superintendent of Police Kipley issued a long article offering the work on this case as an example to be followed, and the press in general praised it as well worthy of note. The Margaret Leslie murder case, which occurred in the Palace Hotel, on North Clark street, was also very baffling. Several arrests were made, and Captain O'Brien finally succeeded in securing a confession from Howard Nicholas, implicating with him
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one Leonard Lippold. The conclusive evidence procured resulted in sentencing Nicholas to life imprisonment and sending Lippold to the state penitentiary for fourteen years.
Chief of Police Shippy publicly praised the manner in which Captain O'Brien has handled the detective bureau, and says it is second to none in the United States. The records show more fugi- tives handled here than in any other city in the country. The Captain is a member of the Policemen's Benevolent Association, United Police of Chicago, Irish Historical Society, Knights of Columbus, Wood- lawn Improvement Club and Chicago Association of Commerce.
On September 14, 1891, Captain O'Brien was united in marriage with Miss Mary Barron, daughter of James and Julia Barron, both early settlers of Chicago. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien, James F., Alfred J., Austin J. and Bertrand O'Brien, and the family residence is at No. 6223 Lexington avenue.
The present city clerk of Chicago, John Robert McCabe, elected on the Republican ticket in April, 1907, is a lawyer by profession and in reality., He is a typical Irish-American, energetic,
JOHN R.
MCCABE. social, quick, able, and thoroughly educated both in
literature and the knowledge of human nature. Mr. McCabe is a product of Chicago, where he has always lived, and his advancement is therefore a special matter of pride to its citizens.
City Clerk McCabe is the son of Michael S. and Julia (White) McCabe, his father being one of the oldest and bravest members of the Chicago police force. The elder McCabe, still hale and hearty, has seen his thirty-six years of service in the department, and is one of the few survivors of the Haymarket riot, in the ranks. of the blue- coats, who escaped without a scratch, although his comrades fell all around him, dead and maimed.
John R. McCabe was the second in a family of seven, all of whom are living. His older brother, Joseph M., is connected with the West Park system, while another brother, Peter, is in San Fran- cisco. One of his sisters, Julia R. McCabe, teaches in St. Charles School; another, Frances, is a stenographer ; while Sarah and Verina, the younger members of the household, live at home, as does the City Clerk himself. John R. received his early education at the paro- chial school of the Holy Family parish, being graduated therefrom
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when eleven years of age, the possessor of a fine soprano voice which brought him quite a reputation. He then entered St. Ignatius Col- lege, completing his course in 1896 and winning the Prendergast medal for superiority in oratory, Judge Edward F. Dunne being one of the judges of contest. While pursuing his collegiate course he was a leader in the Chrysostomian Debating Society, as well as in baseball, football and athletics generally-a leadership in two fields which comes as natural to a good Irish-American as swimming to the average duck. He also made quite a reputation as a student actor, appearing at one time at the Chicago Grand Opera House in "The Black Knight." In fact, whatever Mr. McCabe attempted to accom- plish he carried before him, and he emerged well at the top. It was so even at the municipal election of 1907, when his plurality was 15,414. He was the first Irish-American elected on the Republican ticket to the office of city clerk of Chicago.
Mr. McCabe's education was completed with a three years' course in the Chicago College of Law, his graduation taking place in 1900. On October 3d of that year he passed successfully the rigid examina- tion of the State Bar Association, at Springfield, and became a quali- fied practitioner. He was first associated with Gilbert and Fell, the senior partner being Judge Hiram T. Gilbert, the father of the Muni- cipal Court Act. When that firm passed out of existence he moved with Mr. Fell to the Chamber of Commerce building, where he remained for about three years, when he went with William C. Hartray, pres- ent county commissioner, and John T. Fleming, former assistant city attorney, to their new location on Randolph street, being there en- gaged in practice at the time of his election to the city clerkship. As the past is generally considered quite a criterion for the future, it may safely be predicted that Mr. McCabe will make one of the best city clerks which Chicago has ever had. He is a member of the law firm of Johnson, Belasco and McCabe.
