Steamfunkateers

by Balogun Ojetade

  Later in the 1840’s, when her indentured service had ended, the Husseys helped the brilliant and talented twenty-something young woman become a tailor’s assistant in Boston. She also became a paid church soloist there.

  Mary Ellen Williams soon met and married James W. Smith, a wealthy free Black who passed for white, so as to serve as a Southern contributor to William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist paper and a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Soon both Smiths served on that Railroad, helping slaves escape to freedom in Canada, Nova Scotia, and Mexico.

  James Smith owned a plantation near Harper’s Ferry, left to him by his white father. Smith staffed it with freed slaves, whose freedom he helped secure. Smith died suddenly in 1844, leaving Mary Ellen a wealthy woman. She eventually remarried, but she continued her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad between New Bedford, MA, and Ohio out of her own inner calling. She soon became a much-hunted slave rescuer.

  Finally, in 1851, with slavers hot on her trail, she fled West.

  According to ships records and confirming testimony, she arrived in San Francisco in April, 1852 to escape persecution under the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, for helping hundreds of slaves escape.

  Before her arrival in what would become her permanent home, however, Mary Ellen stayed a year in New Orleans, continuing her studies of Vodoun, which she originally began with her mother, with the Voodoo Queen, Mam’zelle Marie Laveau. From Mam’zelle Laveau, Mary not only learned the herbal remedies and rituals of Vodoun, but also how to mentor her people and to manipulate the secrets of the rich to gain aid for the poor—a ‘model’ that would serve her well in San Francisco. After her intensive training was complete, Mary Ellen fled to San Francisco, assisted by Marie Laveau.

  San Francisco was a rough and tumble, fast-paced place, inhabited by 40,000 people, and home to 700 drinking and gambling establishments, and 5 murders every 6 days.

  In addition to those staggering statistics for that time, there were six men to every woman. San Francisco was not a safe place, but Mary Ellen Pleasant was up to the challenge. She was forced to use two identities to thwart capture under California’s Fugitive Slave Act. Under this law anyone without freedom papers could be captured and sent into slavery. Pleasant had no papers, so she lived as both “Mrs. Ellen Smith”, a white boardinghouse steward/cook and as “Mrs. Pleasants”, an abolitionist/entrepreneur). As Mrs. Smith, she served the wealthiest and most influential men in San Francisco and, using their regard for her as well as the “Laveau model” of leveraging their secrets for favors, she was able to get jobs and privileges for “colored” people in San Francisco. It is this work that earned her the nickname “The Black City Hall.”

  In the “colored” community, in her true identity as Mrs. Pleasants, she used her money to help ex-slaves fight unfair laws and to get lawyers or businesses in California. She became an expert capitalist, owning every kind of business imaginable, and she prospered. However, her people suffered as European immigrations took the menial jobs once held for them and as anti-black sentiment and national depression mounted. So, in 1858 Mary decided to return East—not to live, but, as she once said in a letter, to help her former brother-in-law gain release from slavery and to help abolitionist John Brown end slavery forever.

  In Canada, she bought land on Campbell Street, near Harper’s Ferry, Virginia to help John Brown house the slaves that he planned to free. John Brown’s plan was to capture the Federal arsenal there with only 21 men. He would set up a maroon-like militia, made up of runaway slaves throughout the Virginia Mountains, as the Haitians had done. Then, he would shuttle some slaves from there to Canada. Mary gave Brown money for arms and came back the following fall to ride – in disguise as a jockey – in advance of Brown to alert slaves near Harper’s Ferry of his coming. It was a good, but risky, plan, but, unlike some other Black leaders, Pleasant, believing that slavery had to be ended by force, was willing to help. “I’d rather be a corpse than a coward,” was always her motto.

  Of course, Brown acted too soon and was hanged, and Pleasant narrowly escaped with her life. On her return to California, however, she continued to fight, and after the Emancipation Proclamation and the California Right-of-Testimony of 1863 law, she declared her race openly.

