Sin in the Second City

Sherri Ward

History 591 – Chicago Trip

Professors Rees and Harris

Sin in the Second City

By Karen Abbott

In Sin in the Second City, Karen Abbot gives a vivid description of life in the red light district of Chicago, at the turn of the 19^th century. Abbot gives the reader background description about two sisters Minna and Ada Sims who change their last names to Everleigh, a play on words ever-lay. These two sisters leave their homes, and possibly abusive husbands to begin a brothel business in Omaha, Nebraska. The sisters enjoy their success in Omaha, and then decide to start a brothel in Chicago. The girls take a train to Chicago, find a house, interview and hire pretty girls, and begin an upscale brothel business. In this book Abbott shows how women in the twentieth century were beginning to look for ways to get away from the drudgery of living on a farm, marriage, and raising a family. Men were looking for successful jobs in Chicago’s labor force outside of the family farm, and had to learn to accommodate women in the work force.

A vibrant sex trade had been going on in Chicago since the Civil War. The city was filled with bordello’s that were low class and base. Alcohol, gambling, and much crime inhabited the streets of Chicago. The sisters wanted to make Chicago famous worldwide, for the high standards that they would bring to the city with their business. They worked hard to establish a business that was titillating and inviting. The sisters sought out the protection of men who were the crime bosses, and looked the other way when white slave trade was going on.

Many girls went into the courtesan business because their mothers were in it and they learned about it at a young age, others found it was a quick easy way to make money. Some came from Europe to find their fortune. It was reported by newspaper that white slavery was happening at the Everleigh home and young women were being promised work as milliners and then forced into prostitution to support themselves.

The sisters found that many people were against them, especially others in the business like Vic Shaw. Vic Shaw was another madam, who hired Pony Shaw to frame Minna for the murder of Marshall Field Jr. Fortunately, MInna had police officers who she trusted to help expose the plot.

Albert Bell, started a mission to crusade against the evils of the Custom Place and the Levee district in Chicago. He targeted the Everleigh sisters business in particular. Bell and his followers were able to get the Custom Place closed. Men like Hinky Dink and Bathhouse John were not going to let that happen to their business investments, especially the Everleigh house. They were on the city council and worked to sway votes that would benefit their business.

Reverend Bell’s main tactic was to get people to understand that the women who worked at the Everleigh club were victims, and he hoped to be able to turn the tide of public opinion against them, by getting supporters to actively participate in trying to close down this establishment. Bell worked for years to bring down the activities of the Red Light District, despite being pelted with eggs, death threats, and rocks being thrown at him. Bell told the story of a girl named Agnes and how Madam Panzy Williams would not release her to her parents because she owed $20 for clothes. The police were called and the Madame released her. He had stories published of women like Mona Marshall, and Adeline MacDonald, who were talked into going with a good looking man, drugged, raped, and dropped off at a bordello where she was sold into white slavery. The main crux of Bell’s work was to abolish what he called white slavery. Bell felt that white slavery was even worse than what the blacks endured during their time of slavery. Bell even brought told of the women who immigrated to America and ended up as a prostitute, by design or out of necessity. Bell made sure that he brought copies of the Criminal Code of Illinois to inform the madams that it was a crime to hold a woman against her will in their house. Eventually, Bell wrote a book that became a bestseller. He earned a fortune and parents learned about the possible future that awaited their daughter if they chose to go off to the big city. The Everleigh sisters allowed Bell to pass out religious and sexually transmitted disease pamphlets, however it is not known if any were swayed to stop their line of business by this material.

Clifford Roe was a lawyer who worked in the Mona Marshall case to convict those involved with her abduction. He was relentless in his pursuit of those who were involved with looking the other way, while young girls were being used and abused. In 1907 convictions of those found guilty of pandering were becoming more frequent, an average of one a week. The Chief of Police McMann was found guilty of conspiracy and the local government seemed determined to shut down the houses of ill repute. The Everleigh sisters took a trip to Europe just to get away from the pressure. While they were gone the crime, opium dens, nickel and dollar brothels became more prevalent. However, judges like Judge Newcomer began to sentence and fine men and women found guilty of criminal misconduct.

