1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,720 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 2: Zaren Burnette. Elizabeth, it's Mearen Burnette. 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 3: Hey, it's me Elizabeth Dutton. 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 2: I got a question. May know something ridiculous? 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 4: Yes? 6 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 3: No, not Helen Thomas. Me. 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 5: Okay, Zaron Burnett from the Associated Foreign Press. Uh, did 8 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 5: you see this story recently reported about the hikers who 9 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 5: lost their buddy in New York? 10 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 3: They're all worried. Oh yeah, so these these two guys 11 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 3: they were hiking in the Adirondacks in New York, right, 12 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 3: and they got really worried because the third guy who 13 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 3: was with him died. Oh no, I know, right. 14 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 5: So they they then see that they call them stewarts, 15 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 5: like the park Rangers to see the steward, like on 16 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 5: the mountain. They go, hey, we're lost and our buddy died, 17 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 5: and so like in the park Rangers, Stuart, it's like, Okay, 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 5: you guys are messed up. And I just looks at 19 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 5: him and knows they're messed up. Mean, while these guys 20 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 5: are like, okay, he's not helping. They like leave, I guess, 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 5: and they like call nine one one and they report 22 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 5: that their buddy's dead. They're lost or on this mountain Meanwhile, 23 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 5: after they called nine one one, uh, this Stewart was 24 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 5: able to determine that they were incorrect. The friend uh 25 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 5: then called and said that they were not dead. I'm 26 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 5: totally fine, guys. You guys went left, I went right. 27 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 5: It was like so basically they were that high on shrooms. 28 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 5: But they allot these two guys convinced themselves the third 29 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 5: guy was dead and went through a whole thing. I 30 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 5: had like this, the forest rangers looking for him. They 31 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 5: had nine one one looking for him. And then the 32 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 5: buddy called like, hey, I'm lost. They're like, are you 33 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 5: with two hikers? You want a mountain because I need 34 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 5: to connect you guys, And so they connected him and 35 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 5: camp goes. 36 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: Off on a different path. I guess they turned around. 37 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: He's not there, Like he's dead. 38 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: We thought you was Exactly. 39 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 5: Craig died. They meet up at the campsite. That must 40 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 5: have been like one probably second coming of like, since 41 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 5: Jesus you're. 42 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 3: Dad man, have you come back now? 43 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 2: They belong to the Church of Greg Exactly. It's ridiculous, 44 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 2: very ridiculous. Do you want to know what else is ridiculous? 45 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 3: I love ridiculous. 46 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:40,679 Speaker 2: Stealing land, but not in the name of colonialism. Oh oh, 47 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 2: this is ridiculous crime A podcast about absurd and outrageous capers. 48 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: Heis and cons it's always ninety nine percent murder free 49 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 2: and one hundred percent ridiculous. 50 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 3: I know you don't. 51 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 2: I know, I done heard that. This one comes to 52 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 2: us courtesy of Hailey Huntley. 53 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 3: Thank you, Hailey Huntley. 54 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 2: Haley wanted to show some criminal Chicago pride. 55 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 3: Hell yeah, right. 56 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: You and I both love Chicago. 57 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 3: Shout out Chicago. 58 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 2: It's a great city. 59 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 3: I love the whole place, south side, north side, all 60 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 3: of it. 61 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 2: Everything. It's fantastic. It's one of my favorite places. You 62 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: know what's really cool about it. My cousin lives there. Oh, 63 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 2: I mean, so that's God's super cool. That makes it 64 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 2: for him. But Chicago, right, it always brings the realness, yes, 65 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 2: And it brings the crime. 66 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 3: Yes, which is it's America's best kept. 67 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: Secret, it really is. It brings crime in so many ways. 68 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 3: Oh my goodness. Yes, also many of. 69 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 2: Them outside of what we would talk about here. 70 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 3: This is true, very true, has a reputation. 71 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: But I've got a ninety nine percent verder free one 72 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 2: for you. 73 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 3: Do you take a lot of research? 74 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it really did I want to tell you about 75 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: George Wellington's streeter? 76 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 3: Okay, George Wellington Street. 77 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so this is Haley tipped us off. This is 78 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: a good one. 79 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 3: Good look. 80 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 2: He was a native son of Flint, Michigan. 81 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 3: Born in Cargo Transplant. 82 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: Eighteen thirty seven. Whoa so okay at that time Flint 83 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: was a frontier summing. 84 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, he was there when they found He's like, yeah, 85 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 5: he's like, we should call this place Flint. 86 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 2: He's there. He was born into this huge family, thirteen kids. 87 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 3: Oh wow. 88 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: The family was total. 89 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 3: Had nothing to do back then, just a lot to. 90 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 2: Create a lot of just what you got to churn 91 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 2: out workers for the farm. 92 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, a lot of bed tests and a lot of spares. 93 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 3: Disease taken a couple of them. Let's be real, say 94 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 3: of getting kids. 95 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 2: Through exactly, and you know, you got a lot of duds. 96 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 2: Such a high standard, it's like poor poor health and hygiene, 97 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 2: you're eating lead. 98 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 3: You know, it's just it's not a good time. 99 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: The family though, salt of the earth. Yes, good working 100 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 2: class folks, hard working, upright, very patriotic military family. His 101 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 2: great grandpa fought in the American Revolution. 102 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:55,159 Speaker 3: Oh wow. 103 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 2: His grandfather served in the War of eighteen twelve. Oh, 104 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: like this family didn't play deep American roots right serious, 105 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 2: as was common for the freedom its freedom's. 106 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 3: Never freez established it and kept it. 107 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 2: You pay a hefty hefty feet. 108 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 3: Yes, generation to generation. 109 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: It's so it's common at that time among working class 110 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 2: families for the kids to not really have a formal 111 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: education beyond elementary school. 112 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, that's just what happened. 113 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: You know, my grandpa only made it to sixth grade. 114 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 3: There you go, there you go. 115 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: I only made it to fourth grade. 116 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 3: There's backwards. 117 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're going backwards in my family. 118 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 3: I don't know anything past third grade. 119 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 2: I never went to kindergarten. 120 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 3: I still can't spell fourth grade? 121 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 2: Where am I? Where? 122 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 3: Pants? 123 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 2: Are these? My pants? So he didn't go past elementary school. Yes, 124 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,840 Speaker 2: but he had something better street smarts. 125 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 3: Ah, streeter smart. 126 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 2: Oh there it is, good job you're learning. Yeah, as 127 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 2: these street smarts, I feel like flint. Street smarts just 128 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 2: hit different, maybe even back in frontier times. So Streeter 129 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: he also had another quality. He loved spectacle, the able, razzle, dazzle, 130 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 2: the carnival. 131 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 3: Ah, who doesn't you know? 132 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 2: I don't know? No, actually I do well not really. 133 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 3: It depends not a huge. 134 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 2: On the situation. So his early career Streeter's early cruise 135 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 2: basically like a nineteenth century picuresque novel. Seriously, he worked 136 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: as a logger and a trapper. Oh wow, he was 137 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 2: an ice cutter on Saginaw Bay. Yes, he got a 138 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: gig as a deckhand on vessels that navigated Canada's Georgian Bay. 139 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 2: He did a little mining in the iron and copper 140 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 2: regions of Upper Peninsula. He was a sideshow barker at 141 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 2: a carnival. 142 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 3: Dude, are you kidding. 