  She orchestrated court battles to test the right of testimony, and in 1868 her battle for the right of Blacks to ride the San Francisco trolleys without fear of discrimination set precedent in the California Supreme Court.

  Mary Pleasant went on to become celebrated as a philanthropist and business woman and to amass a $30,000,000 fortune with her secret partner, Scotsman, Thomas Bell and today, the Voodoo Queen of California’s legacy of love and courage lives on.

  Gbêhanzin (Béhanzin) Hossu Bowelle (1844 – 1906)

  Gbêhanzin Hossu Bowelle or the ‘King Shark’ was one the most powerful kings in West Africa at the turn of the 19th Century. He was the eleventh king of Dahomey, and the last independent ruler of Abomey before French colonization.

  Gbehanzin was also reputed to be a fierce and powerful Vodou Priest, famously noted for hanging a witch or sorcerer alive from a pole as a warning to all who would dare to cross spiritual forces with him. He was never found without his trademark pipe and according to legend emerged from the womb smoking.

  Gbehanzin controlled a private army of female soldiers, the Mino—called the Dahomey Amazons by some—who were said to have fought more fiercely than men, sharpening their teeth into points to tear at their opponents’ carotid arteries.

  In 1882, France declared a protectorate over Porto Novo, a vassal state of Abomey, without consulting with the indigenous people. By 1885, the French occupied the entire coastal strip West of Porto Novo. In 1889, King Glèlè and his son Gbehanzin, who considered these coastal areas to be part of the kingdom of Dahomey, declared that the Fon people could no longer tolerate France’s actions.

  In February 1890, the French occupied Cotonou. Gbehanzin, now king after Glele’s sudden death, prepared for war. Gbehanzin’s forces attacked the French simultaneously on two fronts – militarily at Cotonou and economically by destroying the palm plantations at Porto Novo. The latter precipitated an early end to the hostilities. A treaty was signed, with the French continuing to occupy Cotonou, for which Gbehanzin exacted an annuity; he made France pay for the use of Cotonou port. The peace lasted for two years. However, France was determined to annex Dahomey before the British or Germans did. Gbehanzin, knowing that he would have to defend his sovereignty, continued upgrading his army in preparation for renewed war.

  He declared a treaty made with France by his father, Glèlè, in 1868 null and void. From this act, war began.

  Gbehanzin led the final struggle against French colonial forces, but would ultimately succumb to Colonel Alfred-Amédée Dodds, a Senegalese warrior, who was sent to fight against Gbehanzin with powerful French armed forces under his command. Colonel Dodds’ division defeated Gbehanzin; not by the French directly besting Dahomey in combat, but because part of Dodd’s campaign was the deforestation of sacred trees, areas of arbors believed to house the spirits of ancestors and to give strength to the Dahomey people. It was only after a significant number of the trees were cut that the French were able to break through the Dahomey forces and drive Gbehanzin into exile.

  Gbehanzin died in 1906 in Algeria.

  In the Steamfunkateers universe, Gbehanzin is intent on unifying all of Africa and the Diaspora into the most powerful empire the world has ever seen. He is actively courting Baas Bello to be his Chief Engineer, promising him wealth and power on both the physical and spiritual planes.

  The Age of Steam also saw the rise of another phenomenon—the practice of magic as a science. In previous centuries, magic was considered the province of religion, either as miracles bestowed by the gods, or as a tool of demons or devils. Occultists in the Age of Steam, however, believed that magic was a natural force that could be harnessed through precise rituals (hermetic magic, or “Magic”). This led to a ri
se of occult organizations such as the Theosophical Society, the Martinist Order, and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Many of these organizations modeled themselves after the Freemasons, known for their secret gestures and rites of initiation. Members found it prudent to meet in secret, as practicing magic was still not acceptable to the general public. French author Leo Taxil caused quite a stir when he invented a black magic order, the Palladian Order, as a secret cult of Freemasons.

  Spiritualism, or the ability to speak with the dead, was also prevalent in the Age of Steam.

