Empire of Sin (58 page)

79
threw a neighbor’s baby out of a window …
 is from Ramsey, “Ramsey Speaks Out,” 37.

80
“He’s nuts, you know” …
 as cited in Marquis,
Bolden
, 118.

81
“Character of Disease: Insanity …”
Bolden’s final decline as per Marquis,
Bolden
, 118–22, which reproduces the commitment document in full.

82
“Before the dance …”
is from Armstrong, “Growing Up in New Orleans,” originally in
Life
magazine, reprinted in Miller and Anderson, eds.,
New Orleans Stories
, 23.

Chapter 10: The Sin Factory

  
1
“Representative Anderson of the Fourth Ward …”
The opening quote, as indicated in the text, is from the NODP of June 20, 1902.

  
2
as lucrative and efficient as any lumber mill …
 According to Leavitt,
Great Characters
, 29, prostitution had become the second-largest industry in New Orleans at this time. 230 brothels, etc., as per Long,
Babylon
, 158.

  
3
“I’ll tell you, five minutes …”
is from Rose,
Storyville
, 162.

  
4
“This Tenderloin District …”
is quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff,
Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya
, 6.

  
5
“A lot of the prostitutes lived in different sections …”
is quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff,
Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya
, 5.

  
6
“Those places were organized …”
is quoted in Rose,
Storyville
, 160.

  
7
a lagniappe—a little bonus
 … as per Rose,
Storyville
, 162.

  
8
“the king of the district” …
 is from Rose,
Storyville
, 114.

  
9
a quick delivery of the really good Champagne …
 Details about Champagne sales at Lulu White’s come from
State of Louisiana vs. Lulu White
, Docket No. 15,896, as cited in Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 176.

10
“From time to time …”
is from Danny Barker,
Buddy Bolden
, 54–55.

11
the corner of Basin and Iberville …
 For renaming of Customhouse Street (in 1904), see Rose,
Storyville
, 219.

12
“Tom Anderson overtops the restricted district …”
The excerpt from
Collier’s
as cited in Rose,
Storyville
, 46.

13
“below whore scale” …
 For Sarah Bernhardt’s visit, see Rose,
Storyville
, 78.

14
host to some of the greatest sports figures …
 as per Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 126.

15
When George M. Cohan showed up …
 The George M. Cohan and John L. Sullivan incidents as reported by Billy Struve in the
New Orleans Item-Tribune
of August 2, 1931.

16
“immaculate, cool-headed, and calm” …
 as per Barker,
Buddy Bolden
, 56.

17
“He listened to their love problems …”
is from Barker,
Buddy Bolden
, 57.

18
“characteristically humorous …”
is from the NODP of June 22, 1904.

19
a fairly effective representative …
 For Anderson’s bills supporting the asylum, and for his gift of oil during the yellow fever epidemic, see the NODP of August 11, 1905, and July 28, 1905.

20
when President Theodore Roosevelt came to New Orleans …
 See Behrman,
Martin Behrman of New Orleans
, 149.

21
named to the honorary committee …
 as per the NODPs of October 8 and 27, 1905.

22
A picture of the two of them …
 is mentioned by Struve in the
New Orleans Item-Tribune
of August 2, 1931.

23
bills to raise the salaries
 … Proposals regarding police and stenographers were reported in the NODPs of May 18, 1904, and June 21, 1906.

24
arrested, tried, and convicted …
 Anderson’s initial conviction on the Sunday Closing Law charge as per the NODP of February 18, 1905.

25
a large supply of liquor and cigars …
 Gifts to Judge Skinner as reported in the NODP of January 4, 1906.

26
a Ring stalwart named Martin Behrman …
 Useful sources for Behrman are his own autobiography,
Martin Behrman of New Orleans
(hereafter
Memoirs
), and Zink,
City Bosses in the United States
.

27
“always knew what [had] led to the fall of the Roman Empire …”
Behrman’s definition of a silk-stocking is from Behrman,
Memoirs
, 108.

28
“uncouth” …
 Behrman’s discussion of the
Times-Democrat
’s calling him this is from
Memoirs
, 89.

29
“Mr. Behrman does not rise …”
is quoted in Behrman,
Memoirs
, 81n.

30
Parkerson accused Behrman …
 For Parkerson’s grafting accusations, see Behrman,
Memoirs
, 91.

31
“I would rather be a maggot …”
is quoted in in Behrman,
Memoirs
, 100.

32
Steel Arm Johnny, Mary Meathouse …
 The list of Storyville characters is selected from a roundup in Rose,
Storyville
, 55.

33
rate of violent crime was actually relatively low …
 See Rose,
Storyville
, 64, for this claim. For the comparison of per capita murder rates of New Orleans and Chicago, see Adler, “Murder,” 297ff.

34
“no doubt the most heartless …”
is quoted in Rose,
Storyville
, 55.

35
“Lulu dashed into the room …”
is from the NODP of November 14, 1904. The ultimate charge against her as per Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 83ff.

36
a discount book of fifteen tickets …
 as per Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 63.

37
Olivia the Oyster Queen …
 is from Rose,
Storyville
, 85.

38
“sex circuses” …
 Rose,
Storyville
, 50, describes the goings-on at Emma Johnson’s brothel.

39
“They did a lot of things …”
is quoted in Rose,
Storyville
, 50.

40
“was in dread fear continually …”
is from the
Succession of Deubler
, Tolliver testimony.

41
She named the place Anna’s Villa …
 is from other testimony in the
Succession of Deubler
case.

42
on the morning of December 1, 1905 …
 For the fire at Josie Arlington’s brothel, see the NODP of December 2, 1905.

43
“scantily clad” …
 The story of the crying prostitute, with quotes, is from the NODP of December 2, 1905.

44
she began to speak gloomily …
 For Arlington’s attitude change after the fire, see Rose,
Storyville
, 47–48, and Harris, “Whatever Became of Josie Arlington?,” 40.

45
Arlington purchased an imposing white mansion …
 All details about the move to Esplanade Avenue are from testimony in
Succession of Deubler
.

46
Some of her more presentable Storyville associates …
 Anderson’s visits to Esplanade Avenue and Anna’s Villa, and other details in this paragraph, are from testimony in
Succession of Deubler
.

47
some tough times ahead …
 For the coming reform legislation governing poolrooms, racetrack betting, and alcohol, see especially Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 202–08.

Chapter 11: The Black Hand

The best source for the Lamana kidnapping remains the daily newspaper reports, though Tallant,
Ready to Hang
, 90–137, does a good job of recounting the story accurately and making sense of the plethora of accusations, false leads, and other peripheral details.

  
1
On a warm June evening in 1907 …
 The most complete accounts of the abduction scene are in the NODI of June 14, 1907, and the NODPs of June 15, 1907, and July 7, 1909 (with additional details that emerged in the trials). For the scents of Little Palermo, see, for instance, Morris,
Wait Until Dark
, 85.

  
2
Lamana had one of his horses saddled up …
 For Peter Lamana’s trip to West End, see especially the NODI of June 10, 1907.

  
3
“sewers, dark alleys …”
is from the NODI of June 10, 1907.

  
4
“Your boy is comfortably housed …”
The text of the ransom note is from the NODP of June 11, 1907.

  
5
“cut up in pieces” …
 The threat was reported in the
St. Louis Dispatch
of June 30, 1907

  
6
“Some twelve years ago
 …” is from the NOTD of August 11, 1903.

  
7
a man calling himself Francesco Genova …
 For information on Genova/Matesi and his arrival in New Orleans, see Critchley,
Origin of Organized Crime
, 58. For his Sicilian history, see also Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 819–20.