143 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 2: I'm not kidding you. It was around this time that 144 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: a war broke out, the American Civil War. 145 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 3: Oh. 146 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 2: As friend of the show Axel Rose once wondered, what's 147 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,799 Speaker 2: so civil about war anyway? Cue the whistling, It's Chinese 148 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: because christ Civil War, the War of Southern Aggression. Uh. 149 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 2: A Streeter enlisted in the Union Army, and he set 150 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: off to fight for him. Yeah, he set off. I'm 151 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 2: going to fight the traders. 152 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 3: It's a family tradition at this point, a family tradition. 153 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: And he did a good job of it. He was 154 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 2: really good at it. He earned the rank of captain. 155 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: Damn. 156 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: It was a title that he No, I'm never sarcast you. No. 157 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 2: He used that title for the rest of his life. 158 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: Captain post bellum everyone called everyone called him cap. 159 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 3: You very rarely hear that post post. 160 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 2: Let's talk about that cap. 161 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 3: Everyone called him cap, not captain. 162 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 2: No Cap. He said that he fought in all these 163 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 2: major battles, Missionary Ridge, who knows. Here's the thing, there's 164 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 2: no reliable military record that shows that he served as 165 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 2: a Union officer or even as an enlisted man. So 166 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 2: there are all these historians and biograpy. 167 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 3: Make cap records. Not that hard. 168 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: We make records for that. So people have cast out 169 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 2: on that the National Archives and Civil War pension records 170 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: don't have any evidence of his service under the name 171 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 2: George Wellington Streeter. 172 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 3: They were the best of the record keepers. 173 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, I mean, he's born in eighteen thirty seven, right, 174 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 2: so he was eligible. But we don't really know what 175 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 2: he was doing. Tho. 176 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 3: I'm guessing he was running the rivers. 177 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 2: He was a cap in spirit. He already and like 178 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 2: at this point he already had a reputation for exaggerating 179 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 2: and like fabricating his. 180 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 3: Backstorylab I'm telling you he was the model for Captain Crunch. 181 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 3: He had a river boat, he had hat going around. 182 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 2: His persona was like carefully constructed, not doing Captain Crunch. 183 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 2: He posed as this war hero and that would get 184 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: him sympathy from veterans, populous, working class bogs. He would 185 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 2: portray himself as this like self made American fought for freedom, 186 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 2: and this would become central to his myth making later on. 187 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 3: I always tell people that I was an active soldier 188 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 3: in the in the in the Cold War. I tell 189 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 3: people I thought for the Soviets, and I give them 190 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 3: the look and they're like, you aren't even old enough. 191 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 3: I'm like, yeah, you believe me. I like that make 192 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 3: people's day weirder, like. 193 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 2: The front lines of the Cold That's pretty. 194 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 3: Good right there in the front lines. 195 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 2: Well, like Streeter right, his myth making was essential to 196 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,439 Speaker 2: his next gig. He bought a traveling circus. 197 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 3: Oh my god, this. 198 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 2: Thing had all sorts of exotic animals, right, I'm talking porcupines, deer, otters, donkeys. 199 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: He had a white he had a white Normandy hog. 200 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 2: What is a white Normandy hog? And all that came 201 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 2: up were like recipes for some dish. But it's like 202 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,839 Speaker 2: Normandy pig I saw some photos. 203 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 3: You know, is it like a big is it attractive? 204 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 2: It's got long flutter? He didn't say like, hey, come 205 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 2: look at that. How he said, look everyone, it's a 206 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 2: white elephant. Like he told people, is a weight over 207 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 2: it's an easy mistake to make their. 208 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 3: Does it have like a trunk? No? 209 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: In all fairness, though, the thing was ten feet long 210 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 2: and weighed over fifteen hundred pounds. Whatt I paid a 211 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 2: nickel to go see this? 212 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 3: I would do that. Ain't a hog now? 213 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: Once you paid your nickel and you're in there and 214 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: they're like, that's not an elephant, and then you're just like, 215 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: I'm dizzy. The fumes in. 216 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 3: The crowd whatever, that's like the grandfather of hog Zilla. 217 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: That's not a big old pig. A big. 218 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 3: So a lot of plays to drive Arkansas crazy. 219 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 2: Along the way, he picked up. 220 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,679 Speaker 3: A wife money Impressed by the hog, he railed. 221 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,839 Speaker 2: The circus with him. They were our couple. 222 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 3: Community. 223 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. When the circus folded, so did their marriage. See 224 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 2: many signed on to be with a circus baron like 225 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: a big dog. She didn't sign on to be with 226 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 2: a failed circus owner. So she bounced out. She took 227 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 2: all the money he had left with her. There are 228 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 2: some who say that she went off to become a 229 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: vaudeville star. Oh I I could find no evidence of that, 230 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 2: but like, what do I know. I'm just a simple 231 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 2: country lark. I just work here, lady. Yeah, yeah, so Streeter, 232 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: he worked best with a partner. Sounds like in business, 233 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 2: in romance, in life in hogs. So it wasn't long 234 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 2: before he met and married Maria Mulholland. Oh yeah, no 235 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 2: he I think the many took the hog wrote. But 236 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 2: so Maria, right, she's this spitfire, she's feisty, feisty. Gasp. 237 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 2: She became his lifelong partner in both legitimate and illegitimate endeavors. 238 00:11:58,280 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, so. 239 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:00,559 Speaker 3: Good for him. 240 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 2: Hey he bumped her? 241 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 3: Oh he did? 242 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 2: Right, or die Little Bonnie and Clydes. He bums around 243 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 2: as like a ship's navigator on Lake Michigan for a. 244 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 3: While, bumps around, or bums around. 245 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 2: He bumps around. Oops, right, he bummed around, bummed around? Right? 246 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 2: Then maybe headed for dry lands land ho settled in 247 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 2: Chicago in the eighteen seventies. Something happened in Chicago in 248 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 2: eighteen seventy one. That's right, Elizabeth. It was the Great Chicago. 249 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 3: Fire, right, Yeah, so it was reportedly it. 250 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 2: Was ignited late one night when we were all in bed. 251 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 2: Old Lady O'Leary kept a lantern in the shed when 252 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 2: the cow kicked it over. That's what we all said 253 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 2: to be a hot time in the old town. Tonight 254 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 2: got fire, fire, fire, fire, hot town. Someone was a 255 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:45,719 Speaker 2: camp counselor around here. 256 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 3: I'll give you two guests. 257 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 2: The fire was so brutal it burned more than three 258 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 2: square miles of the sat. 259 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 3: The London fire and Chicago fire like the Great Fire. 260 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it killed more than three hundred people. It left 261 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 2: more than one hundred thousand people homeless. 262 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 3: Huge. 263 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 2: One of the structures that was lost was Colonel Woods Museum. 264 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 3: Not Colonel Woods, it was Popcorn Currentel. 265 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 2: It was right right on the corner of Clark and Randolph. 266 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 2: I don't know where that is nothing sure. It was 267 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 2: an amazing monstie of oddities and antiquities, birds, bugs, snakes, paintings, 268 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: no hogs, paintings, model ships, but also a panorama of 269 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 2: the city of London. 270 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,479 Speaker 3: Just a little boys room that they turned into a museum. 271 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 2: A rifle owned by Daniel Boobe. 272 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 3: I'm telling you this is a scale model. 273 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 2: Of the Parthenon, a dinosaur skeleton, mummies, and papyrus sheets 274 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 2: that were once the property of Joseph Smith, founder of 275 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 2: the Mormons. 276 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 3: Maybe a twelve year old boy historical interest. 277 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:56,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a twelve year old boy with maybe one 278 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 2: friend two if they're feeling. 279 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 3: So. 280 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: Everything was lost in the Chicago fire, but Colonel Wood 281 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 2: didn't let that stop him. He picked up a business partner, 282 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 2: a co owner, George Streeter, and together they reopened the museum. 