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Jeremiah J. Horan"Obituary," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' April 30, 1937. (aka Jerry Horan) (May 1886-April 28, 1937)"Jerry J. Horan, Flat Janitors' Leader, Is Dead," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' April 28, 1937. was an
organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...
figure and President of the
Building Service Employees International Union Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union representing almost 1.9 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States and Canada. SEIU is focused on organizing workers in three sectors: healthcare (over half of members ...
from 1927 until his death in 1937.Witwer, "The Scandal of George Scalise: A Case Study in the Rise of Labor Racketeering in the 1930s," ''Journal of Social History,'' Summer 2003. Although praised by
newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...
s for reducing the level of overt violence and
graft Graft or grafting may refer to: *Graft (politics), a form of political corruption * Graft, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Graft-De Rijp Science and technology *Graft (surgery), a surgical procedure *Grafting, the joining of plant t ...
which plagued the
union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
under his predecessor, William Quesse, Horan nonetheless still engaged in
bribery Bribery is the Offer and acceptance, offering, Gift, giving, Offer and acceptance, receiving, or Solicitation, soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With reg ...
,
extortion Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence; the bulk of this article deals with such cases. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, ...
, physical intimidation, and other crimes, and permitted
George Scalise George Scalise was the former president of the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU) who was convicted of racketeering due to the exposure of labor racketeering by newspaper columnist Westbrook Pegler, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1 ...
(his successor) to enter and rise within the organization. Horan established the kickback scheme whereby Scalise would eventually loot the union treasury of millions of dollars in member dues."Scalise Jury Gets 2 Success Stories," ''New York Times,'' August 16, 1940.


Early years

Jerry Horan was born to John and Mary Horan McLeod in May 1886. He was one of eight children, and raised a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. He married the former Nonie Corbett, and the couple had a daughter, Helen. He became a lifelong member of the
Loyal Order of Moose The Loyal Order of Moose is a fraternal and service organization founded in 1888 and headquartered in Mooseheart, Illinois. Moose International supports the operation of Mooseheart Child City & School, a community for children and teen ...
, the
Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...
, and the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City. History The Elks began in 1868 as a soci ...
.