Peter Michael Hoffman, whom the Republicans nominated for coroner of Cook county in 1908, without opposition, has been in PETER M. office since 1904, and during that period has intro-
HOFFMAN. duced into his department many practical reforms of both a preventative and a beneficent nature. None of his predecessors have done as much as he-to devise means of eliminat- ing the causes of accidental deaths, and he has been especially active
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in his endeavors to throw every possible safeguard around employes who are obliged to labor amid dangerous surroundings. For instance, through his initiative, the chief city inspector of steam boilers and plants of Chicago is required to inspect the packing houses, cold stor- age plants and other quarters which use ammonia in their refrigerat- ing processes, the explosion of which has been the fruitful source of accident and death. Through his efforts, also, the Illinois legislature has passed an act providing for a report which shall furnish informa- tion regarding accidents and deaths in the ranks of employes through- out Cook county, which will serve as a firm basis for further work along this line. Another measure of which he is the author has brought him the widely extended gratitude of a large fraction of the community, people in moderate circumstances, considering that they are largely indebted to his forethought and practical wisdom. Here- tofore victims of railway and other accidents whose relatives attempt- ed to collect damages, often found that no evidence taken before the coroner's jury could be produced which would be legally accepted. Coroner Hoffman therefore induced the legislature to pass a bill au- thorizing him to take all evidence before coroner's juries in short- hand, so that the verbatim evidence may be obtained by the relatives or dependents of the victims. Still another measure of protection and prevention which owes its existence to him is the ordinance re- quiring an examination and proof of fitness of passenger elevator conductors in Chicago, who carry more citizens daily than street car conductors who are held to such rigid account. Thus it is all along the line of his duties-Coroner Hoffman is alert, practical and con- stantly active in his endeavors not only to promptly and impartially try the actual cases which necessarily come before him, but to devise all possible means of safeguarding and prevention.
Coroner Hoffman, who for years before he assumed his present office was one of the most influential Republicans in the southern part of the county, was born in the town of Maine, March 23, 1863, son of Michael and Annette (Nimsgarn) Hoffman, both of whom were natives of Alsace-Lorraine, Germany. When he was twelve years of age Peter emigrated to this country with his parents, the family locat- ing in the town of Northfield, Cook county, in 1842. At this time they settled on a farm in what was a sparsely settled frontier region,
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and in the latter portion of 1848 started across the plains with the pioneer migration of California gold seekers. Reaching his destination late in 1849, the elder Mr. Hoffman spent eight years on the coast, and when he returned to Cook county in 1857 located in the town of Maine. In 1861 he married Miss Annette Nimsgarn, and three sons were born to them-Peter, Urban and George. In 1890 the two last named died of typhoid fever. In 1880 the father had located with his family in the village of Des Plaines, where he died August 26. 1896. During the period of his residence there he was prominent in public affairs, serving for twenty-eight consecutive years as township assessor. His widow still survives.
Peter M. Hoffman really commenced his regular schooling after the family removed to Des Plaines, attending the grammar school at that place and later pursuing a two years' course at Bryant and Strat- ton's Business College, Chicago. He then became a clerk in a local grocery, and still later was connected with the money order depart- ment of the Chicago postoffice. In 1884 he became shipping clerk in the freight department of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, subsequently being receiving clerk, cashier and chief clerk. His railroad record covered a period of seventeen years.
Prior to his official entrance into country politics, Mr. Hoffman served as chairman of the Des Plaines board of trustees and also as chairman of district No. 64. In 1898 he was elected by his warm per- sonal supporters in the Republican ranks to the office of county com- missioner of Cook county, and was returned in 1900 and 1902, serv- ing altogether three terms of two years each. While a member of this board he was chairman of the Cook County hospital committee and of the committee on the Dunning institutions, and for the entire six years served on the finance committee. At the November election of 1904 he was chosen coroner of Cook county by a plurality of 60.000 votes over his Democratic opponent, and a signal endorsement of his administration since is the fact that in August. 1908, he was re-nom- inated, without opposition, as stated.
On August 17, 1888. Coroner Hoffman was married to Miss Emma May Pect, of Wheeling, Cook county, and their children are as follows : Edith May. Nettie J .. Lela Rae, Marguerite, Evelyn and Gordon Culver Hoffman. The family residence is still in Des Plaines.
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Although he actively entered the political field but sixteen years ago, Christopher Strassheim, sheriff of Cook county, is already ac- counted one of the most influential factors in the
CHRISTOPHER STRASSHEIM. public and official affairs of this section of the state.