The Illinois House was the first to pass a white anti-slavery bill, which was to be signed by Governor Deneen right away. By 1909 the famous First Ward Ball was no longer a bawdy success. The madams and crime bosses had been scared away by the law, suffrage movement, and prosecution of the leaders of bathhouse’s, madams, and government officials who were actively involved or looked the other way.

On December 6, Congressman James R. Mann, introduced a bill the White Slave Act, which activated a new bureau called the Bureau of Investigation. President Taft agreed with this bill and allocated $50,000 dollars to hire special inspectors against recruiting immigrants, entering the country for the purpose of prostitution. On June 25, 1910, the White Slave Act was signed into law and the Everleigh Club was closed. Once again, men became the protectors of the weaker sex.

The Jungle

Sherri Ward

History 591 – Chicago

Professors Rees and Harris

The Jungle

By Upton Sinclair

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle renders itself more effective as a work of fiction because the masses can identify with the fictional characters that Sinclair creates. At the beginning of this story Sinclair tells us about a couple Ona and Jurgis who immigrated to Chicago and have waited to get married for some time, because of finances, and the reader enters on their big day. The couple lives in Packingtown and is having their wedding party and their guests are having a good time. There is food and drink for all. However, the expectation is that money will be given to the bride and groom so that they can begin their lives with money in hand. If the couple does not receive enough money, they may not even be able to pay for the reception. Jurgis vows that he will have to work harder to provide for his new bride. The couple works in the stockyards of Chicago at the meat packing plant. Marija is Ona’s cousin who virtually runs the wedding to make sure that things are done correctly. The elderly feel that they need to keep old traditions and the younger set want to do their own thing. A wedding day is just another day as the bride and groom are not able to take a day off and many do not feel that tomorrow will bring better things to them due to the saloon keepers who cheat them and the family is willing to accept it because the saloon keepers have government connections that will go against them if they complain. The groom is described as a hunted animal. Jurgis may work harder but that may not bring him the success that he longs to have in this new land. In fact, it seems that the immigrants may have been happier in the land they left, in hope for a new and better life. There are those who get richer because of the work of the poor.

Jurgis finds a job at a meat factory and begins by shoveling guts from the meat floor. He is taken on a tour of a hog factory in which every part of the hog is used. The beef factory also uses every part of the animal. Sinclair goes into detail about the killing of a hog and how repulsive working in a meat factory is. Sinclair compares the killing of hogs to the life of people working in the factory. Despite the ugly work Jurgis believes that America will fulfill his dreams. Jurgis is thankful to have a job and really doesn’t understand why others are not grateful as well. He is approached to join the union but does not want to spend the money as it seems a waste to him. Jurgis finds that in order to be stable economically, he has to buy into illegal practices which he abhors. Grandmother Majauskie immigrated and worked hard in order to pay for her home. However, she has been in the neighborhood for many years and has seen many immigrants come and go. Most were not successful in their quest for the American dream. The house prices are raised three times as what it cost to build them.

This book reaches the point where life seems to only get tougher financially. Everyone is sick and when Dede Antanas dies, there is no money to pay for the burial. Many men are turning to alcohol to bury their disappointment in the bottle and women turn to prostitution. The wedding should have been a joyful time but throws Jurgis and Ona further into debt. The old like Dede Antanas dies and the young who should not be working like Stanislov are emotionally spent.

Jurgis is eventually persuaded to join the union and becomes quite active in it. He convinces other family members to join as well. Jurgis’ work is cut back but he still has to report in the morning when work begins at noon. He only gets paid for the hours worked and actively begins working against his company for the union. Tamoszius and Marja decide to get married but she loses her job at the canning factory, due to union activity. Not only is the employer corrupt, but so are the government officials. The rich in America as in Lithuania are always the winners.