283 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 3: Just a block away. 284 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 2: They found a theater that was like one block over, 285 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 2: just outside of. 286 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 3: The burn zone I told you about. 287 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: And he's like, I know, I'm a hogman, Like I just. 288 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 3: Wanted to one thing. I can partnership a hog man. 289 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 2: But I think I can get into the museum gig. 290 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 2: They started collecting stuff. Yeah, it took a few years, 291 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 2: but they eventually reopened, this time with even more stuff 292 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 2: crammed in there. And it was a big hit really, 293 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 2: But for whatever reason, Streeter cashed. 294 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 3: Out of the venture, out of the curiosity. 295 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's like, I'm no longer curious, which is good 296 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: because the place burned down again less than a decade later. 297 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 2: I mean, you imagine the dust and the must oh. 298 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, and when you're building everything out of wood, everything. 299 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 2: Wood and oily rags. That's how they built everything in 300 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 2: the insolated with oily rags. By that time, though, like 301 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 2: Streeter had moved on. He became a salesman at county fairs. 302 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 3: He moved up in the perfect him. 303 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 2: When he got tired of that, like he was doing 304 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 2: like the slap chop stuff and like, yeah, exactly. Uh. 305 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 2: When he got tired of that, he went back to 306 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 2: Chicago and he did a short stint as the owner 307 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 2: of the Apollo Theater there. It's no relation to the 308 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 2: New York City. Yeah, So he pops up here and 309 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 2: there in the papers like sometimes were good, like when 310 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 2: he was helping shore up a house that had collapsed. Uh, 311 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 2: Like he and some other dudes were like, let's let's 312 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 2: help this guy. 313 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 3: Let's play this. 314 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 2: And then once he was he and his family were 315 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 2: the victim of a crime because they were living on 316 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: this boat and got burgled when they went to the 317 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 2: park that made the paper. He acquired a steamship called 318 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 2: the Rutan. Let's get back on the r e U 319 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 2: T A n routin there you go. It was Maria 320 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 2: who named it. So don't blame me. I don't why 321 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 2: she chose the name. Who knows, who knows, and honestly, 322 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 2: who cares it is. So here's the thing about Maria. 323 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 2: She was a complete alcoholic, like a raging drunk. I'm 324 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: talking like week long benders where no one knows where. 325 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 3: She is, face the bottle and whack out. 326 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 2: Streeter was cool with this. This is quote quote. It 327 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 2: don't matter where she is. She's having a good time 328 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: and I'll come home when she's ready. 329 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 5: Like she's his dog, a really old cats. 330 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 2: He respects the spirit. I So she had a lot 331 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 2: of adventures piloted from the inside of a bottle. And 332 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 2: on one of those benders she made a pal, a 333 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: guy named Captain Bowen. So he told her all about 334 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 2: a revolution going down in Honduras and he's like, you know, 335 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 2: there's this business opportunity for us up here. Anyone with 336 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: maritime skills in a boat and it tastes for danger 337 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 2: and adventure. You gotta get into gun running. 338 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 3: Gun running. 339 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, So he's like, you know what, you take a 340 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 2: load of weapons down there. 341 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 3: The CIA doesn't exist yet, because it's going to be, So. 342 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 2: You're going to pilot your craft up and down the 343 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 2: Honduran rivers, selling the wares to the revolutionaries, just just 344 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:18,400 Speaker 2: you know, put a sign on. 345 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 3: There, trustworthy by gun. Yeah, guns, like. 346 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 2: A lemonade stand sign. There's some debate about whether or 347 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: not a Streeter actually did this. He told everyone that 348 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 2: he wanted to charm, that he had transported weapons by 349 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 2: boat to like a bunch of different Central American uprisings. 350 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 2: Not just he told tales of his daring do outwitting 351 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 2: foreign governments, like narrowly escaping capture. Because you know, he's 352 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 2: a military man from a long line of military men, 353 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: sure for this, And it was on those runs where 354 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 2: he honed his nautical skills. It made him a true salt, 355 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: and it made him more hard boiled than he was before. 356 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 2: So that's what he said. Anyway. The claims have never 357 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 2: been substantiated so far, have no shipping records, no contemporary 358 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: newspaper accounts, no government documents like verifying this gun running actorpts. 359 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 5: He was just like sitting at the beach just staring 360 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 5: at boats, going I'm running guns on that one thing. 361 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 2: Though, Just because there's no paperwork doesn't mean it didn't happen. 362 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 2: Like paperwork. To run guns to a foreign. 363 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 3: Government a successful crime. 364 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's not something you want. 365 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 3: The paper you definitely want, I'll give it to them. Check. 366 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 3: Maybe he did it. 367 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 2: But I must say that historians generally view his alleged 368 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 2: gun running the same way they viewed his supposed Civil 369 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 2: War service, like part of the larger than life persona created. Yeah, 370 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 2: gun running was a genuine occupation for some people, like 371 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 2: adventurers in the eighteen seventies eighteen eighties ADOR's Panama. So 372 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 2: Streeter could have borrowed elements from like those real stories 373 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 2: to fabricate his you know, was his myth. 374 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,679 Speaker 3: Making at the right bar in the right marina or merchant. 375 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:08,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a great website, American Hauntings from Troy Taylor 376 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 2: has an interesting section on Streeter really tracks all these tales. 377 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 2: So historians they say that he Streeter invented these myths 378 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 2: and legends in order to look patriotic, rebellious. It gave 379 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 2: him an air of global experience, and it backed up 380 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 2: that he was capable of commanding ships and like handling weaponry. 381 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 3: Worked brilliantly for Teddy Rosel, and he did that right 382 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 3: all the way to the President. 383 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 2: But see that's the thing he did to the presidency. 384 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 2: Why was it important for George Street? 385 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 3: Why was it important for George Streeter. 386 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,479 Speaker 2: When we returned from this commercial break, we'll look into Yes, 387 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: welcome back. 388 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 3: Gun running. 389 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 2: I know, right, be fun. 390 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:09,439 Speaker 3: I was just sitting on the beach dreaming about it. 391 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 2: Seventies gun running, Yeah. 392 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 3: On a boat that's a steamship, would be some cool stuff. 393 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 2: And then you're all like, heloha, who I have the gun? 394 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 3: Did you want to keep Hawaii? 395 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 2: That was a lot of ad time, by the way, 396 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: at least I'm assuming it is. We have no idea 397 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 2: how many ads? 398 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,360 Speaker 3: What ads? I don't listen to ads. 399 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: Don't blame it. 400 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 3: I never listened to. 401 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 2: Don't blame us. 402 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 3: I only I don't watch ads. I don't keep I 403 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 3: love them. You know what, The ads are the best part. 404 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 3: That's what I listened to shows for. 405 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 2: Just for the ads. 406 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 3: The show. 407 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 2: I skipped the show part. 408 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 3: Just get back to the ads exactly. They're fast and 409 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 3: quick about things I'm interested in. 410 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 2: You know what, zaren close. Yes, I want you to 411 00:20:55,359 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 2: picture it. It's July eighteen eighty six. You are a 412 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 2: Chicago cop walking the beat along the waterfront on the 413 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 2: north shore of Lake Michigan. As you come to the 414 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 2: foot of Superior Street, you notice something. A steamship has 415 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,640 Speaker 2: run aground on the sandbar just off the shore. It's 416 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 2: a muggy summer day. Carriages roll down the road behind 417 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 2: you as you stare out at the boat. The rain 418 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 2: from a common summer afternoon storm has just passed. The 419 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 2: air is thick and oppressive. You reach behind you and 420 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 2: peel your uniform shirt and coat away from your sweaty back, 421 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 2: flapping him a little just to get some air in there. 