Early organized crime involvement

By the time he was in his mid 30s, Jerry Horan had been heavily involved in organized crime for several years."Murphy, Shea, Mader Hit As Killers Talk," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' May 16, 1922. He owned a saloon near the corner of South Wood Street and West Van Buren Street in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
(the site is now a parking lot opposite
Malcolm X College Malcolm X College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, is a two-year college located on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded as Crane Junior College in 1911 and was the first of the City Colleges. Crane ceased operations at th ...
)."Developments to Date; Clearing Bomb Mystery," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' May 16, 1922. Horan led a
gang A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...
of bombers, gunmen and "sluggers" (men who would beat others to intimidate them) which was in the employ of various organized crime outfits and labor unions. Among his clients were
mobster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
and labor leader Timothy "Big Tim" Murphy, mobster
Fred Mader Fred "Frenchy" Mader (born 1883 - died ?)Kinsley, Philip. "Mader Fights to Keep Jail Record Away From Jury." ''Chicago Daily Tribune.'' August 6, 1922. was an American trade union, labor leader and organized crime figure active in the Chicago, Illi ...
, and mobster and labor leader
Cornelius Shea Cornelius P. Shea (September 7, 1872 – January 12, 1929) was an American labor leader and organized crime figure. He was the founding president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, holding the position from 1903 until 1907. He becam ...
(who was international president of the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of The Team Drivers International Union and The Teamsters National Union, the un ...
). Horan was hired by his uncle, BSEIU President William Quesse, as an organizer in 1921."Horan Installed as Head of Flat Janitors' Union." ''Chicago Daily Tribune.'' September 7, 1927. His primary job, however, was to act as Quesse's chauffeur.Fitch, ''Solidarity For Sale,'' 2006. On May 6, 1922, Horan, Shea, Murphy, and five other labor leaders and labor racketeers were arrested and charged with the murder of a Chicago police officer. Horan was accidentally released, and went into hiding—although the press reported that he had
turned state's evidence A criminal turns state's evidence by admitting guilt and testifying as a witness for the state against their associate(s) or accomplice(s), often in exchange for leniency in sentencing or immunity from prosecution.Howard Abadinsky, ''Organized C ...
and been freed for rendering assistance. On May 24, the state asked for
nolle prosequi , abbreviated or , is legal Latin meaning "to be unwilling to pursue".Nolle prosequi
. refe ...
and the court agreed to withdraw the indictments."200 Labor Chiefs Arrested in Chicago After Two Policemen Are Shot Dead And Industrial Plants Are Bombed," ''New York Times,'' May 11, 1922; "Labor Chiefs Seized in Effort to End Murders by Gangsters," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' May 11, 1922; "Rush To Indict Chicago Laborites," ''New York Times,'' May 12, 1922; "Eight Labor Chiefs Indicted In Chicago To Block Release," ''New York Times,'' May 12, 1922; "Raid Bomb Factory in Chicago's War On Labor Terror," ''New York Times,'' May 13, 1922; "Get New Evidence On Labor Bombings," ''New York Times,'' May 15, 1922; "'Big 3' of Chicago Labor To Be Tried," ''New York Times,'' June 10, 1922; "Shea, Member of 'Big 3,' And Two Others Get Bail," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' June 13, 1922; "'Big 3' Denied Separate Trials On Terror Plot," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' June 18, 1922; Kinsley, "Trial Nears Climax," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' July 29, 1922. Horan was indicted a second time a short time later on the same charges. Although Horan was later identified by eyewitness testimony as a co- conspirator with Murphy, Shea and Mader in planning bombings, murders, and beatings, the state withdrew these charges as well. By 1924, Horan had become a
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
and was active in
GOP The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP ("Grand Old Party"), is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States. The GOP was founded in 1854 by anti-slavery activists who opposed the Kansas–Nebraska Act, ...
politics in Illinois, supporting
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Len Small Lennington "Len" Small (June 16, 1862 – May 17, 1936) was an American politician who served as the 26th Governor of Illinois from 1921 to 1929. He previously was a member of the Illinois state senate from the 16th District from 1901 to 1903 a ...
."Labor Finds Its Small Bosters Are Discredited," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' April 7, 1924.