Ona takes a job as a meat trimmer. She only earns ½ of the salary that the man in that position before her made. She finds out that her boss runs a brothel, in which many of the prostitutes take over the jobs of young women. Ona gives birth to a son, and must return to work within a week, in order to keep her job. She and Jurgis are unable to enjoy being parents because they are always working on the killing floor. This parallels the killing of the animals but the killing of their lives through capitalism.

In the spring Jurgis is able to work but has lost his job due to hurting his leg and long absence. He is no longer young and desirable to employers. Ona is not doing well physically or mentally, due to the financial pressure. Elzbieta finds work as a sausage worker, which enables her rebellious boys to go back to school in hopes of a better future. Both of them do a job that is distasteful to them in order to provide what they hope will be a better life to their children. They are compared as animals in cages. Eventually, Jurgis takes up drinking to escape, blaming marriage and sex for his woes. Ona becomes anxious and overly worried. She accepts her boss Conner’s’ offer of prostitution and Jurgis is arrested for trying to kill him. Jurgis’ behavior likens him as a beast for his behavior against Conner. Jurgis is arrested and sits in jail believing that Ona and the family will lose the house. He now begins to believe that America is an unjust society and that capitalism works against the worker. The American dream no longer seems to be attainable. The judge is bought off at Jurgis’s trial and the judge does not care that this will send him into ruin. All of the children are forced to work and a life of crime begins to appeal to Jurgis. Marja becomes injured and falls into a life of prostitution. This family never seems to get ahead and no matter what they do they are not able to become successful in this new world. In the end, it seems that the only hope is that the children will have an easier life because of the work that Jurgis has done in the revolution to organize workers to become members of the union.

Death in the Haymarket

Death in the Haymarket

By James Green

James Green’s book Death in the Haymarket relates the story about the bombing that took place at the Haymarket that killed police, and three protestors at a rally where workers were meeting on May 4, 1886. This story occurs 21 years after the death of President Lincoln. In 1865 there were those who believed that the free market was successful over the slavery system. Unions were not common or lasting before 1860. There were various reasons workers wanted unions one of which was to shorten the work day to ten hours. This movement was started in the 1835, by carpenters and women textile workers, but when men left for the war, the union movement slowed. In 1863, William Sylvis became the president of the Molder’s union and by 1865 he was able to persuade foundry owners to hire only those who held a union membership card. After the Civil War ended, the molders union seemed to be strong. Despite their strength there was opposition, by some employers who did not want employees demanding more wages and certainly not less hours. These employers locked out their employees or broke strikes.

Andrew C. Cameron immigrated from Scotland as a printer’s apprentice, worked under the Chartist movement, asked questions and believed production must be useful not just profitable. Cameron and Sylvis agreed that with the death of Lincoln, it would be difficult for labor and capital to be equal. These men felt that a new war was coming between employers and the workers. In 1866 these two men founded the National Labor Union. With the publication of the Workingman’s Advocate which Cameron was the editor, they were able to lobby heavily for an eight hour work day. Activists convinced enough Democrats and Republicans to vote for a bill giving workers an eight hour day on March 2, 1867. This was their first victory. Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby was a friend of Lincoln’s and rejoiced with a group of rejoicing workers at a lakefront rally. In Chicago, it was thought that a man could begin poor, work hard, become rich and successful. However, this would require not only the government but employers to be in agreement with the eight hour day.

Chicago became the destination for all types of people like, farm boys, Canadians, Europeans, soldiers, and many more who came to Chicago to find their fortunes. There was work here with the meat packing industry, lumber, factories, mills, etc. Chicago was the place to be. The influx of Europeans helped double Chicago’s population in the 1860’s. Houses and sidewalks were cheaply made from pine, and wages were good for employees.

