Post St. Blues-Fiona at the library

[Dave]

Prohibition went into effect on January 16, 1920, so the liquor was illegal, but Dagwell and Slade were evidently not turning the booze in to authorities. I wonder if this was the same Charles M. Dagwell who was fired as chief in 1897 or if this was possibly his son. The article does say he had an exemplary record, but the newspaper's memory could be short.

[fiona]

May 9, 2010 21:39:27 GMT -5 jon said:

CHIEF DAGWELL'S DEFENSE

Q. Has the business in these places been suppressed or broken up?
A. In some cases it has been broken up and in some cases not. The Geoghegan place has been broken up but not stopped; the Mackin place has been broken up and he has left town; other people have carried it on; it has been suppressed for a time; it is suppressed there now and has been since the resolution of the board November 22; don't know that 87 Liberty street has been suppressed; Mary McCarthy was on Post Avenue; don't know that there were any houses of ill repute on Post Avenue; there have been three off and on, and in some cases colored men have layed with white women; the business has been suppressed and the inmates have been sent to the penitentiary, but others go right in; the Norton place at 97 Liberty street has had the reputation of a house of ill fame for several years; have known the reputation of Bertha Livingston's place, 97 Liberty street, to be bad for two years; the business there has been suppressed since November 22; I would not say Glynn's was a house of bad character; he was arrested for having a row there; Two women were brought from there; it was a ladies' sitting room; a ladies' room is a place where women go to drink; some times their purposes are doubtful; I have thought this for six months; the proprietor has been brought here and talked to about this place; this was done on my report and that of Officer Barry and other officers; he was talked to by the chief; the chief told him what he might expect if he did not conduct his place in an orderly manner; police officers were instructed to visit his place frequently; Mrs. Gorman was never arrested for keeping a disorderly place to my knowledge.

[fiona]

I tried to do a quote: What just caught my eye: last line above: "Mrs. Gorman was never arrested for keeping a disorderly place to my knowledge. " This is very interesting. perhaps she was never arrested, however, she supplied the prostitutes, young girls, 12 and up, to Wolff's Imperial Hotel, just across the road on Whitesboro St. This was a well known case which I have written about before, part of the basis for the OGH novel, or at least some of the characters provided. One can go back to Clippers where I have written about John karl and Carrie Cobb. I just randomly came across this story while reading an old Saturday Globe at the OCHS several years ago. The story just lit a fire under me. And to top it all off, Wolff and his wife were convicted and told to "leave town". I have copies of some of the original articals. Do you want me to send them to you? A lot of info will also be found just by googling: Jon Karl and carrie Cobb and , of course, a lot is up on the Fulton. To answer your question, Dave: I do believe it was Chief Dagwell who was fired after the Cobb case broke. More research may show that this is true. The murder and his handling of it was his final undoing.

[jon]

THE BURGLARS
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ALL IDENTIFIED[/size]
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Good Work By The Police[/size]
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The Rome Express Office Robbed - The Negro Thief's Plunder - Another Negro Wanted - The White Boy Arrested - The Albany Thieves Wanted for Burglary[/size]
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The Observer's account of the street and capture of the three burglars, Jackson, the negro, and two white men, McCormick and Nolan, contained all the facts in the case up to the hour of going to press.

[jon]

THE ALBANY THIEVES

Nolan the Albanian who had the fine overcoat, became more communicative during the day. He was recognized by the police as a former waiter at the Marble Pillar saloon in Albany. He informed our reporter that.

WHISKY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JOB

and said he had not been out any night before Sunday in several months. If he had not been drunk he would have been home. He claims that his parents are dead, that he has been working on the lake, and recently upon the new Capitol at Albany. In a crossbar chat with McCormick, who was separated from Nolan by two cells, he said:

"TOM THOSE CLOTHES WERE TOO GOOD!"

Roth he and McCormick said they had been afraid to come near Utica knowing that the police of this city invariably nabbed suspicious characters. They left Albany with the intention of committing a burglary in Little Falls, and got to Utica by mistake. Nolan admits that he knows "Billy Crossman," which is one of the names under which Rogers, the Paterson & Day burglar, is known, but denies that he aided him in that job. McCormick says Rogers real name is McGraw, and that he is an Albanian. Rogers says Nolan made the entry into Patterson & Day's and opened the doors. He followed him to New York, and "gave him away" to the police of that city because he was dissatisfied with the division of the "swag." Nolan says he can prove an alibi.

[jon]

DREADS THE PENITENTIARY

McCormick says he has served one term in the Albany penitentiary, and he would rather go to the Clinton prison for three years than to have six months in Albany.