  The three Fox sisters, from New York, became world-renowned for summoning spirits that would make their presence known by rapping (a knocking sound). They were discredited in 1888 when one of the sisters revealed how she could make rapping sounds by cracking her toe joint. Still, spiritualism continued to be popular throughout the Age of Steam and gained some legitimacy in the scientific community.

  Although a religion and not a magical practice, Christian Science, founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1875, taught (and still teaches today) that, since man is made in God’s image, man is perfect. It is man’s own misperceptions of the material world that causes injury and through special prayers designed to see the spiritual reality man can heal himself. While not specifically banned, many Christian Scientists refuse medical attention, believing that all they need is the power of prayer.

  Important Organizations and Secret Societies

  Organizations are important to any setting, but many of those in the Steamfunkateers campaign are secret and hidden. Player characters that are members of one of these organizations will do what is in the best interest of the organization.

  Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

  The Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn, later renamed the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, is one of the largest and most influential organizations of western occultism. Though relatively new, this organization has greatly expanded in both membership and power, and some claim it has an impact on both the political and industrial fronts that is without compare.

  In 1886 Rev. A.F.A. Woodford was given a document called the Cipher Manuscript. The Manuscript, written in English but encoded, did not interest the Reverend, so he passed it on to his friend Dr. William Wynn Westcott. Dr. Westcott managed to decode the Cipher Manuscript, discovering it to be a detailed outline of the Grade Rituals of the Order, and prescribed a curriculum of specifically graduated teachings that encompass the Hermetic Qabalah, Astrology, Tarot, Geomancy, and Alchemy. Dr. Westcott brought in his fellow Freemason Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers to confirm his deciphering of the manuscript and to assist in turning the writings into a usable set of rules for a new lodge order. Mathers asked a third Freemason, Dr. William Robert Woodman, to assist in this endeavor, and the core of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn was formed.

  In 1887 the trio officially opened the Order to others, and soon a great many Initiates were learning the esoteric arts. As the number of initiates grew, the influence of the Order also grew. The teachings outlined in the Cipher Manuscript were quite detailed, and those who followed the course of study soon found their astrological readings were quite specific, and quite accurate. In 1891, new initiate Arthur Edward Waite began extensive teachings in the use of the Tarot, consolidating the knowledge scattered through the ages on their use and meaning. Other young initiates, like Edward Alexander Crowley in 1897, showed a great deal of talent in Alchemy and the Qabalah.

  In 1890 it is rumored that the Order managed to acquire the secret writings of Sir Isaac Newton, which contained his notes on the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone. Some claim that the Order was able to complete the work that Newton was not able to finish, creating a Philosopher’s Stone and ensuring the Order’s means of wealth. Turning base metals into gold meant that the order was not dependant on the generosity of their members, and meant that they could pursue even the most obscure and costly of rituals in their quest for knowledge.

  Pinkerton Detective Agency

  The world of Private Eyes begins with the legendary Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Their logo, with its big central eye and the motto “We Never Sleep”, spawned the nickname Private Eye, and the image of the tough guy determined to solve a case.

  In 1850 Allan Pinkerton and Chicago attorney Edward Rucker formed the North-Western Police Agency, later to be known as Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Pinkerton became famous in February 1861, when he foiled an assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland, of President-Elect Abraham Lincoln. His efforts in this case impressed Lincoln so much that Lincoln hired Pinkerton to provide his security during the American Civil War as well as performing as head of the Union Intelligence Service during the first years of the war. Pinkerton’s investigative techniques, created during his days in the North-Western Police Agency and refined over the years, were an innovation that lead the Pinkerton’s to be the most well known specialists in criminal investigations and undercover operations. The Pinkerton National Detective Agency became a unit to be feared.

  After the end of the American Civil War, Pinkerton’s offices opened all across the United States. Their services were used to track down outlaws such as Jesse James, The Wild Bunch, and the Reno Gang. Their services spread far and wide, even assisting Scotland Yard and Sherlock Holmes in a number of cases involving crimes on both continents.

