John Henry Whallen
Encyclopedia
John Henry Whallen was a Democratic Party
political boss
in Louisville, Kentucky
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in New Orleans, he moved with his family to Cincinnati, Ohio
in his youth. As a boy during the Civil War
he served the Confederate Army in Schoolfield's Battery as a "powder monkey", a boy who carried gunpowder. He later served as a courier for General John Hunt Morgan
.
His nicknames included "The Buckingham Boss" and "Napoleon".
theater, The Metropolitan. He opened the Buckingham Theater in 1880, a Burlesque
, on Jefferson between Third and Fourth Street. Although he tried a few legitimate theater ventures, his wealth came from more prurient interests, and he never had a respectable reputation in Louisville. He came to own several theatres in other cities, including two in Brooklyn
, and produced the lavish show, The South Before the War, one of the most successful shows of its era.
and gambling
. In 1885 he engineered the election of mayor P. Booker Reed
and was rewarded with the position Chief of Police. From that point on he was known as the "Buckingham Boss" (after the theater where he had his office) and influenced every Louisville and state-wide Kentucky election for the rest of his life. In addition to bribing officials and controlling assistance programs, at his peak Whallen controlled the awarding of 1,200 city patronage
jobs.
For many years, Whallen virtually ran Louisville from his "Green Room" at the Buckingham. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Arthur Krock
recalled Whallen's dominance of Louisville politics in his memoirs, describing Whallen's Green Room as "the political sewer
through which the political filth of Louisville runs." Whallen successfully executed an especially wild scheme in 1892, when he was convinced his choice for city chancellor would lose a fair primary. As primaries were exempt from most election laws, he was able to convince the party that a house-to-house canvass would be superior to any other form of primary election. This had both the effect of disenfranchising thousands of voters who couldn't be at home at the specified times, and ensuring that bought votes were cast the way they were supposed to be.
Throughout his career, Whallen used nearly every method imaginable to manipulate elections. He had police intimidate black voters, and had voting locations in Republican
-heavy precincts moved at the last moment or colluded to create impossibly long waits at them. He hired repeat voters, bought votes, threatened to take away patronage jobs, and even managed to annul a primary election in 1899 when it appeared his candidate was going to lose.
In 1900 Whallen's machinations were investigated after the assassination of Governor William Goebel
. Whallen had attempted to bribe a senator to oppose Goebel just weeks before the assassination. The massively corrupt 1905 Louisville mayoral election, eventually invalidated by the Kentucky Court of Appeals
, was the beginning of the end of his machine's power to buy elections outright. Whallen's machine did manage to elect its chosen candidates in 1909 and 1913, relying increasingly on race-baiting tactics to insinuate that blacks would be given equal rights if a Republican was elected. The machine lost its power after Whallen's death.
Whallen was popular amongst Catholics, immigrants and blue-collar workers, who were often at the center of his schemes.
and known by the nickname "Colonel Johnny". He was also given the Cross of Honor, the highest award of the Daughters of the Confederacy.
He was buried in Louisville's St. Louis Cemetery. His estate, Spring Bank Park, became Chickasaw Park
after his death. His home at 4420 River Park Drive was razed in 1947 and became the site of Bishop Flaget High School.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
political boss
Political boss
A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in New Orleans, he moved with his family to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
in his youth. As a boy during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he served the Confederate Army in Schoolfield's Battery as a "powder monkey", a boy who carried gunpowder. He later served as a courier for General John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
.
His nicknames included "The Buckingham Boss" and "Napoleon".
Theater owner
Whallen moved to Louisville in the 1870s and became the manager of a vaudevilleVaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
theater, The Metropolitan. He opened the Buckingham Theater in 1880, a Burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
, on Jefferson between Third and Fourth Street. Although he tried a few legitimate theater ventures, his wealth came from more prurient interests, and he never had a respectable reputation in Louisville. He came to own several theatres in other cities, including two in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, and produced the lavish show, The South Before the War, one of the most successful shows of its era.
Political boss
It became necessary for Whallen to establish political ties in order to protect his business interests from the family and religious groups that periodically protested Burlesque and its ties to prostitutionProstitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
. In 1885 he engineered the election of mayor P. Booker Reed
P. Booker Reed
Paul Booker Reed was Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1885 to 1887. His father, William Decatur Reed was a lawyer and Kentucky Secretary of State under Governor William Owsley. P. Booker Reed studies at Centre College were interrupted by the Civil War, during which he served the Confederate Army...
and was rewarded with the position Chief of Police. From that point on he was known as the "Buckingham Boss" (after the theater where he had his office) and influenced every Louisville and state-wide Kentucky election for the rest of his life. In addition to bribing officials and controlling assistance programs, at his peak Whallen controlled the awarding of 1,200 city patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
jobs.
For many years, Whallen virtually ran Louisville from his "Green Room" at the Buckingham. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Arthur Krock
Arthur Krock
Arthur Krock was a journalist and received the nickname "Dean of Washington newsmen". Born in Glasgow, Kentucky in 1887, he grew up with his grandparents, Emmanuel and Henrietta Morris...
recalled Whallen's dominance of Louisville politics in his memoirs, describing Whallen's Green Room as "the political sewer
through which the political filth of Louisville runs." Whallen successfully executed an especially wild scheme in 1892, when he was convinced his choice for city chancellor would lose a fair primary. As primaries were exempt from most election laws, he was able to convince the party that a house-to-house canvass would be superior to any other form of primary election. This had both the effect of disenfranchising thousands of voters who couldn't be at home at the specified times, and ensuring that bought votes were cast the way they were supposed to be.
Throughout his career, Whallen used nearly every method imaginable to manipulate elections. He had police intimidate black voters, and had voting locations in Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
-heavy precincts moved at the last moment or colluded to create impossibly long waits at them. He hired repeat voters, bought votes, threatened to take away patronage jobs, and even managed to annul a primary election in 1899 when it appeared his candidate was going to lose.
In 1900 Whallen's machinations were investigated after the assassination of Governor William Goebel
William Goebel
William Justus Goebel was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for a few days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in...
. Whallen had attempted to bribe a senator to oppose Goebel just weeks before the assassination. The massively corrupt 1905 Louisville mayoral election, eventually invalidated by the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
, was the beginning of the end of his machine's power to buy elections outright. Whallen's machine did manage to elect its chosen candidates in 1909 and 1913, relying increasingly on race-baiting tactics to insinuate that blacks would be given equal rights if a Republican was elected. The machine lost its power after Whallen's death.
Whallen was popular amongst Catholics, immigrants and blue-collar workers, who were often at the center of his schemes.
Death and honors
Whallen was made a Kentucky ColonelKentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation...
and known by the nickname "Colonel Johnny". He was also given the Cross of Honor, the highest award of the Daughters of the Confederacy.
He was buried in Louisville's St. Louis Cemetery. His estate, Spring Bank Park, became Chickasaw Park
Chickasaw Park
Chickasaw Park is a municipal park in Louisville, Kentucky's west end. It is fronted to the west by the Ohio River. It was formerly the country estate of political boss John Henry Whallen, and began development as a park in 1923, but was not completed until the 1930s...
after his death. His home at 4420 River Park Drive was razed in 1947 and became the site of Bishop Flaget High School.