BSEIU presidency

Oscar Nelson Oscar Nelson (April 22, 1874 – April 2, 1951) was a politician and union leader who served as Illinois treasurer Illinois auditor of public accounts. He also served as the interim president of the Building Service Employees International Union ...
, who had succeeded Quesse as president of BSEIU in February 1927, resigned his union office for health reasons on September 3, 1927. Jerry Horan was formally elected Nelson's successor on September 6, 1927. Horan's brother-in-law, local
Sheet Metal Workers' International Association The Sheet Metal Workers' International Association was a trade union of skilled metal workers who perform architectural sheet metal work, fabricate and install heating and air conditioning work, shipbuilding, appliance construction, heater and bo ...
president William J. "Wild Bill" Rooney—an alleged murderer and noted crime figure in the city—engineered Horan's accession to the union presidency. Horan quickly began a campaign of Americanism in BSEIU, pushing his members to learn
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
and become American citizens.Wren, "Plans Council to Lead Fight on Open Shop," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' September 14, 1930. By the fall of 1929, his political fortunes within the
American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...
(AFL) had risen to the point where he was named a member of the AFL delegation to the annual meeting of the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...
.Evans, "Galpin's Ward Is Reorganized," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' November 8, 1929. Horan's political activity also continued. He took over the Cook County Wage Earner's League, a quasi- political action committee established by William Quesse in 1924 to promote pro-labor candidates for office."Gambling Salon Operates Wide Open Near City Hall," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' April 19, 1928."Hunt for Murder Clew in Past of Slain Union Boss," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 20, 1931. He was a prominent supporter of Republican William "Big Bill" Thompson during his successful run for
Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and r ...
in 1927, and was elected chairman of the Republican Party's 27th Ward Committee in November 1929. He backed Republican Governor Louis Emmerson's plan to pass a state constitutional amendment legalizing an
income tax An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them (commonly called taxable income). Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Tax ...
, and supported
Charles W. Brooks Charles Wayland Brooks (March 8, 1897 – January 14, 1957) was a Republican U.S. Senator from Illinois from 1940 to 1949. Early life Born in West Bureau, Illinois, Brooks served in the Marines during World War I as a first lieutenant fro ...
in that candidate's unsuccessful run as the Republican candidate for governor of Illinois in 1936. However, Horan used the Wage Earners' League to not only promote candidates for office (allegedly through intimidation and vote-rigging) but also to run an illegal gambling operation near
Chicago City Hall Chicago City Hall is a 10-story building that houses the official seat of government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. Adjacent to the Richard J. Daley Center and the James R. Thompson Center, the building that includes Chicago City Hall ho ...
. New member organizing was initially not very high on Horan's list of priorities. He established a union of
maid A maid, or housemaid or maidservant, is a female domestic worker. In the Victorian era domestic service was the second largest category of employment in England and Wales, after agricultural work. In developed Western nations, full-time maids ...
s and
butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
s in December 1927, but shuttered it less than six months later. He also established a council of trade union leaders to identify and respond to the
open shop An open shop is a place of employment at which one is not required to join or financially support a union (closed shop) as a condition of hiring or continued employment. Open shop vs closed shop The major difference between an open and closed s ...
movement, but the council never engaged in any activity.


