USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The great revolution; a history of the rise and progress of the People's Party in the city of Chicago and county of Cook > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
32
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
Organization that he would revoke any saloon keeper's license who was convicted before a magistrate of selling on Sunday. Any citizen knowing it to be done had the legal right to com- plain before any Justice of the Peace in Chicago, and make proof and have the keeper fined. His Honor closed his address by saying to the Committee that if their meeting supposed that drinking ought be freely indulged on six days of the week, and could be suppressed on the recurring seventh, they had studied human nature to little purpose, and had their first lessons yet to learn."
On October 8, the committee published a reply, accus- ing the executive department of the city with cowardice. From the reply the following extract is taken: "All the facts go to show that whenever an honest endeavor has been put forth to enforce the Sunday liquor law, it has been suc- cessful. The difficulty lies in this, that the liquor interest in our city is active and united, and exerts a controlling influ- ence in the nominating caucuses and conventions. The re- sult is, we have executive officers chosen by their votes who have not the conscience nor the moral courage to do right, and rather violate their oaths of office than to offend the vot- ing power of the saloons, to which they owe their elections."
The report was signed by C. H. Fowler, Abbott E. Kit- tridge and Philip Meyers, "by order of the Citizens' Com- mittee."
On October 10, Mayor Medill, in a conversation, claimed that the reply of the Committee was very unfair, and referred to the fact that they were quick at seeing the mote in other people's eyes ; they should cast the beam out of their own.
33
MEDILL - WASHBURN -SHERIDAN.
The Washingtonian and Father Matthews' Associations never resorted to the constabulary, to prevent men, by ani- mal process, from drinking, but appealed to the mind and conscience; and their success was wonderful.
On the same day, the Committee had an interview with the Police Commissioners. Talcott favored prohibition. Klokke objected to extreme measures, as unadvisable; con- sidering the enforcement of the ordinance impracticable. Sheridan was not present.
On the same day, Mayor Medill, having evidently weak- ened, sent the following communication to the Board of Police :
BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
Gentlemen : I was waited upon last week by a committee of clergy and laity, who presented some resolutions adopted by a public meeting, asking that the saloons be closed on Sunday, and the ordinance on that subject be enforced. In the general conversation that followed, I expressed a perfect willingness to undertake to do whatever was practicable in the premises, but also some doubts whether with the small police force at command, liquor-drinking on the first day of ' the week could be effectually prevented in the city. I asked for the active support and assistance of those whom they represented in making complaints before the magistrates, in helping to procure evidence against those who violate the ordinance. But the proposition was coldly received and cynically disposed of. I was unable to procure any promise of efficient aid, whether moral, religious, legal, or physical ;
3
34
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
their business seemed to be censure, but not to encourage, or support the authorities. I observe in the partial report of the interview by their sub-committee, that they waited on your Board and obtained more encouragement as to the practicability of enforcing the ordinance. They say ( extract from newspaper ): "On the contrary, the Commissioners and Superintendent of Police upon whom the Committee also called the same day, declared themselves ready to enforce such an order when issued by the Mayor, and they antici- pated no serious trouble in doing so."
I am happy to learn that you anticipate no difficulty in stopping liquor-drinking in the saloons on Sunday, if an order is issued by the Mayor to that effect.
I therefore and hereby issue said order, and ask your Board to enforce Section 4, of Chapter 25, of the City Or- dinances, and all other ordinances relating thereto.
JOSEPH MEDILL, Mayor.
It may be well to state that no official information was given to His Honor as to the attitude of the Board.
On October 25, there was issued, by the Committee of Seventy, an "Address to the People," in which the closing of saloons Sundays was advocated. On October 26, the Mayor received a committee of Germans, who went away satisfied with his position. On October 28, a portion of the Committee of Twenty-Five met, and committed itself to the Sunday law ; whereupon Mr. Greenebaum resigned his posi- tion. Mr. Hesing also abandoned the organization.