422 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 2: You walk down Michigan Avenue a bit to take note 423 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 2: of the name of the ship routon. You'll send word 424 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 2: to get a tug to get this thing out of here, 425 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 2: but first you need to make contact with those on 426 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 2: the vessel. You blow your whistle call out towards the 427 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 2: deck of the steamship. A man appears. A slight man 428 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 2: with a big sam Elliot mustache, pops up, adjusting the 429 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 2: pork pie hat on his head. You ask him what happened. 430 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 2: He tells you that he got straight at it on 431 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: the sandbar in the storm. This just can't be true. 432 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 2: That was not much of a storm. You ask the 433 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 2: man his name, Cap Streeter. He yells back, the thick 434 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 2: ropeline slapped lazily against the hull of the ship as 435 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 2: it gently rocks with the waves that lap at the sandbar. 436 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: Just then you hear footsteps. The local alderman approaches you. 437 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 2: He's heard about the stranded boat and came down to 438 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 2: see what was what. It comes from a long line 439 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 2: of sailors on this massive lake, steady talented mariners. What 440 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 2: I'm trying to say, is Aaron, is that this man 441 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,640 Speaker 2: knows boats and piloting the very same. He shouts over 442 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 2: to the man on the boat that it looks to 443 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 2: him like he ran the vessel into the shallows on purpose, 444 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 2: came into it head on. Still, we'll get someone out 445 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 2: here right away to get you loose and on your way, 446 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: tells the man. Streeter stares you both down, and then 447 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 2: clears his throat. He tells you that the area is 448 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 2: unclaimed territory, and not the alderman or anyone else can 449 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 2: tell him to move. He's outside the jurisdiction of the city. 450 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 2: In fact, he continues, he hereby declares this little spit 451 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 2: of land the district of Lake Michigan. He announces that 452 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 2: it is a sovereign entity under his control. Now you 453 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: and the Aldermen look at each other in disbelief. A 454 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 2: crowd has started to form, gathering to watch the spectacle 455 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 2: of a large ship run aground, but now captivated by 456 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 2: this blossoming standoff. You command Streeter to disembark. He laughs 457 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 2: and goes below deck. You grab a paper boy who 458 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 2: stopped with the crowd to take in the show. You 459 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 2: send him to the precinct building to get back up 460 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 2: for you. You tell him to convey the urgency of 461 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 2: this situation. The Alderman tells you he's head in the city, 462 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 2: hauling at the mayor. You've got a situation on your hands, erin, 463 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 2: and it's about to get way bigger than you or 464 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 2: the Alderman could ever imagine. So at the time that 465 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:56,719 Speaker 2: Streeter ran the routine into the sandbarsh Cocko was really 466 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 2: rapidly expanding. So the rebuild from the fire was like 467 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 2: chug along, almost mostly completed. People were investing in Chicago, 468 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 2: and developers wanted more land. They so they did like 469 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,639 Speaker 2: they'd done here in San Francisco. They used landfill to 470 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 2: extend the shoreline. So in San Francisco, and I think 471 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 2: I mentioned this in the Shanghai Kelly episode. So many 472 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 2: ships came pouring in during the gold Rush, depositing hopefuls 473 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 2: at the foot of Market Street, and passengers and crew 474 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 2: alike disembarked. They abandoned the ships on this marshy shore. 475 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 2: So developers just started establishing businesses, hotels, saloons, what have 476 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 2: you in the empty ships. And then they began to 477 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,640 Speaker 2: dismantle them and leave them lay where Jesus flag them, 478 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,439 Speaker 2: filling in that muddy marshy area making more land. So 479 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 2: blocks and blocks of downtown San Francisco are built on 480 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 2: that rough landfill, compacted over time, but still not super stables, 481 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 2: especially in a quake. 482 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 3: Tunnel that you go through a ship. 483 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, Monk Army station goes right through a ship well. 484 00:24:56,160 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 2: And then there's the Millennium Tower is leaning. There are 485 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 2: great stories. I feel like, I can't remember what book 486 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 2: it was that I read it, where in those marshes 487 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 2: they would drive these pilots and they would just keep going, 488 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 2: never to be seen again. But so the same thing 489 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,719 Speaker 2: was going on in Chicago, right. There were ships, but 490 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 2: most of the landfill that was created was when they 491 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 2: contractors would just dump debris on the shore, and Streeter 492 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 2: was all about this, so he he refuses to remove 493 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 2: his boat. Instead, he's like inviting the contractors to come 494 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 2: and dump junk and brick and wood, garbage whatever all 495 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 2: around the ship, just to add real estate to his 496 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 2: sovereign territory. Basically, with every load brought in to expand 497 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: his empire, he claimed ownership of that area. So you know, 498 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 2: if you own something, you can also sell it. At 499 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 2: least that's the idea I've heard this. So Streeter starts 500 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 2: selling bogus deeds to these unsuspecting buyers, and he would 501 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 2: exploit like poor folks. He would like kind of get 502 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 2: a lot of black families who climate thing. But he 503 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 2: would bray about how I'm the champion of the underdog. 504 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 2: So like, pretty soon though, he had one hundred and 505 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 2: eighty six acres of what is now Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. 506 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 2: Are you familiar with the district? 507 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, it lasted, it did. 508 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 2: You're probably familiar with Streeterville and you don't know it. 509 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 2: It's the neighborhood north of the Chicago River, bounded by 510 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 2: the river on the south Magnificent mile portion of Michigan 511 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 2: Avenue on the west Lake, Michigan on the north and east. 512 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 2: So basically it's the Magnificent Mile plus everything east of it. 513 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,120 Speaker 2: What and you know what's in that area like Navy Pier. Yes, 514 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 2: that's Streeterville. 515 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 3: Are you kidding me? 516 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 2: And that's all Phil from him? 517 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 3: Wow, yeah he made. 518 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 2: I mean, the sand Bar was already sort of expansive. 519 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 2: There were already squatters on it. They had set up 520 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 2: all sorts of like dens of sin on there, like 521 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 2: gambling shacks and shift bordella's. 522 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,439 Speaker 3: I mean, most of the Chicago is basically built on 523 00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 3: a swamp. Locals called it and think. 524 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 2: Like yeah, and so the mayor would like evict all 525 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 2: these little squatters off the sandbar, but people would like 526 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 2: sneak back out there. And then Streeter comes along and 527 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 2: it's like, no, this whole thing's mine now, let's just 528 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 2: keep expanding it. And so others though, had already laid 529 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 2: legal claim to the land. So the claimed land on 530 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 2: their included plots already purchased by the Chicago Title and 531 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 2: Trust Company Potter Palmer, who was like a huge landowner, 532 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 2: Nathaniel Fairbank, Marshall Field, Philip Arbor. So basically the fat 533 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:41,479 Speaker 2: cats of Chicago and these fat cats. They teamed up 534 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 2: together to get Streeter removed from their land. 535 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 3: That's yeah. 536 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 2: They wanted this drunken squatter gone, I mean like, and 537 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:51,360 Speaker 2: Streeter was partying it up. He threw these huge parties. 538 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 2: He sold booze even on Sundays, which he wasn't supposed 539 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: to do, And so the elites they were sending the 540 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 2: cops out on the regular. But like Streeter resisted, he said, 541 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 2: they had no jurisdiction off my property. He armed himself 542 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 2: and his supporters with guns. 543 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 3: Oh he meant it. 544 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 2: He and Maria went medieval and poured boiling water and 545 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 2: oil on trespassers. 