WANTED

As we stated yesterday information of the arrest of these thieves was sent to Albany yesterday. Chief Maloy telegraphed that they were wanted in Albany for a burglary committed on Sunday night. Two detectives came to Utica at 3:30 a. m. to-day and one of them returned with the prisoners at 4:30 a. m.

THE NEGRO JACKSON

The negro thief arrested with a bundle of John McAdam's clothing in his possession became better natured during the day than he was in the morning, He was identified as a canal driver, who had been seen hanging around Post Avenue for the past month.

[jon]

PLANNED

The police learned that Jackson another negro and a white boy named Thomas Doran, had left Utica at 9 p. m. Monday for the purpose of committing a burglary in Rome. The exact work was not known until an Observer reporter gave the police the information that the American Express office at Rome had been robbed of a trunk owned by John McAdam, of Lee, which had been shipped from Fonda, a quantity of books belonging to the agent, Mr. Aikins, and an overcoat owned by one of the employees. A telegram was then received in answer to Chief McElwaine's letter telling him to hold the prisoner. The burglary was effected through a window. The truck was found broken open and robbed of the greater part of it's contents in Solden's lumber yard by Officer Coates.

JACKSON'S STORY

Assistant Chief Carver informed Jackson that his crime was known, and told him he had better tell the truth. Jackson at first claimed to have been hired for $2 to carry the bundle to some white man's place at a negro and white boy. When he found that the story was too thin he admitted that another negro and a white boy had gone to Rome with him. He did not tell their names and would not give any particulars.

[jon]

THE WHITE KID CAUGHT

Assistant Chief Carver locked Jackson in his cell again and went to Post Avenue, where he found the "white kid." Doran says he is but eleven years of age. He is small in stature, but has a very old face. He was formerly employed by Roswell B. Smith, of Rochester Towing Company, and says his home was Kalamazoo, Mich.

ANOTHER COAT FOUND

The boy informed the police where the overcoat stolen from the express office could be found. Officer Wheeler went to the place and found the coat inside the fence of the back yard of Bagg's Hotel. The other negro thief will probably be caught, as he is well known,

WORKING HIS PASSAGE

The large bundle of goods owned by McAdam was made into a package about 4:30 p. m. and the negro Jackson was obliged to shoulder his plunder and march down Genesee street, handcuffed to Chief Croalt, of Home, who carried McAdam's white shirts rolled up in a piece of cheese cloth. This pair attracted considerable attention. "Daniel could be distinguished from the other lion" - by his neat blue police uniform. As the Chief was in a hurry there was no time to get their pictures taken. Jackson is undoubtedly in for a long term, and the boy will probably go to Refuge.

THE VICTIM

The Albany Express says J. H. Van Antwerp, Esq., of Lodge street, was the victim of Nolan's and McCormick's rascality. They stole two overcoats and a hat from him.

UTICA DAILY OBSERVER - 1873

[jon]

PASSING OF "DE AVE"

Negotiations for the Sale and Improvement of Post Avenue Property[/size]

James W. Dwyer and Charles Kilkenny are negotiating with representatives of the estate of the late Charles W. Hutchinson for property fronting on Elizabeth street, Burnet street and Post Avenue. This includes the entire block bounded by Burnet, Elizabeth and Charlotte street and Post Avenue, except the property at the corner of Charlotte and Elizabeth streets, which is owned by the Young Bakery company. Many old rookeries are now located on the property, and they are occupied by secondhand clothing stores and colored people.

If Misters Dwyer and Kilkenny secure control of the property it is understood that all the present buildings will be torn down and new structures built. About 22 families are now living in the Hutchinson property.

This advance of business into the section of the city known as "The Avenue" means that the colored population of the city must soon seek another place. The improvements will practically obliterate Post Avenue. It has been for some time been an eyesore to the city.


UTICA MORNING HERALD - JULY 24, 1899

[jon]

[fiona]

Yes, wasn't that great and well written? Well, Dave, I think the copyright of the newspaper has long since expired and the characters are yours to do with as you wish. There is a great book here just waiting for an enterprising author to come along. wink, wink. Why not make it a companion set to On Genesee Hill and call it On the Avenue?

[jon]

LEBE DIS TOWN? NO, SAH!
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Adalaide Wallace Back in the Toils Despite Recent Warning[/size]

Adalaide Wallace, a colored woman whose Judge O'Connor ordered out of town, two days ago, fell into the police tolls again last night, after she had gone on the rampage on Post Avenue. Adalaide started on a window breaking tour.

Frank Louders, a vagrant, who had been menacing people in the vicinity of the railroad stations, was arrested by Sergeant Berry last night.

Martin McDonald was arrested by Policeman Clark for the nominal charge of vagrancy. William Sliterly, the proprietor of the lodging house near the corner of Liberty and Seneca streets, charged that McDermott owed him a bill for three weeks board.