The best epitaph that could be written on the tombstone of
35
MEDILL - WASHBURN - SHERIDAN.
the Committee of Seventy is contained in the following con- clusion of the Tribune's article : " THE COMMITTEE OF SEV- ENTY SOON ABSORBED THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS. IT PUT o A TICKET IN THE FIELD LAST YEAR, BUT ITS FIRST VENTURE IN POLITICS WAS NOT ENCOURAGING. DURING THE WINTER IT WAS DORMANT; BUT SOME THREE MONTHS SINCE, IT SMELT THE BATTLE AFAR OFF, AND CAME OUT OF ITS WINTER'S QUARTERS. IT PROCEEDED TO ORGANIZE THE RECENT CAM-
PAIGN, IN WHICH IT MET WITH A CRUSHING REVERSE. HEREAFTER, IT WILL BE REMEMBERED IN THE HISTORY OF LOCAL POLITICS FOR GOOD INTENTIONS, FOR MISERABLE INEFFICIENCY AS A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION, AND FOR ITS FAILURE TO EXECUTE THE DESIGN FOR WHICH IT WAS ORGANIZED."
The fact was, that the Committee of Seventy made a mis- take in going into the political business, and never showed a more illustrious example than when, in the Grand Pacific, they constructed that "Law and Order Ticket."
So much for the Committee of Seventy.
On December 2d, 1872, Mr. Talcott resigning, C. A. Reno was appointed to the Presidency of the Police Board. The Board was now, Reno, Sheridan and Klokke. On the in- auguration of Mr. Reno, it became apparent that the Super- intendent of Police was arrogating too much, having issued various orders without its approval. It was resolved, there- fore, that all orders should be submitted before issued.
On January 25, 1873, as an evidence of discontent among the police, the Board received a communication from the force, asking to be relieved from the order issued by the
36
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
Superintendent, compelling them to travel their beats for twelve successive hours. The order impressed the Board at once as tyrannical in the extreme. They accordingly ordered the Superintendent to conform with the established practice of patrol duty.
Now war was declared. The Superintendent failing to comply, it was evident he was acting under the advice of the Law Department concerning the power conferred by the Mayor's bill, and the Board of Police seized the opportunity to test the question whether they had any power at all. On January 28, 1873, accordingly, the Secretary of the Board was directed to present charges against the Superintendent of Police for neglect of duty, incompetency, disobedience of orders, in the violation of the rules and regulations, by en- forcing unauthorized orders, and annulling the orders of the Board. Then Dr. Ward was appointed Acting Superin- tendent. So here was the spectacle of two Police Superin- tendents at one and the same time, issuing orders of a con- tradictory nature to the Police Department.
The second volley in the battle of disputed rights was fired from the Mayor's office January 26, 1873. It was a communication from Mayor Medill to the Police Commis- sioners, notifying said Board of the removal of Police Com- missioners Reno and Klokke. The Board concurred in refusing to recognize the authority of the Mayor in said removal. They also instructed the Acting Superintendent to recognize no other authority than the Board which was elected by the people, and a majority of whom were com- missioned by the Governor.
37
MEDILL - WASHBURN -SHERIDAN.
From this date up to February 24, 1873, no business was transacted in the Board rooms.
On this day, Carlile Mason and Levi P. Wright, having been appointed by the Mayor, presented certificates. Police Commissioner Sheridan thereupon arose in the crowded rooms of the Police Board, and, with unruffled precision, read the following protest :
" The Council having confirmed the Mayor's nominees for Police Commissioners, and the Mayor and Comptroller hav- ing refused to adjust the claims of persons furnishing sup- plies to the Police and Fire Departments, as well as the claims of the members of said departments, until such time as some other person more acceptable than Mr. Reno, act- ing as President of the Board, certifies to the correctness of said claims, it becomes necessary that something be done to relieve from embarrassment all those having just claims against the city. There is no doubt in my mind that the Mayor and Comptroller will recognize Messrs. Mason and Wright as the authorized Commissioners, and that, conse- quently, the business of the departments may be carried on by them, whatever be the merits of their claims as contest- ants for the position of Police Commissioners. I am Police Commissioner, and cannot, if I would, neglect the duties of my office with impunity. I must act, and it becomes my duty to act effectively ; and, in order to do so, I am con- strained by the action of the Mayor and Comptroller to act with Messrs. Mason and Wright, but I do so only to advance the interests of the city. and maintain the discipline and effi- ciency of the Police and Fire Departments, and not because
38
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
I have any doubt as to the legality of the claims of Reno and Klokke; and consequently I will have to serve under protest until this conflict of authority shall be determined by due process of law. I protest, because I am fully satis- fied that Commissioners Reno and Klokke, having been elected by the voters of Cook county to the office of Police Commissioners, and having qualified under that election, were in the lawful exercise of the functions of their office, when the Board suspended from duty Superintendent Wash- burn for inefficiency, neglect of duty, insubordination, and conduct unbecoming a police officer, and that, consequently they were guilty of no offence for which they could be justly or lawfully removed from office ; and because I am also sat- isfied that the power claimed and attempted to be exercised by the Mayor, under and by virtue of the act known as the ' Mayor's Bill,' is contrary to the genius of our republican in- stitutions and the spirit of our Constitution, and, also, that even if the power exists, the arbitrary, unjust, and unneces- sary exercise of it would not be sustained or even tolerated by the Courts."