On May 2, 1867 employers refused to obey the new law and required employees to work the 10-11 hour day. Workers striked closing shops and Governor Olgelsby viewed the activity of employees as peaceful. However, Mayor Rice ordered the Dearborn Light artillery to assist the police. By May 8, the strike was broken and the men had to return to the 10-11 hour workday. There was much protest to state government officials, but to no avail. Cameron decided to use this experience to learn from and lobby the federal government Washington on the workers behalf. On June 25, 1868 Congress passed a eight hour work day law for employees and laborers of the federal government. However, Washington officials would not enforce the eight-hour law for federal mechanics and cheated workers on their pay.

By the 1870’s the Gilded Age arrived in Chicago. Businessman made large fortunes, public officials were corrupt, the public was exploited, and there was much crime in the city. By 1871 banks were giving bank loans freely and confidence of businessmen rose. On October 8, 1871 a huge fire swept through Chicago, burning 17,450 buildings. There was a financial panic in 1872. City Hall was overcome with a group of immigrants who protested the ban on wooden housing and public drinking on Sunday. In 1873, banks called in loans. Workers demanded aid to starving families and work for those able.

On May 1, 1886, a parade supporting the eight hour work day occurred in Chicago. On May 3, 1886, police opened fire on lumber workers who were assaulting scab workers, at the McCormick Reaper Works. In response, on May 4, 1886, socialists had called a meeting and while Sam Fielden was telling the crowd to defend themselves, when a line of police officers came forward and told Fielden that the meeting must break up. A bomb was thrown, and rioters began pouring gunfire into the police line, and the police fired back. Many were killed and wounded that day. As a result of the Haymarket bombing immigrants were no longer as welcome to America as they had been in the past. Many believed that the immigrants were taking over cities like Chicago and that they were dangerous to the American way of life, and they were responsible for the Haymarket tragedy. In the end, anarchists August Spies, Oscar Neebe, Samuel Fielden, Michael Schwab, Louis Lingg, George Engel, Adolph Fisher, and Albert Parsons, were charged with conspiracy and murder. The differences between the capitalist class and working class became even more glaring.

For almost twenty years the brutal and bloody fight went on for their dream of freedom, to work in a cooperative, eight hour workplace, which would allow workers to prosper as well as employers. The deaths in the Haymarket extended deep grudges and mistrust socially between the classes for many decades afterward. Today however, many in society reap the benefits, of those who fought for rights of the working people.

Chicago was in many ways different than other cities because of job opportunities, more exciting lifestyle, crime, violence, government corruption, and various ethnic groups. The city was energized with new inventions and, Chicago was the place for power and politics in America during the 19^th century. Chicago like other cities was filled with people who wanted to live better lives, become successful, and make more money for their families.

Did Lincoln Own Slaves?

Sherri Ward

Professors Rees and Harris

History 591 – Chicago

Did Lincoln Own Slaves?

And Other Frequently Asked Questions About Abraham Lincoln

By Gerald J. Prokopowicz

In this book Gerald J. Prokopowicz answers questions asked by the public about President Abraham Lincoln. Prokopowicz’s book gives the reader information regarding Lincoln’s savvy view on politics, his honesty and integrity that was innate in his character, and his personality which was at times shrewd, brooding, and happy go lucky.

Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln were Abraham Lincoln’s parents. After his mother’s death his father married Sara Bush Johnston Lincoln in 1819. Abraham Lincoln had a sister Sarah, and a brother Thomas and two step-sisters Elizabeth and Matilda. Lincoln shared a loving relationship with his step-mother which he did not share with his father. Lincoln did not like farm work and resented the law that said he had to give the money he earned to his father until he became 21 years of age. Lincoln was born in Kentucky, but the family moved to Indiana due to Kentucky being a slave state. Abraham worked with an ax on the farm which he disliked.