Organized crime infiltration of BSEIU

Although Horan won praise from Chicago newspapers for eliminating the worst and most obvious forms of violence, intimidation, and graft in the union, his ties to organized crime actually deepened. Horan's uncle, "Wild Bill" Rooney, had virtually taken control of the BSEIU's Chicago locals with Horan's approval within by the end of 1928. In 1933, Horan was accused by former
Illinois Attorney General The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by statewide election. Based in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois, the attorney ...
Edward J. Brundage of consorting with
gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
and seeking to improperly influence James H. Wilkerson, the judge overseeing Capone's 1931
tax evasion Tax evasion is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to reduce the taxp ...
trial. Horan, however, initially attempted to avoid being put under the influence of Capone and his
Chicago Outfit The Chicago Outfit (also known as the Outfit, the Chicago Mafia, the Chicago Mob, the Chicago crime family, the South Side Gang or The Organization) is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate or crime family based in Chicago, Illinois, tha ...
. Capone sought control BSEIU in order to
embezzle Embezzlement is a crime that consists of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes. Embezzlement is a type ...
funds from the national union's treasury.Biles, ''Big City Boss in Depression and War: Mayor Edward J. Kelly of Chicago,'' 1984; Bukowski, ''Big Bill Thompson, Chicago, and the Politics of Image,'' 1997. But Big Tim Murphy had been gunned down in 1928, leaving Horan without protection. Horan could not turn to Chicago Mayor Bill Thompson, either, for Thompson was closely linked to the Capone mob. Although labor leaders like the now-deceased William Rooney had broken with Thompson, Horan had not—and could not expect Thompson to protect him from Capone. In desperation, Horan moved to Chicago's northwest suburbs in the late 1920s in an attempt to escape Capone's influence. But when Capone sought him out again, Horan turned to bootlegger and gangster
Roger Touhy Roger Touhy (September 18, 1898 – December 16, 1959) was an Irish American mob boss and prohibition-era bootlegger from Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. He is best remembered for having been framed for the 1933 faked kidnapping of gan ...
, who controlled Chicago's northwest suburbs and was already engaged in a battle with Capone. According to Touhy and other sources, Horan and leaders of the
Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of The Team Drivers International Union and The Teamsters National Union, the u ...
,
Painters Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
and other unions approached Touhy in 1929 and sought protection from Capone. Horan brought $125,000 in cash (raised from the union leaders) to buy Touhy's assistance, which Touhy agreed to provide.Roger Touhy, ''The Stolen Years,'' 1959.John William Touhy, ''When Capone's Mob Murdered Roger Touhy: The Strange Case of "Jake the Barber" and the Kidnapping That Never Happened,'' 2001."Touhy Accuses Cop in $40,000 Capone Payoff," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' May 10, 1949."Touhy Relates How Syndicate Invaded Unions," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' September 20, 1952."Cites Gilbert Link to Labor Rackets," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' August 10, 1954. But after Wild Bill Rooney's murder in March 1931, a frightened Horan (who was terrified even of his own bodyguards) made peace with Capone. In April 1933, Horan met with
North Side Gang The North Side Gang, also known as the North Side Mob, was an Irish-Polish-American criminal organization within Chicago during the Prohibition era from the early 1920s to the mid-1930s. It was the principal rival of the South Side Gang, also ...
member Ted Newberry and turned over control of BSEIU over to Capone—taking his day-to-day orders from Murray "The Camel" Humphreys, Capone's liaison to unions."Scalise Sentenced to 10 to 20 Years," ''New York Times,'' October 8, 1940. In 1934, the Capone mob forced Horan to hire George Scalise as a union organizer. Scalise, a 38-year-old from
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, had been involved in interstate
prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
,
labor racketeering Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
and other organized crime activities since the early 1920s. A protégé of Anthony "Little Augie Pisano" Carfano,Fulton, "Scalise Linked to Underworld In Union Plans," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' August 20, 1940.Fulton, "Testifies Gang Placed Scalise On Union Throne," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' August 27, 1940."Scalise Depicted As Tool of Gang," ''New York Times,'' August 27, 1940. a former Capone associate who had moved to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and joined what was then known as the
Luciano crime family The Genovese crime family, () also sometimes referred to as the Westside, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and New Jersey as part of the American Ma ...
, Scalise had used his mob connections to establish several small union locals with the Teamsters.Dwyer, "How Murderers Rode to Rule in Elevator Union," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 23, 1943. With Carfano's help, he then built several large locals of building janitors and elevator operators, began skimming members' dues and receiving kickbacks from employers, and then affiliated the locals with the BSEIU. In 1934, Scalise asked Carfano to use his Chicago Outfit connections to help Scalise become the Eastern Representative for BSEIU, a position which put him in control of all BSEIU locals on the
East Coast East Coast may refer to: Entertainment * East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop * East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017 * East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004 * East Coast FM, a ra ...
. Horan agreed to the deal, and Scalise was not only appointed to the position but Scalise also received 50 percent of the dues from any newly organized members in the East."List Scalise's Withdrawals At $1,500,000," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' May 3, 1940. In 1935, when the Fifth Vice President position on the BSEIU Board of Directors opened up due to a retirement, Scalise worked with Carfano and Horan to win appointment to the position. Despite Horan's deepening relationship with organized crime, he was warmly embraced by the AFL. In December 1935, AFL President William Green was the keynote speaker at a testimonial dinner in Horan's honor. Because of Horan's mob connections, BSEIU grew tremendously during Horan's presidency. The mob received more money the more union members there were, so there was every incentive to bring in new members. Mob enforcers intimidated employers into permitting unionization of their employees, and existing locals swelled with members while new locals proliferated. BSEIU grew from 10,000 members in 1932 to 40,000 members in 1936 and 75,000 members in 1939. The union also grew through affiliations. Many of these affiliations were coerced, however. In one notorious case, Horan raided a Chicago local of the International Union of Elevator Constructors led by Matthew Taylor."Gang Rule of Union Bared!", ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' September 7, 1940. Horan wanted the elevator operators to support strikes by building workers, and he wanted Taylor's union in BSEIU. Horan sent mobster Louis Schiavone to threaten Taylor in 1936, but this tactic failed. In early 1937, Horan and mobster
Louis Campagna Louis "Little New York" Campagna (March 31, 1900 – May 31, 1955) was an American gangster and mobster and a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit for over three decades. Early years Campagna was born in Brooklyn to parents from mainland Ital ...
met Taylor at the Bismarck Hotel (171 West Randolph Street in Chicago) and offered him $50,000 in cash to voluntarily affiliate his union with BSEIU. Taylor refused the offer."Mulcting of Chicago Service Union Revealed in Deathbed Confession," ''New York Times,'' September 7, 1940. Horan kept up the pressure on Taylor in various ways, and Taylor finally gave in. Horan arranged for Taylor to meet with Oscar Nelson, George Scalise, Harry Bates (president of the
Bricklayers A bricklayer, which is related to but different from a mason, is a craftsman and tradesman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The terms also refer to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry. ...
union), and AFL President William Green after a meeting of the AFL executive council in
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
, in August 1937. At the meeting, Green told Taylor that the AFL also believed the elevator operators should affiliate with BSEIU. Convinced that Horan had managed to intimidate even the powerful AFL president, Taylor agreed to affiliate his local with BSEIU in September 1937. Green and Nelson later denied that any such meeting had occurred.


