Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1908 — CHICAGO SCUM HOLD DANCE AT COLISEUM [ARTICLE]

CHICAGO SCUM HOLD DANCE AT COLISEUM

“Bathhouse John” Coughlin and “Hinky Dink” Kenna Pnll Off Their Scarlet Letter Dance In Chicago John ’ Coughlin and Michael Kenna. The names have no harsh sound and might in the ordinary- course of the world be considered very respectable. But when the appellation of "Bathhouse” is saddled to the first and “Hinky Dink” to the last, the names have a singularly different appearance. What’s in a name? Nothing, perhaps, if the name was originally given, but when the name is applied because of an act, there is a great deal in it. And while John Coughlin and Michael Kenna might have gone through the world with the names their parents gave them and created no more than passing notice, "Bathhouse John” and “Hinky Dink” are recognized as belonging to the lower crust of humanity, men who proclaim de ency for themselves but who owe their existence in prominent places to the vilest class of Chicago’s citizenship. Both are members of the Chicago city council, and are elected year after year by the votes of the class of men who visit their saloons, and who have no regard for law, either statute or moral. For their support they are granted such Immunity as it is possible for their sin-fatted representatives in the Chicago council to procure for them. Of course, it is up to "The Bath” and "The Hink” to keep the crooks and imbeciles and bums and bats who elect them jollied up to the highest pitch and to do this they arrange an annual ball which takes place at the coliseum, in Chicago. It is a free and easy affair, no restrictions on the attendance except that they have the price of admission.

The ball this year took place on Monday night. Various civic organizations and churches had thought that the ball should be prohibited in the interest of public decency, and one enthusiast went so far in his or her zeal to prevent the occurrence as to hurl a bomb up against the building Sunday night As it exploded two adjoining frame buildings collapsed but the incident only served to advertise the affair and Monday night there were 16,000 people, yes, people, two-legged humans attended the carnival of slime. That they had two legs was evident to all who were there, not only the men but the women, for the latter were not protected with quite the modesty that respectable women demand. It is said that no matter how respectable or how modest women are that when they cross- a muddy street they always raise their skirts a lttle over two feet. Well, the women who attended the Chicago Ist ward ball Monday night raised their skirts over 24 inches, and without a blush of shame. The ball was an orgy where low moraled men and lower moraled women gathered and drank and cursed and danced. Once fair cheeks, where the kiss of a mother ''H. * had been often planted as she wished her child a life of purity, were buried beneath sheets of powder and paint and the struggle of the orgy caused rivers of sweat to plow their way through the cosmetics and expose about the only part of the anatomy that it had been aimed to conceal.

It was Babylon brought down to date; it was Sodom and Gomorrah of Syria, a bedlam of vice and indecency, with* blasphemy and cursing on the lips of men and women. The Chicago Tribune sent a reporter there to write an account of the “ball”. He tpld how they sold booze in the main coliseum, in the annex, in the basement. After the crowd had gathered all of the doors were locked except one, for fear some one might be tempted to go home. Among the participants were some evidently young in vice, who were taking the early steps of sin that is certain to send them ere long to the very depths of depravity. Occasionally there was recognized among the revelers the face of a presumed-to-be respectable man, whose business relations would have Indicated a higher respect for himself, but who had gone into his level of moral ele- 1 ment Just for a night, not thinking probably that It might be his last night and that the wrath that de-! stroyed Lot might be visited on that sinful throng. Man's mad chase for the dollar is responsible for much of the sin of the world. “Bathhouse John” and "Hipky Dink” are estimated to have cleared up $20,000 by the drunken hookem. * May God have mercy on John Coughlin and Michael Kenna. Fancy salad dressing, fine syrup, sweet pecallette, good olives and alt other little niceitiee to finish off your Christmas dinner. HOME GROCERY.,