Mary Lucey was arrested on the charge of drunkenness. It took three policemen as well as her husband and son to subdue her.


UTICA SUNDAY JOURNAL - JANUARY 14, 1906

[fiona]

I would wonder if this was the same Charles Dagwell who was reduced in rank to officer in 1898? Would he not be a bit old for this position now, as an officer? The charges fit the prior description of his personality. From what I have gathered after reading some of the articals on the John Karl- Carrie Cobb case, Dagwell (chief Dagwell) was on the take. This is just an inference from my readings.

[fiona]

This piece is from " Vingettes Of Old Utica", by the late Judge John J. Walsh, published in 1982, pgs 309 -310.

The original location of the black residents in the pioneer days of Utica was at the eastern end of Main Street and the little colony was called "Hayti." At that time the blacks were " hewers of wood and drawers of water." The men were employed in poling boats up the Mohawk river. One who was especially strong was Joseph Pancko, who had on his shoulders huge bunches of callouses where he set the end of the pole when he pushed the flat boat along. Others were employed as hostelers in the stage coach and livery stables ,or acted as coachmen for the rich, while the women worked in the laundry and kitchens of private homes, boarding houses and hotels. In time, however, the property on Main Street became too vauable as building sites for businesses and the cheapest land was south of the Erie Canal. On John Post's original purchase was a small lane running easterly from Charlotte street to Burnet Street. Post Street, as it was known, was through swampy land that had once been a pine forest. By the 1840's the trees had been cut but the stumps remained. History recounts that the blacks moved to Post Street because:
"there they could grub from the ground the resin filled roots of the pines which made good kindlings which could be sold for a penny a bunch to the residents of Utica.Those were the days when wood was the only fuel and kindlings were in demand, for fires had to be built anew every morning." The blacks who lived on Post Street were poor, but most owned the little houses in which they lived. they were a joyous people who enjoyed music, singing and dancing: there was Joe Pell, a man of great strength and giant frame whose work by day was sawing wood and by night sawing a fiddle. He was the soul of good nature and his laugh would be impossible to describe, but once heard it could never be forgotten. It was the heartiest, most vociferous laugh that ever welled up from a man's heart. The Lord had blessed him with a big family of boys, at least enough to form a baseball club, called 'The Fearless." Like him, they were musical. It was a social and musical neighborhood and at one time boasted of a full brass band. The street also boasted of quite a number of banjo players and the vocal music was even better. On summer evenings they filled the steps and you could sit all night and listen when conditions were right." (Daily Press) The early efforts of the blacks to form religious societies had been sporadic and short lived. During the cival war when the numbers of ex- slaves from the South began to increase, the Reverand P.H. Fowler, then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, took steps to establish a mission in the vicinity. He was aided by Theodore. S. Faxton, Judge William J. Bacon, and James Sayre. who raised funds to build a small chaple, which became known as Hope Chaple. This little frame building, located on the north side of Elizabeth Street, just east of the later erected Paul Building, (originally built as a bakery by George Young) and opposite the Oneida County Court House, was in use until 1916, when it's dilapadated condition made a new church edifice necessary. Under the direction of Edward L. Wells, a lot, 60 by 150 feet, on Catherine Street, between First and Second street, the rear half of the Merritt peckham property, was purchased for $2000.00 and a brick chapel erected for a cost of $8,500.00. Post Street was the enclave of the blacks during most of the nineteenth century, but by 1894, the encroachment of business buildings on Elizabeth Street and the erection of livery stables and warehouses on Bleecker Street caused a displacment of the blacks on Post Street, leaving only 54 in 6 houses. In 1912, when the city took over the site on the corner of Elizabeth and Burnet Streets for a central fire station, Post Street became entirely deserted as a place of residence.

[jon]

THE WHITES AND BLACKS
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Ragage in a Scrap at Jay Street Yesterday - Very Lively for Awhile[/size]

Yesterday afternoon Officers Coakley, Hill and Quick were called to J, E. B. Thon's warehouse on Jay street to quell a disturbance between the whites and the blacks. The trouble between the colored people and the men of the boats has been brewing for some time. A boat load of paint was tied up at the rear of the warehouse, and to get the cargo off in a hurry negros were hired. The employees of the boat and a few other whites were helping to unload and some careless words set the spark going.

The captain of the boat, with his wife, a daughter, 18 years old, and a son, lived on the cabin of the boat. A negro commenced to swear and use very foul language, and "Paddy," the mule driver, allowed as how he'd "better close dat gap." The darkey made an insulting answer and "Paddy" promptly knocked him down. The man jumped up and they clinched. "Paddy" was taken off his guard and tripped over a block falling on the deck of the boat. The negro grasped a hook and was about to brain Paddy, when the revolver in the hands od the captain made him think the better of it, and also turn red, green and white.