The first matter of importance coming before the new Board was the dismissal of the charges against Washburn, February 26, 1873. On April 7, business commenced with the removal by the Mayor of Sergeants Douglas, Macauley, Rehm, and Bischoff. Their offence consisted in obedience of orders issued by the Board of Police.
Then followed, on April 28, 1873, Order No. 20, as follows :
39
MEDILL - WASHBURN - SHERIDAN.
OFFICE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHICAGO, April 28, 1873.
General Order No. 20.
I. The commanding officers of districts and precincts will require their men to enter frequently on Sunday all places or rooms on their respective beats where they have any good reason to suspect that intoxicating drinks are sold, or that cards or other games of chance are being played, for the purpose of obtaining evidence, if any exist, of the vio- lation of the provisions of Section 3, Chapter 28, of the Re- vised Ordinances of 1873. And complaint shall be entered in accordance with the provisions of Section 2, General. Order No. 6, 1873.
2. In all cases where violations of the provisions of Sec- tion 3, Chapter 28, of the Revised Ordinances of 1873 shall occur, and it shall be difficult to determine whom to sum- mon, the officer will demand that the license be shown and enter complaint against the licensee. If no license is pro- duced, the officer will demand the name and residence of the party or parties who are tending the bar, if the same are unknown to him, and enter complaint against him or them. If such party or parties fail or refuse to give their name or residence, the officer will arrest such party or par- ties at once, take him or them to the lockup, and enter complaint for the same offense.
3. In no case named in this order shall doors, windows, or fastenings be broken or forced to gain admission.
ELMER WASHBURN,
General Superintendent.
40
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
The foregoing was the production, it is supposed, of Mayor Medill, Washburn, and the Law Department. This order Mr. Sheridan opposed in his might. Finding it impossible to convince the Mayor of its unwisdom, the Commissioner entered the following protest : " I protest because I regard the order as unnecessary, odious, and oppressive; because the members of the police force are not vested under the char- ter with the power or authority to lawfully comply with the order, and if they do comply with it, they will have to do so at their own peril ; because it is to my mind clearly uncon- stitutional, Section 6, Article 2, of the Constitution being as follows: 'The right of the people to be secure in their per- sons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated.'"
To this iron-clad remonstrance, Messrs. Mason and Wright, on May 9, 1873, after formidable preparation, replied as follows :
" Resolved, That the protest entered by one of the Com- missioners of this Board in the record of the proceedings of the 28th day of April, 1873, was so entered without being first presented to the Board, and that we disapprove of the language used in said protest, as incendiary in character, as tending to incite the force to disobey the orders of the Board, and unreflecting citizens to resist the police in the discharge of their duties. It is therefore ordered that here- after NO PROTEST shall be entered of record, unless the same be first submitted in writing to and permitted by a majority vote of this Board."
41
MEDILL-WASHBURN -SHERIDAN.
Mr. Sheridan's protest appeared in the public journals first ; industrious reporters having adroitly secured it.
Following fast upon the foregoing resolution came the following broadside from Mr. Sheridan :
"I protest against the resolution passed by the Board on Friday, because it conveys the idea that my protest, entered against general order No. 20, was surreptitiously placed on record; whereas, the truth is, the objections therein set forth to said order were frequently and urgently pressed by me, to dissuade both Messrs. Mason and Wright from ap- proving the order; failing in which, I told them I could not be a party to what I believed to be an unlawful pro- ceeding, and I should protest against it. To which they replied, ' All right; do so. We would rather you should do so than not.' Next morning, I wrote the protest and handed it to the Secretary. It is, therefore, a willful misstatement of the facts in the case, a malignant perversion of my language, a deliberate attempt to gag the free expression of opinion, and is itself the expression of cringing servility to the will of the master."