546 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 3: Are you for real? 547 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 2: I'm definitely for They built these makeshift forts along the 548 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 2: one and eighty six acres, and they used scrap metal 549 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 2: for defense. The place became known as Fort Streeter. Yeah, 550 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 2: and he always called it the District of Michigan, but 551 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 2: he pronounced it. 552 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 3: The District district. 553 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, so everyone started calling it the district and it 554 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 2: was like this, like mad Max style slum. Everyone who 555 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 2: lived there was part of Streeter's army, and their battles 556 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 2: went on for years, bad years. So if the cops 557 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 2: couldn't get the squashed right. Palmer and Fairbank. They thought 558 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: maybe the courts could, so they sued Streeters six ways 559 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 2: to send, but Streeter always appealed and weaseled his way out. 560 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 2: A reporter for the Chicago Tribune went to interview Streeter 561 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 2: in his house on the land in eighteen ninety. It 562 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 2: is the greatest article. Streeter's a great interview. So the 563 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 2: reporter was there because Fairbank had just won his suit 564 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 2: of forcible detainer against Streeter just the day before, and 565 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 2: Streeter was still in the shanty on the land, though, 566 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 2: so he told the reporter that he intended to stay 567 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 2: put until the Supreme Court of State of Illinois tried 568 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 2: to kick him out, and then he promised to fight 569 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 2: them too, and with what, according to the reporter, quote 570 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 2: with a shotgun, with a white bulldog and a stout heart. 571 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 3: Oh bulldogs. 572 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:43,719 Speaker 2: Spot was like a fixture at the shant. 573 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 3: Dog name was Spot. 574 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 2: Spot. The dog was like snoozing under the table while 575 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 2: missus Streeter cooked sausages and like Streeter sat around with 576 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 2: some friends smoking corn cob pipes. 577 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 3: Are you kidding me? 578 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 2: I simply must read you a chunk of this article 579 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 2: because there's no way for me to summurai into it justice. 580 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 2: The reporter transcribes it in their vernacular and pronunciations, by 581 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 2: the way. Quote, I've been a sailorman twenty five years, 582 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 2: said the captain, jamming his tobacco into his pipe with 583 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 2: his thumb, which is a trick all seamen know. And 584 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 2: my name is G. W. Streeter, George W. Streeter, George 585 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 2: Wellington Streeter, said Missus Streeter. But I'm no englisher day 586 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 2: she ain't. Are you never married me? Says missus Streeter. 587 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 2: Vast said the captain. I allus lived board a boat. 588 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 2: I ain't used to live in nowhere else. About two 589 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 2: years ago there was another blow and another night. In 590 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 2: comes here this old tub and stuck around about one 591 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty feet from the shore. She is bigger 592 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 2: than the rootin and I'm moved into her more commodious, 593 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 2: said Missus Streeter. Vast said the captain. I put on 594 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 2: a roof and target, and me and the girl lived 595 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 2: here since then. The dudes said, I had their rob 596 00:30:57,440 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 2: Perrian writes. They ordered me off. 597 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:00,239 Speaker 3: I wouldn't go. 598 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 2: They asked the health department to fire me, and I 599 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 2: fired the health department. They sent the harbor master to 600 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 2: put me off, and that didn't work. Mister Fairbank, he 601 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 2: said he'd burn me down, and I said, I'd shoot 602 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 2: mister Fairbaks whiskers off if he tried it, I would do. 603 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 2: Then mister Fairbak came in his carriage one day and 604 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 2: he was howling mad, I says, says, I'm mister Fairbank. 605 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 2: You look here, I am an American citizen and you 606 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 2: can't come no British lord business over me, I says. 607 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 2: And moreover, mister Fairbank, you can't work no Johnny bull 608 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 2: on me, says I. Because I was born in Michigan, 609 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 2: I says. And you're riparian rights. It's nothing to me, 610 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 2: mister Fairbank, I says. Our rights is more riper than his, 611 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 2: more by token that we was here first, said Missus 612 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 2: Streeter Vast, said the captain. And I'm gonna defend my rights. 613 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 2: I'm gonna claim all this made land as a squatter. 614 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 2: I'm gonna carry it up to the Circuit court and 615 00:31:56,840 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 2: to the Pellet Court and to the Supreme Court. And 616 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 2: if the Supreme Court tries to hiss me, there's my 617 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 2: government papers to run a boat. And if Uncle Sam 618 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 2: don't fight them off, this ain't no land of freedom. 619 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 2: It's unconstitutional, said a man with earrings, rising to spit 620 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 2: in the cookstove. It ain't right, said missus Streeter. Vast, 621 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 2: said the captain, And he rose and took down from 622 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:24,479 Speaker 2: the wall a long barreled shotgun, unpleasantly loaded with tenpenny nails, 623 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:25,480 Speaker 2: and arouse the dawn. 624 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 3: Oh damn loaded. 625 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 2: Nails and shot like this nails. I mean this interview fast. 626 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 3: Oh, I gotta start saying, I says. 627 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 2: And so the article made note of the fact that 628 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: Streeter was holed up in a really nice neighborhood. So quote. 629 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 2: From his front window, he can hear the boom of 630 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 2: the lake and see the breakers piling in ashore. From 631 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 2: his back stoop, he can watch the carriages of the 632 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 2: haughty in the distance. He has only to turn over 633 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 2: in bed to hear the chimes of Saint James's. The 634 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 2: Newberry Library will stand withinhaling distance of his cookstove. Moreover, 635 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 2: the made land which he lays claim to, is worth 636 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 2: many hundreds of thousands. No wonder he doesn't want to move. 637 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, come on, nailed it right? It's something. 638 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 2: So after this, But our rights are riper, so after 639 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 2: the interview, the Tribune like they popped in regularly to 640 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 2: get choice quotes. Street quote. 641 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:29,040 Speaker 3: Fact, he's incredible. 642 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 2: There's an article from juneo of eighteen ninety one where 643 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 2: he laments that the Irish in the neighborhood are worse 644 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 2: than the fat cat Swells said. He had this, he 645 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,480 Speaker 2: has this whole conspiracy theory that fair Bank had hired 646 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 2: gangs of Irish to harass him. And like Streeter and 647 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 2: his wife, they like they breathlessly tell of beating the 648 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 2: buttons off these gang members, like blood flying everywhere, and 649 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 2: they're all excited about it. 650 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 3: It's in the air well. 651 00:33:55,680 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 2: They're like the reporters like, well, what are you going 652 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 2: to do about this? Ironically, he's going to take him 653 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 2: to court. Quote. I've swore out warrants for Jack Dugan, 654 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 2: Bob Dugan, McNally and Sullivan. A gang Irish should come 655 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 2: around here trying to tear down my fence. And they 656 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 2: tried to kill you too, Parr put in, missus Streeter, 657 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 2: can't you be still? Shouted the Mariner And let me 658 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 2: tell it. 659 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,840 Speaker 5: Oh my god, I think if Popeye's grandfather was a 660 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:22,720 Speaker 5: young man, or his father was a young. 661 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,760 Speaker 2: Man, yes, and so on that note, let's take a break. 662 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:28,480 Speaker 2: When we come back, we'll continue to follow the escapades 663 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:51,320 Speaker 2: of old Cap Streeter, Zarin Elizabeth George Streeter. 664 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 5: Now, before we get into back into this, I said 665 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,840 Speaker 5: before the break that it reminded me I picked the 666 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 5: wrong person, you know, it reminds me of a young 667 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 5: Abraham Simpson Homer's dad. 668 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,760 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, and that as was the custom of the day. 669 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 2: It was perfect, exactly, that is exactly it. Well, you know, 670 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 2: if you just let me tell it, as George says, 671 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 2: I just like, can you be still and let me 672 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 2: tell it? Yeah, the fighting in front of the reports, 673 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 2: so you. 674 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 3: Can still picture them, they. 675 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 2: Totally can totally can par You come on now? Par 676 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 2: So George, known to his friends and supporters' Cap, known 677 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,359 Speaker 2: to his enemies as a pain in the rear, known 678 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 2: to me as g W g W Streets wowing to 679 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 2: gg Streets. Over two hundred court cases were filed involving 680 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 2: him between eighteen eighty six and eighteen twenty two hundred, 681 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 2: two hundred. So he had all these eviction orders, but 682 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:50,240 Speaker 2: he kept delaying enforcement through legal trickery. He'd appeal, appeal, appeal, 683 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 2: and then he had this like populist rhetoric. People loved him. 684 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,160 Speaker 3: I would say, how's he affording all these lawyers pro 685 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 3: bono stuff? 