Though born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, he is by long residence and training a thorough Chicagoan, with all the energy and practical ability which that name implies. In 1854, when but four years of age, his parents brought him to the United States, coming almost direct to Chicago, of which city he has been a resi- dent for fifty-two years. His life has been virtually passed on the North Side, in whose public schools he received his education until he was sixteen years of age. At that time (1866), in conformity with good old German ideas, the boy laid the groundwork of his inde- pendence by apprenticing himself to a tinsmith; with the common sense thoroughness, which he also inherited, he did not consider him- self master of his trade until he had served for a period of five years.
Having thus become thoroughly grounded in a good trade, Mr. Strassheim felt safe in venturing upon another line of business, and thereupon established the commission house of Strassheim and Bro- ther. In 1876 he sold his interest in the business to his brother and organized the firm of Jacobs and Strassheim, wholesale dealers in wooden and willow ware. In 1887 the firm added wholesale groceries to its line, and transacted an extensive business. Two years later Mr. Strassheim purchased his partner's interest, and a short time after- ward sold a half interest in the business to Philip Jaeger, the firm there- by becoming Strassheim and Jaeger, which conducted a large whole- sale grocery trade at the corner of LaSalle and South Water streets for about eight years. In 1897 he sold his interest in the business to Jaeger and Son. Mr. Strassheim's next commercial enterprise was organized in 1899. when he founded a wholesale house for dealing in flour and bakers' supplies ; and he was engaged in the active conduct of this business until his election to the shrievalty in November, 1906.
Mr. Strassheim's official entrance into politics dates from 1891, when he was chosen one of a committee of seven to report on Repub- lican municipal candidates, and his organization had the satisfaction of naming a successful ticket. In January, 1892, Governor Fifer appointed him a member of the Lincoln Park board, in which posi- tion he served one year, and in 1904 he was elected a member of the
Christopher Strasshering
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board of commissioners of Cook county. His work as a county legis- lator, coupled with his splendid standing as a business man, brought him into the public favor which resulted in giving him the shrievalty.
Mr. Strassheim was married in 1876 to Miss Eva Markel, a na- tive of Germany, who came to Chicago with her parents at two years of age.
George D. Langelol in June, 1907, was appointed chief jailer of Cook county, succeeding in that position John L. Whitman, who had
GEORGE D. been jailer fifteen years. Perhaps only few persons
LANGELOH. realize the size of the institution devoted to guard-
ing the prisoners of this county, and yet with fifty- six male employes and four matrons engaged in the conduct of the jail it is evident that this is one of the most important of Cook county's institutions.
GEORGE D. LANGELOH.
Mr. Langeloh is a native Chicagoan, born February 4, 1873. His father, George H. Langeloh, a native of Germany, came to Chicago many years ago, and for a long period was a carpet cutter and fitter
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in the store of Marshall Field & Company. He was a member of the Lutheran church. His wife, Elizabeth (Lehman) Langeloh, was also born in Germany, and still resides in Chicago. The present chief jailer of Cook county is a self-made man, and has gained a position of responsibility because he is worthy of it. After a few years passed in the public schools of this city he found employment with Marshall Field & Company, and at the end of his eleven years' service was in charge of a department. For some years after that he was engaged in the life insurance business. A Republican, and for the past twelve years active in the political affairs of his ward and precinct, he received an appointment in January, 1907, as assistant jailer, and in the following June was promoted to the place made vacant by the retirement of Jailer Whitman. Mr. Langeloh married, August 5, 1895. and has two children. Their home is at 1010 N. Halsted street.
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Architects and Contractors
Chicago has developed an architecture worthy of the name only within the last two decades. As a result of many influences, di-
DANIEL H. rected by an increased appreciation and demand for
the artistic in the exterior aspects of the city, a BURNHAM. new order has been brought about within the "loop district," where commercialism reigns supreme, as well as in those por- tions of the city where individual taste has greater latitude. Sym- metry and attractiveness have been joined with utility in buildings devoted to business. It is generally admitted that one of the principal results of the Columbian Exposition was the impetus given by its staff models of architecture to the improvement of the city's build- ings of every class, so that thereafter the ideal of beauty became a constant and more effective influence in Chicago's growth and up- building.
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