On May 13, an order was passed requiring the arrest of parties selling, giving away, or in any manner dealing in any vinous, spirituous, or fermented liquors. Sheridan voted in the negative. On May 15, he entered his protest against the order, as unnecessary, injurious, and a dangerous exercise of power. On July 12, Capt. Hickey, convinced that his head was doomed under the Washburn régime, re- signed the police force.
July 18, furnished an event that cannot be passed over.
42
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
Mr. Sheridan, learning of misconduct on the part of a police officer, took his star away from him. The officer complaining to Washburn, had it restored by the Superin- tendent. Hereupon, Sheridan summoned the chief into his presence on the day referred to. The conversation upon the subject was pretty bitter, the Commissioner feeling that he was insulted by a subordinate, and the Chief not recog- nizing superiority. The result of the meeting was that Mr. Washburn siezed an inkstand to hurl at the Commissioner's head. Quick second thought, however, held the Superin- tendent's arm, and he nervously replaced the missile on the desk.
On July 21, the Commissioner preferred charges against the Superintendent, including the specification "ungentle- manly conduct, and conduct unbecoming a police officer." On July 22, the police officer, who had his star restored, was discharged by the Board, under the evidence.
On July 22, a communication was received by the Board from the Council, requesting an investigation of the facts connected with the charges preferred by the Milwaukee press against Washburn. A store had, it appears, been robbed in Milwaukee, and the thieves were tracked to Chicago, and arrested by Chicago officers. The Milwaukee press charged that Washburn refused to give up the property recovered, unless a reward was forthcoming for the officers who caused the arrest. This charge was denied by Mr. Washburn, and the Common Council subsequently acquitted the chief.
The next matter the public journals were called upon
43
MEDILL- WASHBURN -SHERIDAN.
to chronicle, was a communication from the Mayor, set- ting forth his desire that the Board make a full statement of the facts in the case between Sheridan and Washburn, and submit in writing. Hereupon, Messrs. Mason and Wright reported the opinion that it would not be for the best interests of the service to spread on the record; that they believed they had found upon investigation that the provocation given by Mr. Sheridan was so great as to great- ly palliate the disrespectful language, if not to justify it.
Up to July 28, 1873, there now seemed to be a lull in matters between the members of the Board, the Mayor, the Police force, and the world at large. On this day, however, Mr. Sheridan succeeded in introducing the following reso- lution, which was passed :
"Be it ordered, 'That the practice of sending police officers in citizen's clothes to saloons, for the purpose of inducing the keepers thereof to sell intoxicating drinks to such offi- cers, in violation of law, with the view of prosecuting said saloon keepers, be at once discontinued."
On July 29, 1873, Commissioner Mason, having voted for one measure introduced by Mr. Sheridan, resigned.
He was succeeded by Reuben Cleveland. The advent of this gentleman was signalized by a message from the Mayor, touching the charges preferred by Commissioner Sheridan against Superintendent of Police Washburn. The commu- nication set forth that his Honor, the Mayor, considered the occurrence as a first offense on both (? ) sides, and as a case not calling for extreme measures.
On August 4, nevertheless, Superintendent of Police,
44
THR GREAT REVOLUTION.
Washburn, apologized to Mr. Sheridan on the ground that few men could be milder under equal provocation. Mr. Sheridan did not apologize, as another man might, under the Mayor's decision.
In the foregoing brief recital are contained the leading ele- ments in the grand cause for a change in municipal affairs. While the Press, eager to promote universal harmony, no doubt, generally favored the Medillian administration, yet the people watched their interests keenly, and as certain events in this history plainly indicate, subserved them by the movement of November, 1873. The power of that movement is recognized everywhere as having asserted itself against the sentiments of every American newspaper in the city of Chicago.
COUNTING THE MONEY.
For several weeks previous to the election, whispers were gradually spreading throughout the city, the burden of which was that, if it only could be inspected, the City Treas- ury was in a very wretched condition ; and that the fact was due to the reckless speculations of the City Treasurer, David A. Gage. This gentleman, being a candidate for re-election, and being considered the heaviest card on the "Law and Order " ticket, it is not at all marvelous that the speakers of the People's Party gave the rumor as thorough ventilation as possible throughout the several wards.
