Jul 14, 2016 these men ran their respective communities with the power they got from dennisons political, criminal and social machine, and because of dennisons power, there were several african american crime bosses in north omaha in the early 20th century. River city empire, tom dennison s omaha by orville d. Thomas tom dennison 18581934 find a grave memorial. In those days, tom dennison was the crime boss and mayor james, cowboy jim, dahlman was his political cohort. Tom dennison, aka pickhandle, old grey wolf, was the early20th century political boss and racketeer of omaha, nebraska. Black and white men hurled rocks at each other and at the passing vehicle. Although never part of the dennison organization, he was always ready to look the other way when it came to vice and crime in omaha. Thelma shepherd was riding back to her chicago apartment on july 27, 1919, when her streetcar came under attack. Tom dennison political boss 18591934, political boss in omaha, nebraska in the early 1900s.
During his nearly 40 years as boss of the citys 3rd ward, his power was felt in. More than any other political boss of the early twentieth century. Kings features fictionalized portrayals of more than a few prominent figures in omaha history including machine boss tom dennison, gamblerpanderer billy nesselhous, and prostituteturnedreformer josie washburn, among them along with some real events that took place during that era. Menard more than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison, the rogue. He stated throughout his life that he never hurt anybody, and never had any real political pull. Tom dennison s omaha is a detailed study of the political machine that ran omaha from 1900 to 1932. Sep 01, 2019 tom dennison, the political boss of omaha in the early half of the twentieth century, was born in iowa around 1858 to irish immigrant parents. Oct 30, 2017 dennison had a protege, but it was a little bit earlier, around 1912 or so, wheeler said.
The book looks at the history of federal court in nebraska, including the trials of chief standing bear and political boss tom dennison. Tom dennisons politicians were always in the majority, says menard, the author of river city empire, a book about omahas underworld history that ends with dennisons trial. The mans crimes were many, but his most reprehensible may have been inciting the infamous omaha race riot of 1919. Theodore wheelers debut novel, kings of broken things, recounts the 1919 omaha riot involving boss tom dennison through the eyes of two young men, jake strauss and karel miihlstein. His first wife ada is buried next to him, as are two babies john and. Smith 18601930the reformist mayor of omaha nearly lynched by the white mob who requested us army intervention in the riot.
Tom dennison omahas most hyped political boss, tom dennison, lived at 1507 yates st in a twostory wood house from 19021919. In 1910, one estimate put the number of prostitutes in the city at 2,500 women. A crime boss by the name of tom dennison dominated omaha for the first three decades of the twentieth centuryuntil he crossed paths with attorney general. None of the following stories are complete without digging into the old grey wolf himself. Born in iowa in 1858 of irish immigrant parents and moving to nebraska at the age of two, tom dennison left. Orville d menard more than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison, the rogue who ruled omaha, was a master of the devious. More than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison. Built in 1929, the buford house was the residence of harry buford, a welltodo member of the black community who was apparently associated with the political organization of city boss tom dennison. A history of early 20th century crime bosses in north omaha. The man who fought the omaha mob and eventually won. Controlled by omaha s political boss tom dennison by 1890, criminal elements enjoyed support from omaha s perpetual mayor, cowboy jim dahlman, nicknamed for his eight terms as mayor. During his nearly 40 years as boss of the citys 3rd ward, his power was felt in omaha and, to some extent, throughout nebraska. A crime boss by the name of tom dennison dominated omaha for the first three decades of the twentieth centuryuntil he crossed paths with attorney general c. Tom dennison s omaha, 19001933 by orville d menard book.
Omaha, once the land of the kings of broken things memaha. The article details the condition and current use or nonuse of several giant vaults that remain under the streets and sidewalks of downtown omaha. In the first two decades of the 20 th century, omaha had acquired the reputation of a wide open city controlled by a political machine run by tom dennison. It took a while, but i was finally able to track down the exact address and approximate location of tom dennisons estate house. His influential reach encompassed everything that went on in the city, including the lynching. Tom dennison s omaha orville d menard more than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison, the rogue who ruled omaha, was a master of the devious. Aug 25, 2017 theodore wheelers debut novel, kings of broken things, recounts the 1919 omaha riot involving boss tom dennison through the eyes of two young men, jake strauss and karel miihlstein. That was the face of omahas crime syndicate in the early 20th century. Kings of broken things novel recalls omahas mob machine. More than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison, the rogue who ruled omaha, was a master of the devi. Please note, some of the information on this page is outdated. Menard chronicles dennisons life in river city empire, beginning with dennisons experiences in colorado mining towns.
Doc said the previous owner, barb bishop, told him. Omaha political boss leads to irish familial clues. About the book more than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison, the rogue who ruled omaha, was a master of the devious. Dec 09, 2011 tom dennisons northwest omaha home at 7510 military ave. The next day, the omaha bee a peddler of yellow journalism that reportedly had close ties to political boss tom dennison reported that a black beast had assaulted a white girl and robbed her companion, milton hoffman. Before coming to omaha, he served as a buffalo soldier, and when he first got to the city, he worked as a police officer. Downtown sidewalks conceal a hidden world underground.