686 00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 2: You know, he had a lot of shady business on 687 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 2: the side. In eighteen ninety three, police successfully removed him 688 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:10,120 Speaker 2: Streeterville towed the routine away. Streeter was finally convicted of 689 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 2: assault and sentenced to a year in jail, and that 690 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 2: like temporarily removed to Yeah, but while he was in prison, 691 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:20,799 Speaker 2: developers moved in. But like his legend grew and he 692 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 2: began positioning himself as this populist underdog, a man of 693 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,919 Speaker 2: the people. I'm fighting these corrupt elites. So he gets 694 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 2: out of jail, goes right back to the land, this 695 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:32,000 Speaker 2: time living in tents and cabins. So the boat's gone. 696 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:35,040 Speaker 2: But like you can't get rid of him. That's his land. 697 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:40,560 Speaker 2: So he claimed squatters. He made it. George Streeter, he 698 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 2: was like doubling down at this point. He's issuing these 699 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:44,880 Speaker 2: phony legal decrees. 700 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 3: He legrees emperor. 701 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 2: He says he represents the District of Lake Michigan government. 702 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:56,840 Speaker 2: He issued stamps, seals, he wrote a fake constitution. He 703 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 2: sold these like worthless land titles. And then he would 704 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 2: like appeal to the press with bold speeches, and then 705 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:07,200 Speaker 2: his crazy behavior. He went all in and started holding 706 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:11,160 Speaker 2: mock elections for offices for his invented government. The other 707 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:16,360 Speaker 2: candidates and the guy with the earrings. So he like 708 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,000 Speaker 2: parade around town in military garb, like demanding recognition. He's 709 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 2: like dark Emperor, more serious, evil Emperor. I need to 710 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 2: do an emperor I do anyway, Streeter. So he issued 711 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:32,880 Speaker 2: quote official licenses for street vendors and peddlers to operate 712 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 2: in Chicago streater vendors, not just in his little Yeah, 713 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 2: I'll give you that diplomatic community. 714 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:43,439 Speaker 3: You got hot dogs. 715 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 2: None of this is valid, of course. At one point 716 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 2: his shanty was set upon by a couple dozen cops 717 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 2: and they weren't there on official duty. They'd been paid 718 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 2: by Potter Palmer to strong arms Streeter and his wife 719 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:58,239 Speaker 2: out of this makeshift. 720 00:37:57,520 --> 00:37:58,320 Speaker 3: For George Streeter. 721 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:02,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, Streeter open fire on them. Oh snatch, and then 722 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 2: Maria like whips out a knife and she's just like 723 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 2: slashing out. 724 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 3: She's close with a knife. 725 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 2: She did night close up work. 726 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:08,319 Speaker 3: Yea. 727 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:12,319 Speaker 2: They were arrested, but then they got released because they 728 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 2: said it was self defense. They're like these guys weren't 729 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 2: working as cops. Oh, they were just hired goons. And 730 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 2: who do we We don't know that. 731 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:18,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, sure. 732 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:23,440 Speaker 2: Eighteen ninety nine cops descend again, this time because Streeter 733 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:27,920 Speaker 2: had taken potshots at a police carriage. The military there 734 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,759 Speaker 2: was this military governor William Niles had been called in. 735 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:33,920 Speaker 2: He surrounded the property with arm troops and a cannon. 736 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:36,000 Speaker 3: Oh wait, do you said, what year is this? 737 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 2: Eighteen ninety nine? 738 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 3: Okay, so we have the anarchist issue in Chicago. So 739 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:41,719 Speaker 3: they're dealing, ok. 740 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:44,360 Speaker 5: And that's why there's the Chicago Police are now working 741 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:47,239 Speaker 5: with the military and military governor that it was the time, 742 00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:48,760 Speaker 5: so we could just use that as a. 743 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:51,479 Speaker 2: Sweep up measure, right, And they're like, but like, where 744 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 2: do you get a cannon? They took it from a 745 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:54,160 Speaker 2: park down the road. 746 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:56,320 Speaker 3: Well that's what I'm saying, the anarchists. Everybody was grabbing. 747 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:02,120 Speaker 2: Oh no, but no, not Streeter. The military cannon from 748 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 2: the park and this will work. Well. The cops they 749 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:10,080 Speaker 2: posted up in tugboats that had like gatling guns on them. 750 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:10,920 Speaker 3: Oh geez. 751 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:13,799 Speaker 2: And so like everyone means business and they all move in. 752 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,280 Speaker 2: But there's like some back and forth change. Finally, Streeter 753 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:19,960 Speaker 2: and his guys get captured, but then they got released 754 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:23,680 Speaker 2: because the cops weren't authorized to be there. Also, there 755 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,680 Speaker 2: wasn't yet a law against like shooting at a carriage 756 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 2: and missing. 757 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 3: Are you kidding me, discharger, He. 758 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:31,759 Speaker 2: Wasn't like I was. 759 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 3: It's legal. 760 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:37,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the rich folks person with a bullet like, 761 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:42,839 Speaker 2: he's like violently rich. They got more hired goons kept 762 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:45,000 Speaker 2: at it, so when a bunch of cops broke into 763 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:47,640 Speaker 2: his house while he and the missus were out, they 764 00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:51,320 Speaker 2: confiscated his guns, his AMMO took it back to the station. 765 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,440 Speaker 2: Streeter gets home, sees this, immediately goes to the police 766 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,279 Speaker 2: station and walks in and takes everyone in the building hostage. 767 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:00,760 Speaker 2: I don't know. 768 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:04,680 Speaker 3: Your hostage. 769 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:08,600 Speaker 2: He wants his guns back. He had more guns he 770 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 2: probably they're not there, called ear ring Joe. It was like, 771 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 2: what guns do you have? He's like, I've got some. 772 00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:18,799 Speaker 2: Let me talk to peg Leg Pete Stump down there 773 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 2: with you and so yeah, so he takes everyone hostage, says, 774 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:24,520 Speaker 2: I just want my guns back. Legally, the cops didn't 775 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:26,480 Speaker 2: have a right to just go and take them, so 776 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:28,440 Speaker 2: they gave him back all his weapons and they let 777 00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:32,319 Speaker 2: him just walk home. Yeah, and then like eventually, yeah, 778 00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:35,400 Speaker 2: charges were filed for the incident, but like he charmed 779 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 2: the judge and got acquitted. Anyway, in nineteen hundred, some 780 00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:44,520 Speaker 2: guys showed up at Streeters saying that they were land buyers, 781 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,120 Speaker 2: and like, we just want to talk to George. We're 782 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:49,960 Speaker 2: just here to buy some land. And you know, Streeter's 783 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 2: not home, like he had he had an office in 784 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 2: town where he would it was like his real estate 785 00:40:54,560 --> 00:41:00,360 Speaker 2: office where he would sell the fake land from the office. 786 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 2: So they're like, you know, he's not home, sorry, and 787 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,160 Speaker 2: they're like, okay, great, and then they just burned down 788 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:09,080 Speaker 2: his house. He's not here. So Streeter was not having this. 789 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,680 Speaker 2: This meant war, so he rallied his misfit troops and 790 00:41:12,719 --> 00:41:15,640 Speaker 2: they went to reclaim the territory. Good for the police. 791 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:19,000 Speaker 2: They show up in those strapped tugboats again as well 792 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,160 Speaker 2: as like all manner wagons and like literally hundreds of. 793 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:26,120 Speaker 5: Officers, like a black Mariah with a cannon on it. 794 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:30,160 Speaker 2: It was an extended standoff and so finally Streeter is 795 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,880 Speaker 2: convinced to surrender and once again he gets acquitted of 796 00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:37,719 Speaker 2: all charges. Yeah. So nineteen oh two. That's when things 797 00:41:37,719 --> 00:41:41,560 Speaker 2: went one percent for us. So one of Fairbanks guards 798 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 2: gets shot and killed in the shantytown. A bunch of 799 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,439 Speaker 2: residents get implicated, but it was Streeter who gets charged 800 00:41:48,440 --> 00:41:51,560 Speaker 2: with manslaughter. No one would testify, So the whole thing 801 00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 2: was built on circumstantial evidence. And it was really cloudy 802 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:58,840 Speaker 2: as to like how it happened, where the guy was found, Like, 803 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:00,719 Speaker 2: there are a lot of conflicting reports. 