To assist the circulation of said rumors, the Staats Zeitung caused to be published in English a great number of circu- lars, whence the following extracts are taken :
. "It has been publicly charged and not denied that Gage has deposited the public moneys with banks upon express agreements, that such banks extend him credit to the amount of a certain proportion of such deposits. The name of a bank could be given, which held a note of Gage's for $40,- 000, and to which he offered $60,000 city deposits on condi- tion of an extension being granted to him. There is scarcely
46
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
a doubt that the dealings of private citizen D. A. Gage with the banks have been based upon the city funds deposited with them by City Treasurer D. A. Gage. And it is next to a certainty that if D. A. Gage should cease to have control over the city deposits, the bank credit extended to him on that account would vanish.
" Thus it will be readily understood why D. A. Gage can afford to shoulder all the expenses of the campaign of his party, and offer to pay the expenses of the People's Party, if they should nominate him for City Treasurer and Dan O'Hara for County Treasurer. It is, with him, a matter of life or death. But the weakest minded man must be able to see that, if a candidate spends $25,000 in order to obtain an office with a salary of only $4,000, there must be considera- bly more in that office than the salary.
"As to the means employed, apart from a direct expendi- ture of money to buy up votes, the following affidavit of Mr. A. C. Hesing tells the tale :
" A. C. Hesing, being duly sworn, deposeth as follows :
"That on or about Wednesday, the 15th of October, he was invited to see a prominent lawyer in H. H. Honoré's block; that he went and saw that lawyer, and that there and then the proposition was made to him to use his influence to secure the nomination of David A. Gage by the People's Party for the office of City Treasurer, and of Daniel O' Hara for County Treasurer, in consideration of which said David A. Gage would give to the deponent, A. C. Hesing, the con- trol, for two years, of one-fifth part of the city deposits ; that said proposition was instantly rejected by said deponent ;
47
COUNTING THE MONEY.
that, on the Saturday following, the same prominent lawyer met the deponent, A. C. Hesing, in the sample room of Her- mann Fink, in the Staats Zeitung building, in company with two other gentlemen, and engaged with them in conversation upon a certain article published in the Staats Zeitung under the heading, " A few simple questions." That in the course of such conversation said lawyer remarked that that article need not necessarily prevent the Staats Zeitung from yet sup- porting D. A. Gage; that, after the two gentlemen and said lawyer had left the place, said lawyer returned in a short time, and stated to this deponent that another newspaper had to be "seen " first, and that, therefore, if this deponent was willing to make arrangements for the support of D. A. Gage, the consideration would have to be reduced from one- half to one-sixth part of the city deposits ; that this deponent again refused the offer. That on Sunday afternoon, when this deponent was stepping into his buggy in front of Greene- baum's bank building, the said lawyer hailed him, and, again commencing to speak about the offer theretofore made by him, remarked that all the papers had been " SEEN ; " that from and after Monday no line would be written in any of the English dailies against David A. Gage, and that this depo- nent was foolish not to have accepted the propositions made to him. That then this deponent replied that it was of no use to say any more to him, since he was determined to work with heart and soul for the good cause of the People's Party and for the defeat of a damnably corrupt treasury ring.
" Further deponent sayeth not. ANTHONY C. HESING.
"Sworn to before me this ist day of November, 1873.
JULIUS ROSENTHAL, Notary Public."
48
THE GREAT REVOLUTION.
The opposition observing the immense loss their cause was suffering by reason of the insinuations as to the integrity of the alleged best man on their ticket, Mr. David A. Gage was induced, on October 20, to issue the following :
TO HIS HONOR, THE MAYOR, AND COMMON COUNCIL.
Gentlemen : As there have been various speeches made and rumors afloat detrimental to me as a public officer, I most respectfully ask that your body, through a proper com- mittee, would examine my accounts as City Treasurer, and make an official report of the same. Most respectfully,
DAVID A. GAGE, Treasurer.
The members of the Finance Committee were L. L. Bond, Chairman; Mahlon D. Ogden, J. W. McGenniss, J. H. Mc- Avoy, and Geo. Sherwood. At the investigation of the Com- mittee, the two last named gentlemen were not present.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.