New York City strike

A major event during Horan's presidency was a strike that BSEIU conducted in 1936 in New York City. But despite being International President, Horan played only a minor role in the strike. The strike began on March 1, 1936, with the union seeking a
closed shop A pre-entry closed shop (or simply closed shop) is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times to remain employed. This is different fro ...
and a $2-a-week pay increased."Each Side Digs In For War In Building Strike," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 7, 1936."Strikers Agree to Arbitration in N.Y. Tieup," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 9, 1936. Although only 5,000 workers initially walked off the job, five days later another 11,000 BSEIU members had joined them."N.Y. Fights All Night to End Building Tieup," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 5, 1936."Union Chiefs Here Doubt Plan to Call Nation-Wide Strike," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 5, 1936. The strike was so important and widespread that
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Fiorello H. La Guardia Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (; born Fiorello Enrico LaGuardia, ; December 11, 1882September 20, 1947) was an American attorney and politician who represented New York in the House of Representatives and served as the 99th Mayor of New York City fro ...
became personally involved in the negotiations. On March 6, the strike spread to 17 hotels in New York City in addition to the 1,964 apartment buildings which were affected. Horan did not become publicly involved in the strike until the fifth day. He issued no press releases, made no speeches, and pledged no support. When Horan finally did make a statement, he pledged to lead all building workers nationwide out on strike in support of the New York City workers. His statement was considered so preposterous, however, that a day later he withdrew his promise and said that BSEIU would merely pledge "unlimited" funds to support the strike (yet another claim few believed). Horan attempted to fly to New York City on March 6 to personally take charge of the strike, but he was forced to divert his chartered flight to
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
after New York City authorities declared the city closed to him. On the sixth day of the strike it became clear that George Scalise and not Jerry Horan was in control of BSEIU. Scalise forced the owners of 45 buildings to settle on his terms late on March 6. The press, meanwhile, accused Horan of being in cahoots with Al Capone and recently deceased Louis "Two Guns" Alterie, forcing Horan to stay in Boston in order to avoid tainting the strikers' cause. Horan weakly claimed that he had purposefully flown to Boston to avoid any appearance that the strike was being run from Chicago and not New York."Hotels Tied Up As N.Y. Building Strike Spreads," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' March 8, 1936. The strike spread to another 50 hotels on March 8 as Scalise announced that the union had signed another 1,814 apartment buildings to contracts. Local union officials said it would not look good if the strike were perceived to be led from Chicago. On March 9, both sides agreed to settle the strike—which still affected more than 300 buildings out of more than 2,195 struck—by
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ' ...
(a proposal the union had made on March 2). Mayor LaGuardia was named the arbitrator, and within 24 hours he proposed a "preferential shop." This time, Horan was at least consulted before the arbitration proposal was agreed to. But when the employers balked at LaGuardia's solution, the strike continued."New Peace Offer By Owners Is Seen As Strike Spreads," ''New York Times,'' March 11, 1936. Scalise struck all buildings and hotels around
Grand Central Station Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...
and
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
on March 10 (adding another 300 buildings to those struck, bringing the total to more than 2,500). The strike's expansion proved too much for the employers, and an agreement on the union's terms was reached on March 14.