  Starting in the 1870s, the Pinkerton Agency was hired by a number of large companies to investigate efforts to unionize workers. Quite often this led to violent conflicts and a bad reputation for the Agency. Pinkerton Men became associated with “Corporate Thugs” and were known for being union breakers. Pinkerton Agent John McParland managed to infiltrate the militant labor union of coal miners in Pennsylvania known as the Mollie Maguires. The Mollies were a secret Irish organization that worked for labor unionization and were known for stirring up trouble throughout Ireland. McParland, under the name of James McKenna, became a member of the Mollie Maquires in Pennsylvania. Using the knowledge he gain from them, a great many members of the group were arrested, leading to the end of the violent unionist efforts of the Mollie Maguires.

  The Pinkerton National Detective Agency makes a great resource in any Steamfunkateers adventure set in the United States. Players can work for Pinkerton’s as investigative agents, as undercover agents, or even as consultants. The Agency can also be used as an adversary, bringing truth to claims that Pinkerton Agents were violent thugs with a badge of authority.

  Scotland Yard

  In the eighteenth century came the beginnings of immense social and economic changes with the consequent movement of the population of England to towns. The parish constable and “Watch” systems used throughout the country failed completely and the impotence of the law-enforcement machinery was a serious menace. Conditions became intolerable and led to the formation of the “New Police.”

  In 1829 the Metropolitan Police Act introduced by Sir Robert Peel, was passed by Parliament. This Act replaced the numerous local constables with a single police force that covered Greater London, excluding the City of London, which had its own Police Force. The Marine, or River Police as well as the Bow Street Patrols (both mounted and the “Runners” on foot) were also outside the command of the new London Metropolitan Police. The task of organizing and designing the “New Police” was placed in the hands of Colonel Charles Rowan and Richard Mayne (later Sir Richard Mayne). These two Commissioners occupied a private house at 4 Whitehall Place, the back of which opened on to a courtyard. The back premises of 4 Whitehall Place were used as a police station. This address led to the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police being known as Scotland Yard.

  By 1890 the Metropolitan Police had taken over all of the buildings surrounding the original private house, as well as many buildings, stables, and storehouses in the surrounding area. Scotland Yard outgrew its origins. Headquarters were moved in 1890 to premises on the Victoria Embankment designed by Richard Norman Shaw and became known as New Scotland Yard.

  Metr
opolitan police officers carried firearms only when given special permission by a judge; normally they are only armed with a truncheon. Their jurisdiction was limited to the London Metropolitan area unless requested by outside authorities and given permission by the Home Secretary (the cabinet officer who commands the police). The officers, often called “Bobbies,” after Sir Robert Peel, wore a unique and very sturdy hat. This officer could stand on his hat, allowing him to see over fences quite easily. They were charged with keeping order in public thoroughfares, ensuring that Public Houses follow strict hours and serving laws, fining establishments that conducted bear baiting or cock fighting, and ensuring that people going about their lawful business were not menaced by “general riff-raff and ne’er-do-wells.”

  The Metropolitan Police Service Criminal Investigation Department, or CID, the first criminal investigation department, was set up in April 1878 by C. E. Howard Vincent. Originally it was only responsible to the Home Secretary, but since 1888 it had been under the authority of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. CID officers did not wear a uniform, instead they were plainclothes officers. CID officers were involved in the investigation of major crimes such as rape, murder, serious assault, fraud, and any other crimes that require complex detection. They were responsible for acting upon intelligence received and then building a case; from analysis of the initial incident through the arrest and prosecution of any suspects.

  The success of the men of Scotland Yard did not go unnoticed. Throughout the world, police forces were modeled after the Metropolitan Police. By the end of the 1890s uniformed and organized police forces could be found in nearly every major city.

  Some of Scotland Yard’s most famous investigators include Inspector George Lestrade, who consulted with Sherlock Holmes on a number of cases; Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline, who headed up the dreadful Whitechapel Murder investigations; and, in the Steamfunkateers universe, Inspector Montgomery Pettiman, who broke the horrific case of Sweeney Todd, but was unable to capture him.