He also lived on florence boulevard after that, but only for a few years. Tom dennisons omahawas just reissued last november by bison books. Red summer revisited a new novel recalls the 1919 omaha. Tom dennison political boss 18591934, political boss in omaha, nebraska in the early 1900s tom dennison one life to live, character from the soap opera one life to live disambiguation page providing links to topics that could be referred to by the same search term. Pictured here in 2006, shortly before it was demolished. Youll need good auto insurance and a weight loss plan. Kings of broken things novel recalls omahas mob machine the. Dennison was a flintyeyed frontier gambler from the old school he ran dance halls in the tough mining towns of colorado before drifting into roughandtumble omaha around 1891 and setting up a. In 1892 dennison came to omaha, nebraska, where he married and started a family while solidifying his position as an influential political boss. After his arrival in omaha in 1892, tom dennison nicknamed the grey wolf controlled the citys streets for more than 30 years. The story of the demise of dennisons empire is told in the fall 2015 issue of nebraska history. Tom dennisons politicians were always in the majority, says menard, the author of river city empire, a book about omahas underworld. By the time of world war i, omahas boss had complete control of the city. Long before doc fell in love with the house in the late 70s, the home belonged to tom dennison, omaha s notorious political crime boss.
It was 1931, and tom dennison reigned as the undisputed king of. The author has opened a window into omahas shady past, showing the reader why political reform was a dire necessity. He didnt live there long, and his involvement in omaha politics and crime was all but through by then. The story of the demise of dennison s empire is told in the fall 2015 issue of nebraska history. Tom dennison one life to live, character from the soap opera one life to live. Omahas al capone and the trial that changed the citys. Tom dennison, the political boss of omaha in the early half of the twentieth century, was born in iowa around 1858 to irish immigrant parents. The value of the book is further seen in the followingrandomly selected contributions. Dennison, the mob boss and political machine, ran omaha during that time. The only known copy of this book is in the byron reed collection of. Truth exalted, and the peaceable fellowship and exercise thereof vindicated against the abusive clamours of a dividing false spirit.
Menard explores machine politics in omaha as well as the man behind this machine, describing how dennison steered elections, served the legitimate and illegitimate business communities, and administered justice bossstyle to control crime and. This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. Home american history tom dennison, omaha political boss. Many of these early pioneers are buried in prospect hill cemetery. Jul 11, 2014 river city empire, tom dennisons omaha by orville d. Longtime professor of political science at the university of nebraska at omaha. Thomas dennison was a political boss of omaha, nebraska, during the.
Dennisons legacy is one of legend and hearsay, as well as history. Tom dennison s omaha book online at best prices in india on. Ca sorensen and the downfall of omaha crime boss tom dennison. The author has opened a window into omaha s shady past, showing the reader why political reform was a dire necessity. And, in 1860, his parents made an exodus from delhi, iowa near dubuque to an irish colony named st. The omaha worldherald ran this profile of menard last week, detailing menards career as an academic, writer, family man, and mentor of, among others, chuck hagel.
Pickhandle, old grey wolf i could throw a couple more nicknames in there myself, starting with variations on psycho. Winning elections, serving the legitimate and illegitimate business communities, and administering justice boss style controlled. Menard 20, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Omaha luxury home and estate in legacy at 17275 valley. Sorensen and the downfall of omaha crime boss tom dennison. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. A politically savvy, culturally astute gambler, dennison was in charge of the citys wide crime rings, including prostitution, gambling and bootlegging in the 1920s. Unlike his contemporaries outside the midwest, he took no political office and was never convicted of a crime during his thirtyyear reign. Menard chronicles dennison s life in river city empire, beginning with dennison s experiences in colorado mining towns. Unlike his contemporaries outside the midwest, he took. Blechas book, cigars and wires, recounts omahas criminal past. The location of the buford house on the west side of 30th street indicated the status of the buford family in omaha during a time of racial. Tom dennison, aka pickhandle, old grey wolf, october 1858 february 1934 was the early 20th century political boss and racketeer of omaha, nebraska. It is more of a textbook study of the subject, with indexed notes after each chapter showing where the information came from.
Theodore wheelers debut novel, kings of broken things, recounts the 1919 omaha riot involving boss tom dennison through the eyes of. Chronicles figures and events of omahas underworld from the 1920s to 1980s. We have largely forgotten the actual men and women who stood up to omahas mob boss, spoke up and in some cases threw their bodies into the gears of his machine. In the 1890s, vic walker was given a sum of money by omaha boss tom dennison and told to buyout the owner of the. A politically savvy, culturally astute gambler, dennison was in charge of the citys wide crime rings, including prostitution, gambling and bootlegging in. Calamities such as the great flood of 1881 did not slow down the citys violence.
Menard gained considerable local fame with his 1989 book on omaha political boss tom dennison, and gave numerous presentations in character and costume as dennison. Tom dennison was first listed as living in the house in 1931, just three years before he died. Tom dennison 18581934omahas political boss from 18901930 who likely orchestrated the lynching of will brown. Dennison was a flintyeyed frontier gambler from the old school he ran dance halls in the tough mining towns of colorado before drifting into roughandtumble omaha around 1891 and setting up a policy game. At the same time, boss tom dennison compounded the citys vices in the notorious sporting district, with the full support of eightterm mayor cowboy james dahlman. The man who first organized omaha crime was the citys shadowy political boss, tom dennison. For 18 years, political boss tom dennison carried most of omaha neatly in his pocketgovernment, police, and business. More than any other political boss of the early twentieth century, thomas dennison, the rogue who ruled omaha, was a master of the devious. Walker was a soldier, political activist, lawyer, civil rights activist, police officer, saloon owner, journalist, and gangster in omaha. The omaha worldherald ran an interesting piece this week with erin goldens life beneath the street.
The wolf of omaha s streets after his arrival in omaha in 1892, tom dennison nicknamed the grey wolf controlled the citys streets for more than 30 years 4. Blechas book, cigars and wires, recounts omaha s criminal past. Tom dennison is reported to have been a mafialike kingpin who ran omaha, nebraska for many years in the early 1900s including its crimes and vices. Among the historical figures most critical to the novel is the political boss tom dennison, a reallife mobster who enjoyed broad success manipulating omahas political landscape from 1900 to the early 1930s.
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