804 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:02,280 Speaker 3: It took to Chicago. 805 00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:04,799 Speaker 2: Yeah, it did matter. Streeter gets convicted and sentenced to 806 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:08,200 Speaker 2: life in prison for real. Yeah, so while he's in jail, 807 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:12,000 Speaker 2: he's in jail awaiting transfer to prison. Maria passed away. 808 00:42:12,800 --> 00:42:15,160 Speaker 2: The paper said that she quote died in a barn 809 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 2: from injuries received in a trolley car accident. Oh yeah, 810 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:21,360 Speaker 2: so I guess it was like. 811 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:23,759 Speaker 3: From wound's received from a kick from a ghast. 812 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:25,520 Speaker 2: I dug around some more, and I guess she got 813 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:29,080 Speaker 2: hit by a trolley car like and suffered for like 814 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:29,960 Speaker 2: a couple months. 815 00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:32,239 Speaker 3: There's a reason her life. The dodgers are called the 816 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:34,960 Speaker 3: trolley dodgers. It was an issue you had dodged that. 817 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 2: He didn't want to go to the hospital. Yeah, and 818 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:42,080 Speaker 2: she probably thought she'd get arrested they anyway, so she 819 00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:46,000 Speaker 2: just hauled up in a barn. December of nineteen oh three, 820 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:48,879 Speaker 2: Streeter made an appeal to the Grand Jury to get 821 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:51,879 Speaker 2: him out of county. He wrote, quote, I have been 822 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:54,480 Speaker 2: in jail for more than a year without a sentilla 823 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:57,440 Speaker 2: of evidence against me. My health is bad. There's been 824 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,880 Speaker 2: one hundred and twenty five citizens signed for my release, 825 00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,600 Speaker 2: and I asked the Grand Jury to recommend it. I've 826 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:04,839 Speaker 2: been juggled all through the courts, and I've been kept 827 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:07,200 Speaker 2: here because there has been money on both sides of 828 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:09,880 Speaker 2: the case. It is a disgrace to civilize people the 829 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:14,280 Speaker 2: treatment I've received. So to many it looked like Streeter 830 00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:18,200 Speaker 2: had been set up, like completely really with the man. Yeah, 831 00:43:18,239 --> 00:43:21,000 Speaker 2: and what do you know, people look into it. He's 832 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:26,440 Speaker 2: granted a full and unconditional pardon and released from Joliet prison. Yeah, 833 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 2: so you know that erases that one percent rip to 834 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:31,920 Speaker 2: the guard. 835 00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:33,680 Speaker 3: So Joliet Jake out of prison. 836 00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:37,920 Speaker 2: Yes, exactly. He gets out and there are just huge parties, 837 00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:42,319 Speaker 2: celebrations to mark his release, dances, feasts, you name it. 838 00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:45,360 Speaker 2: He's a hero in a lot of people's eyes. This 839 00:43:45,480 --> 00:43:49,319 Speaker 2: amazing character nineteen oh six, he hooked up with a 840 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:52,919 Speaker 2: pretty young thing named Alma Lockwood. She's thirty three years 841 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:58,000 Speaker 2: younger than he. They shacked up back in Streeterville, lived 842 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:02,240 Speaker 2: there as the territory, he claim, grew smaller and smaller, 843 00:44:02,239 --> 00:44:04,560 Speaker 2: and pretty soon what was once one hundred and eighty 844 00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:06,960 Speaker 2: six acres was now just his house with a fence 845 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:10,320 Speaker 2: around it. Yeah, so he's still a fun character. He 846 00:44:10,400 --> 00:44:13,680 Speaker 2: still had people over. He ran an underground saloon out 847 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:15,840 Speaker 2: of his house, and he broke the blue laws and 848 00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:18,920 Speaker 2: sold booze on Sunday. And so they told him, you know, 849 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,319 Speaker 2: if you've got to get a liquor license, and even 850 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:23,840 Speaker 2: then you can't sell on Sundays. But like, he refused, 851 00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:26,920 Speaker 2: So there was this court order for him to stop 852 00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:30,960 Speaker 2: doing business. When the deputy showed up to issue the paperwork, 853 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:33,480 Speaker 2: Streeter stabbed him in the bum bum with a bayonet. 854 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:35,120 Speaker 3: Wow, with a bayonet? 855 00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:39,880 Speaker 2: Uh huh. So Streeter gets arrested but then released. Yeah, glads, repete. 856 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,440 Speaker 2: But the cops wanted blood, so they showed up and 857 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:46,440 Speaker 2: they tried to re arrest him. Alma comes out with 858 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:47,200 Speaker 2: an axe. 859 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:48,719 Speaker 3: Where did he get these women? 860 00:44:50,280 --> 00:44:53,840 Speaker 2: Phenomenal women? The cops were able to get it away 861 00:44:53,840 --> 00:44:56,680 Speaker 2: from her, but not before she relieved. Six of them 862 00:44:56,680 --> 00:44:57,480 Speaker 2: are their weapons? 863 00:44:57,840 --> 00:44:58,640 Speaker 3: Of their weapons? 864 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:02,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Reader starts unloading bird shot at him. 865 00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:03,759 Speaker 3: Wow, I love these two. 866 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,880 Speaker 2: So Alma gets arrested for assault with intent to kill. 867 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:09,799 Speaker 2: But here's the thing. The cops that showed up for 868 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:13,920 Speaker 2: that raid never identified themselves as police. They just showed 869 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:17,440 Speaker 2: up wreck shop. And you know what that means. Acquittal. Yes, 870 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:23,160 Speaker 2: Alma gets acquitted. December eleventh, nineteen eighteen, the absolutely amazing 871 00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:26,799 Speaker 2: Streeter legal run came to an end. A judge found 872 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 2: that he had no legal claim to the land all 873 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,600 Speaker 2: that time, and they gave him seven days to clear out. 874 00:45:33,719 --> 00:45:36,759 Speaker 2: His response was, quote, no matter where I live, the 875 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:39,319 Speaker 2: district is mine. Just wait until my boys get back 876 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:43,120 Speaker 2: from France. Well apparently, yeah, his sons were if he 877 00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:45,279 Speaker 2: had sons fighting World War One, plus like you know, 878 00:45:45,320 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 2: some of the residents exactly to be they were legit. 879 00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:53,719 Speaker 2: Though he's forcibly removed from his house. All the belongings 880 00:45:53,719 --> 00:45:55,879 Speaker 2: put into a wagon and then they burned the house down. 881 00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:59,080 Speaker 2: He and his wife lived in the wagon for a 882 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:02,200 Speaker 2: little while. They became like a local attraction. People would 883 00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:07,200 Speaker 2: come and hang out with him. Yes, so he stuck 884 00:46:07,200 --> 00:46:10,680 Speaker 2: around the neighborhood local associations. They threw balls with him 885 00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:14,960 Speaker 2: as the main attraction. Oh no, they like they come 886 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:17,200 Speaker 2: out and like, yeah he would. They'd have a big 887 00:46:17,239 --> 00:46:21,080 Speaker 2: dinner and a dance and fancy dress or what you know, 888 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:26,800 Speaker 2: costumes but like people, and it would just raise funds 889 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:31,239 Speaker 2: for him and whomever. Else. He would file new lawsuits 890 00:46:31,239 --> 00:46:34,000 Speaker 2: against the city and like various wealthy landowners every now 891 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:36,839 Speaker 2: and then, and then they all get struck down. Yeah. 892 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:40,600 Speaker 2: He bought a houseboat called the Vamoose and he lived 893 00:46:40,640 --> 00:46:44,160 Speaker 2: on that and he got a job selling hot dogs 894 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:44,879 Speaker 2: at Navy Peer. 895 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:48,319 Speaker 3: Wow, I knew it come into dogs. He cannot have 896 00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:51,040 Speaker 3: a Chicago story without dogs being sold. 897 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:55,600 Speaker 2: Chicago story to me, and he was just like this 898 00:46:55,800 --> 00:46:56,839 Speaker 2: character about town. 899 00:46:56,960 --> 00:46:57,560 Speaker 3: This is great. 900 00:46:57,760 --> 00:47:00,560 Speaker 2: One day, while he was chopping wood, a big artawood 901 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:02,719 Speaker 2: flew up and hit him in the eye. It got 902 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:07,359 Speaker 2: infected and then he got pneumonia. And on January twenty second, 903 00:47:07,440 --> 00:47:10,080 Speaker 2: nineteen twenty one, at the age of eighty four years old, 904 00:47:10,239 --> 00:47:11,920 Speaker 2: he went to the Great Beyond. 905 00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:14,839 Speaker 3: He got felled by a tree he was chopping there. Yes, yes, 906 00:47:14,920 --> 00:47:15,839 Speaker 3: it seems about right. 907 00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:19,960 Speaker 2: His funeral was huge, hundreds of people, including the Mayor's. 908 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:22,680 Speaker 3: Show say, and the Bishop of Chicago, the archbishop. 909 00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:26,560 Speaker 2: Archbishop, so the mayor shows up. This is from the 910 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:28,480 Speaker 2: Chicago Tribunes reporting on it. 911 00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:29,040 Speaker 3: Quote. 912 00:47:29,600 --> 00:47:33,279 Speaker 2: Curious citizens gathered about the open grave yesterday afternoon to 913 00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:37,560 Speaker 2: witness the ancient mariner's burial. Lured were they by an 914 00:47:37,640 --> 00:47:41,200 Speaker 2: adventurous iliad, which, for more than a generation has made 915 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:45,719 Speaker 2: the district a place of buccaneeric notoriety. An iliad in 916 00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:49,120 Speaker 2: which the cap'n was hector defending his holdings from the 917 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:53,919 Speaker 2: depredations of Gold Coast agamemnons. He'd rather fight than eat, 918 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:58,600 Speaker 2: affirmed one citizen, spitting emphatically upon the fresh turned gravel. 919 00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:02,360 Speaker 2: Dirty shame he couldn't be buried in Streeterville, commented another. 