Death

In April 1937, Horan fell seriously ill and was thought to be dying. Scalise contacted Carfano, who agreed to try to have Scalise appointed president of BSEIU if Horan died. The week before Horan's death, a group of gangsters—which included Mike Carozza, Frank Diamond,
Charles Fischetti Charles "Trigger Happy" Fischetti (March 24, 1901 – April 11, 1951) was a Chicago mobster, Al Capone's bodyguard and cousin. Early life Charles Fischetti was born on March 24, 1901. His mother was named Mary. He had a brother, Nicholas, wh ...
, and labor racketeer Thomas J. Burke—met with George Scalise at the Café Capri restaurant at 123 North Clark Street in Chicago (a favorite hangout of Chicago Outfit leader
Frank Nitti Frank Ralph Nitto (born Francesco Raffaele Nitto, ; January 27, 1886 – March 19, 1943), known as Frank Nitti, was an Italian-American organized crime figure based in Chicago. The first cousin and bodyguard of Al Capone, Nitti was in charge of ...
)."Gangland Rule of Union Told By Pay-Off Man," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' September 21, 1940.Wendt, "How Labor Is Hijacked," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' August 17, 1941. The meeting had been called to decide who should be the next president of the BSEIU in the event of Horan's death. The conspirators supported Burke, who was the Third Vice President of BSEIU, and a well-known labor racketeer. Burke had the backing of a majority of the mob figures, but the group felt he would be opposed by a majority of the BSEIU Board of Directors due to his public ties with organized crime. William McFetridge, BSEIU First Vice President, was believed to be the choice of the Board.Fulton, "Judge Told How Scalise Tapped Union Treasury," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' May 9, 1940. McFetridge was known for his scrupulous honesty, and although he had served on the Board for many years he was a figurehead and not part of the mob's inner circle of decision-makers. The mob, however, felt he was not acceptable because he was not under the control of organized crime. During the meeting, the conspirators settled on Scalise as Horan's successor. Scalise's ties to the Chicago Outfit were not well known to the members of the Board or the public, and this became the reason why he was chosen as the compromise candidate. The mob council told Scalise he would draw a salary of $1,000 a month, and he was told to kick back $500 a month to the Chicago Outfit. Scalise later denied being at the meeting as well as knowing Fischetti or Burke, but union documents proved him wrong. On April 20, 1937, Jerry Horan was removed by ambulance from his apartment home at the Cornelia Apartments at 3500 N. Lake Shore Drive and taken to Passavant Hospital. Jerry Horan died there on April 27, 1937, of liver failure. Five thousand people attended his funeral at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Chicago. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery, where more than 30 automobiles were needed to deliver flowers to the grave. The afternoon of the funeral, the BSEIU board of directors met to elect the next president of the union. Included in the meeting were First Vice President McFetridge; Second Vice President Gus Van Heck; Third Vice President Burke; Fourth Vice President Charles Hardy; Fifth Vice President Scalise; Secretary-Treasurer Paul David; and International Union Trustee Elizabeth Grady. Also in attendance was Oscar Nelson, now a circuit court judge."Nelson's Role in Scalise Vote Told at Probe," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' September 24, 1940; "4th Union Chief Links Nelson to Scalise Election," ''Chicago Daily Tribune,'' September 26, 1940. Nelson put forward Scalise's name, and George Scalise was elected president of the Building Service Employees International Union.


Notes


References

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External links


SEIU Executive Office Microfilm Collection, 1921-1955. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horan, Jerry 1886 births 1937 deaths Presidents of the Service Employees International Union American Federation of Labor people Activists from Chicago Trade unionists from Illinois