As young boy he was careful about not alienating his peers by being moral but not moralistic. He told great stories made friend laugh with funny stories, which carried over into adulthood. He was well liked but was not into drinking, smoking, etc. Lincoln went to formal school for approximately one year total. He had a sixth grade education, which was normal for that time period. In 1860 Knox College (now Columbia University) gave Lincoln an honorary doctor of law degree.

Lincoln did believe in God but not necessarily Jesus. There is no recorded conversion to Christianity. He fought the town bully Jack Armstrong and won Armstrong’s respect. Ann Rutledge may or may not have been Lincoln’s first love. We do know is that the two were close and Lincoln was severely depressed by her death. Lincoln left Salem for Springfield after being elected to the legislature.

Lincoln was engaged to Mary Owens. He had not seen her for awhile and was quite surprised at her unattractive appearance. He sent her a letter that was a pathetic marriage proposal. She turned him down.

As a lawyer, Lincoln was much sought after. He and his partners carried a case load of about 200 a year, which was heavy. Lincoln preferred to let his courtroom opponents think him simple minded. Then he would find some way to turn the case to his advantage. Lincoln did not go to law school but borrowed books from a lawyer and tediously studied them, as he self taught himself to be a lawyer. Lincoln was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1836. Lincoln’s goal in life was to be truly esteemed by fellow men.

Mary Todd and Lincoln were married on November 4, 1842 and their son Robert was born August 1, 1843. Lincoln never owned slaves, but Ruth Burns Stanton at the age of 14, was sent by the John Bradford family that employed her to work for Mary Lincoln. There was no other household help.

While in the Illinois legislature Lincoln learned how things were done in a democracy. He learned how to compromise and learned about team building. Lincoln was an avid reader and became a good public speaker, and speech writer. Steven Douglas’ Kansas-Nebraska act which would overturn the Missouri Compromise and allow slavery in western states, roused Lincoln to become involved with politics again. Lincoln argued that slavery effected American core values. He argued that the Declaration of Independence said that all men are created equal; therefore the slaves should be equal. Those who were for slavery were only looking out for their own self interest. Douglas felt that the slave issue should be determined by popular vote, by men of European descent.

Abraham Lincoln was fifty-one years old when he was elected President and had just turned 52 when he was sworn into the office. He beat out Salmon P. Chase, William Henry Seward, and Simon Cameron as each of them directed their supporters to support the dark horse candidate, that he eventually had enough votes to beat Seward. Lincoln filled his cabinet with strong Republicans even those who were against him, because they brought political strength and the greatest minds of the time. He felt it necessary to keep his enemies close, and in the end these men became one of the most effective presidential cabinets. Seward became Secretary of State, Chase the Secretary of Treasury, Simon Cameron the Secretary of War, all of whom thought they should be President. Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus and 13,535 prisoners were arrested for desertion, draft evasion, expressing political views, or political prisoner status.

Lincoln signed the first income tax law, taxing those who made over $800 a year at 3%. The average income was $300 a year at this time. Congress passed the Internal Revenue Act in 1862. Income tax ended in 1872, passed again in 1874, then declared unconstitutional in 1895. Today’s income tax came about after an amendment to the Constitution in 1913.

During the Gettysburg address Lincoln added in the words “under God”. The goal of the address was to explain why the war must go on and to redefine it, a new birth, with new dedication to the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves. After Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth, Stanton is thought to have said that he now belongs to the ages or angels. He had twelve funerals across the nation, and was laid to rest in Springfield, Illinois, at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Willie’s body was brought on Lincoln’s funeral train and buried there as well. Mary and Tad were eventually buried there as well. The Lincoln highway running from New York to San Francisco is the largest memorial to Lincoln. President Lincoln’s greatest accomplishments were to save the union and help to abolish slavery. President Lincoln was a shrewd politician with a gift of keen insight into men and what made them tick. He was willing to give others the praise and keep himself in the background. Lincoln was able to articulate a story in which people would guffaw and laugh at or he could bring a tear. He was a man of many talents who worked earnestly to bring about the freedom of all Americans.