920 00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:06,120 Speaker 2: I'll bet a small boy speaking there's lots of money 921 00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:09,080 Speaker 2: hidden away in the sands down there. I'll bet Up 922 00:48:09,120 --> 00:48:13,040 Speaker 2: the driveway came a grayhearse, followed by numerous machines. The 923 00:48:13,080 --> 00:48:18,520 Speaker 2: grays mechanics alighted, moss reader, veiled but tearless, peered curiously 924 00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:22,200 Speaker 2: into the rectangular hole. The handsome coffin was placed upon 925 00:48:22,239 --> 00:48:26,360 Speaker 2: its braces. The prayer began with l trains grumbling and 926 00:48:26,520 --> 00:48:31,200 Speaker 2: ray clouds hovering overhead. We used to be a proper country, 927 00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:33,759 Speaker 2: with proper journalists and readers who wanted more than like 928 00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:38,120 Speaker 2: just a personal reader. This is just a stringer's piece too. 929 00:48:38,200 --> 00:48:39,480 Speaker 2: There's no byline. 930 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:40,960 Speaker 3: Because someone just commenting on the deck. 931 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:44,120 Speaker 2: It's just the beautiful stuff. 932 00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:46,120 Speaker 3: And the thing is society. 933 00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:48,279 Speaker 2: We were a literate society because we were producing this. 934 00:48:48,440 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 2: Journalists were able to produce this, and there was an 935 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:52,160 Speaker 2: audience for it. 936 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:54,440 Speaker 3: Unfortunately changed. 937 00:48:54,520 --> 00:48:59,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so Streeter, Yeah, I mean it was a lot 938 00:48:59,200 --> 00:49:02,760 Speaker 2: of life says, Yeah, he's gone, but the ven moose 939 00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:06,800 Speaker 2: remains gone. He's gone, leg It was a legit funeral. 940 00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:10,560 Speaker 2: He claimed the land in which he was buried. But 941 00:49:10,600 --> 00:49:14,080 Speaker 2: there's the vamoose right. Alma lived there, at one point, 942 00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:17,040 Speaker 2: suing the city for damages, asking them to repair it 943 00:49:17,120 --> 00:49:19,960 Speaker 2: after another boat moored next to it and banged it up. 944 00:49:21,239 --> 00:49:24,640 Speaker 2: She took over his hot dog business and his fake 945 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:28,239 Speaker 2: land claimed business too. At one point she incorporated the 946 00:49:28,280 --> 00:49:34,439 Speaker 2: Streeterville Guarantee Company in Arizona with a one billion dollar valuation. Yeah, 947 00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:36,560 Speaker 2: and then she was going to use that to sue 948 00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:40,440 Speaker 2: She got busted for moonshining on the vamoose during Prohibition, 949 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:44,799 Speaker 2: like they confiscated a still, but then she was like 950 00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:49,200 Speaker 2: selling bootleg liquor. The Vamoose continued to fall into disrepair, 951 00:49:49,600 --> 00:49:51,719 Speaker 2: mos Streeter would get arrested every now and then for 952 00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:56,040 Speaker 2: defying orders to repair it. Streeter's kids would every now 953 00:49:56,080 --> 00:49:59,920 Speaker 2: and then contest the property ownership in the district, filing 954 00:50:00,120 --> 00:50:03,840 Speaker 2: suit to get claim to the land, always dismissed. Sometimes 955 00:50:03,840 --> 00:50:06,680 Speaker 2: the kids were legitimate, other times it'd be folks claiming 956 00:50:06,680 --> 00:50:08,520 Speaker 2: to be the love child of like Streeter and some 957 00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:11,000 Speaker 2: shanty boiller. Oh wow, yeah. 958 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:14,120 Speaker 3: And do you think that they were like legitimately, No, 959 00:50:14,600 --> 00:50:15,080 Speaker 3: I don't. 960 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:18,719 Speaker 2: Think they were fair. Year by year through the Chicago papers, 961 00:50:18,760 --> 00:50:21,239 Speaker 2: and it was like so thick with these claims and 962 00:50:21,360 --> 00:50:21,880 Speaker 2: these articles. 963 00:50:21,920 --> 00:50:24,320 Speaker 3: There's just so many of us, another Chicago tradition. 964 00:50:24,520 --> 00:50:24,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 965 00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:28,680 Speaker 2: In nineteen twenty eight, the city finally condemned the vemous 966 00:50:28,840 --> 00:50:31,880 Speaker 2: twenty eight gave it a Viking funeral, although they actually 967 00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:33,680 Speaker 2: hoisted it out of the water, let it dry, and 968 00:50:33,680 --> 00:50:39,880 Speaker 2: then set on fire, pour concrete on top, tired it 969 00:50:39,880 --> 00:50:42,640 Speaker 2: into the sun. Alma moved into a room on Howe 970 00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:45,920 Speaker 2: Avenue and sold aprons to make ends meat, and she 971 00:50:46,040 --> 00:50:48,239 Speaker 2: passed away in nineteen thirty six at the age of 972 00:50:48,280 --> 00:50:52,600 Speaker 2: sixty six. The last of the air lawsuits was finally 973 00:50:52,640 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 2: dismissed in nineteen forty. Nineteen forty, he run, yeah, and 974 00:50:57,520 --> 00:51:00,880 Speaker 2: so here we are today. The land was you know that, 975 00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:04,360 Speaker 2: he claimed to Streeterville is one of Chicago's wealthiest and 976 00:51:04,440 --> 00:51:07,680 Speaker 2: most developed neighborhoods, home to Navy peer like I said, 977 00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:12,759 Speaker 2: also John Hancock Center, Northwestern University's medical campus. There's a 978 00:51:12,800 --> 00:51:17,200 Speaker 2: true Chicago folk hero for you, Saren. What's your ridiculous takeaway? 979 00:51:17,680 --> 00:51:22,000 Speaker 3: That was a really fun like rebuilding of Chicago's story 980 00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:24,400 Speaker 3: And I hadn't even heard that one, you know, So 981 00:51:24,520 --> 00:51:26,880 Speaker 3: it was a really fun talking about Chicago in a 982 00:51:26,920 --> 00:51:29,560 Speaker 3: way I had never heard about before. So thank you, Elizabeth. 983 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:32,400 Speaker 3: What was your. 984 00:51:33,960 --> 00:51:34,279 Speaker 2: Take away? 985 00:51:34,440 --> 00:51:35,000 Speaker 3: Elizabeth? 986 00:51:35,719 --> 00:51:39,360 Speaker 2: I went so deep into the Chicago papers at the time, 987 00:51:39,480 --> 00:51:43,160 Speaker 2: and it's like there were so many other little side details, 988 00:51:43,160 --> 00:51:44,600 Speaker 2: some too hideous to talk about. 989 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:46,760 Speaker 3: Were you surprised how often they used to term jag 990 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:47,279 Speaker 3: Off in the. 991 00:51:47,239 --> 00:51:53,760 Speaker 2: Newspaper after post post George in like almost later years, 992 00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:56,440 Speaker 2: things got crazy really that I can't I don't want 993 00:51:56,440 --> 00:51:59,879 Speaker 2: to talk about it. Yeah, I'm sure, but the details 994 00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:03,000 Speaker 2: were just fascinating and you could go down so many 995 00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:05,520 Speaker 2: side rabbit holes. But honestly, what really struck me was 996 00:52:05,560 --> 00:52:06,880 Speaker 2: the level of journalism. 997 00:52:07,239 --> 00:52:09,120 Speaker 3: Yes, it was beautiful letting him just. 998 00:52:09,160 --> 00:52:11,279 Speaker 2: Kind of run for it in the and the interviews 999 00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:14,799 Speaker 2: and getting choice quotes, but it was it was, It 1000 00:52:14,880 --> 00:52:18,200 Speaker 2: was a pleasure going through all the newspapers on that 1001 00:52:18,400 --> 00:52:19,279 Speaker 2: what I do need. 1002 00:52:19,480 --> 00:52:21,640 Speaker 3: I miss being illiterate society. 1003 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:23,480 Speaker 2: Oh my god, seriously, you know. 1004 00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:24,840 Speaker 3: I mean like I know that it's it's wild and 1005 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:27,640 Speaker 3: whatever things changes, it's going to happen. But like for 1006 00:52:27,680 --> 00:52:28,640 Speaker 3: all the writers who are like. 1007 00:52:28,760 --> 00:52:30,920 Speaker 5: People are going to be reading my books for Milan, 1008 00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:32,319 Speaker 5: I'm like, not even one hundred years. 1009 00:52:32,320 --> 00:52:35,359 Speaker 2: No, no, no, because it's all headlines and people don't 1010 00:52:35,360 --> 00:52:38,480 Speaker 2: even read a whole headline and then they comment on 1011 00:52:38,560 --> 00:52:42,799 Speaker 2: things without having read it, just to whatever. Yeah, it's a. 1012 00:52:42,719 --> 00:52:45,160 Speaker 3: Shame that because also thinking, clear thinking comes along with 1013 00:52:45,160 --> 00:52:45,719 Speaker 3: that kind of good. 1014 00:52:45,680 --> 00:52:49,080 Speaker 2: Right, completely completely. But in the art of the language, yeah, 1015 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:53,279 Speaker 2: the poetry of it, play around with it. I need 1016 00:52:53,280 --> 00:53:01,319 Speaker 2: to talk back, David. 1017 00:53:04,120 --> 00:53:04,520 Speaker 3: I went. 1018 00:53:07,960 --> 00:53:10,600 Speaker 4: Hello to all the fine folks at Ridiculous Crime. I 1019 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:13,120 Speaker 4: was just listening to your mascot episode, and I had 1020 00:53:13,160 --> 00:53:17,480 Speaker 4: to laugh to myself because my partner is and was 1021 00:53:17,600 --> 00:53:21,360 Speaker 4: a mascot from Anything, and they tell me all the 1022 00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:26,040 Speaker 4: time about all the like super mean and irritating and 1023 00:53:26,120 --> 00:53:28,600 Speaker 4: just violent kids they deal with. So it was kind 1024 00:53:28,600 --> 00:53:31,400 Speaker 4: of funny and a little bit cathartic to hear about 1025 00:53:31,400 --> 00:53:34,000 Speaker 4: Gritty kind of like smacking them back a little bit. 1026 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:36,319 Speaker 4: That's so funny. Keep it up, y'all. 1027 00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:40,600 Speaker 2: Yes, that's the thing. I've seen kids like go nuts 1028 00:53:40,760 --> 00:53:44,200 Speaker 2: in there. They're horrible rible. 1029 00:53:45,000 --> 00:53:48,680 Speaker 3: I with Gritty Man, Yeah, check a kid. 1030 00:53:51,280 --> 00:53:53,920 Speaker 2: That's right. That's all for today. You can find us 1031 00:53:53,920 --> 00:53:55,759 Speaker 2: online at Ridiculous Crime dot com. 1032 00:53:55,800 --> 00:53:56,200 Speaker 3: Do you know what? 1033 00:53:56,239 --> 00:54:00,799 Speaker 2: That's just one the Beauty of Dance Award, Yes, from 1034 00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:01,759 Speaker 2: Walmart dot com. 1035 00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:03,879 Speaker 3: We were so excited when we got nominated. I didn't 1036 00:54:03,880 --> 00:54:04,560 Speaker 3: think it was a chance. 1037 00:54:04,600 --> 00:54:07,799 Speaker 2: The Walmart dot Com Awards are really prestigious, very much. 1038 00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:10,200 Speaker 3: So it was us in Conan O'Brien out there, and 1039 00:54:10,239 --> 00:54:11,880 Speaker 3: I was like, really excited to be in such a 1040 00:54:11,920 --> 00:54:12,640 Speaker 3: illustrious company. 1041 00:54:12,719 --> 00:54:14,200 Speaker 2: That's gonna be really good ceremony. 1042 00:54:14,360 --> 00:54:15,880 Speaker 3: Who knew he couldog dance like that? 1043 00:54:16,200 --> 00:54:21,800 Speaker 2: Who tears it up? Pizza Lionza. We're also on Blue 1044 00:54:21,800 --> 00:54:26,280 Speaker 2: Sky and Instagram. You can find us on YouTube, Ridiculous Crime, Poda, 1045 00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:32,000 Speaker 2: Fabulous Animation, Yeah Love. Email Ridiculous Crime at gmail dot 1046 00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:35,359 Speaker 2: com and leave us a talk back on the iHeart app. 1047 00:54:35,400 --> 00:54:44,640 Speaker 2: Please reach out. Ridiculous Crime is hosted by Elizabeth Dutton 1048 00:54:44,680 --> 00:54:47,720 Speaker 2: and Zaren Burnett, produced and edited by the Right Honorable 1049 00:54:47,800 --> 00:54:51,560 Speaker 2: Duke of the District of Lake Michigan Dave Cousten, starring 1050 00:54:51,600 --> 00:54:56,200 Speaker 2: Annals Rutger as Judith. Research is by The Unthinkable Marissa Brown. 1051 00:54:56,560 --> 00:55:00,000 Speaker 2: The theme song is by Shantytown Roustabouts Thomas Lee and Travis. 1052 00:55:00,680 --> 00:55:03,640 Speaker 2: The host wardrobe is provided by Botany five hundred. Guest 1053 00:55:03,680 --> 00:55:07,560 Speaker 2: hair and makeup by Sparkleshot and mister Andre. Executive producers 1054 00:55:07,560 --> 00:55:10,839 Speaker 2: are Houseboat Repairman Ben Bollen and Navy Peer Hot Dog 1055 00:55:10,880 --> 00:55:21,520 Speaker 2: Empresario Noel. We're All Redous Crime, Say it one More 1056 00:55:21,560 --> 00:55:23,480 Speaker 2: Timequeous Crime. 1057 00:55:24,520 --> 00:55:27,880 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio Four More Podcasts. 1058 00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:31,200 Speaker 1: My Heart Radio visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 1059 00:55:31,200 --> 00:55:33,000 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.