by Gary Krist
41 “in love with Anna …” and all subsequent quotes and details to the end of this chapter are from testimony in Succession of Deubler.
Chapter 9: Jazzmen
1 “The Knights of Pleasure Club …” Invitation as cited in the Bolden chronology, page 3, in the Buddy Bolden Vertical File at Hogan Jazz Archive.
2 a member of the Ladies’ Providence Society … as per Marquis, Bolden, 69.
3 “Tell all yo’ friends! …” as cited in Bezou article typescript, Bezou-Goffin Collection (MSS 17, Folder 17–1, University of New Orleans).
4 “The main topic of talk …” is from Ramsey’s interview with Danny Barker (Ramsey Papers, Folder 310, Historic New Orleans Collection).
5 “All over New Orleans on Saturday night …” is from Foster, “Tarnished Angels,” 16.
6 “The picnics at the lake …” is from St. Cyr, “Jazz As I Remember It,” 6.
7 playing regularly at Storyville clubs … Bolden at Nancy Hank’s and Pete Lala’s as per Marquis, Bolden, 58–59.
8 began by hiring a string trio … and Willie Piazza as first madam to hire musicians, as per Ramsey and Smith, Jazzmen, 32.
9 a single piano “professor” … as per Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 54.
10 Lincoln and Johnson Parks … For the new black parks, see especially Marquis, “Lincoln Park,” 26–28.
11 picnics, prizefights, and other entertainments … The description of Lincoln Park also relies on Marquis, Bolden, 66.
12 the weekly hot-air-balloon ascensions … For Buddy Bartley’s ascensions, see also McCusker, Creole Trombone, 65–66, and Marquis, Bolden, 61.
13 “One Sunday, he drifted too far …” is from McCusker, Creole Trombone, 66.
14 “That’s where Buddy used to say …” is from the Louis Jones oral history of January 19, 1959, in the Hogan Jazz Archive.
15 “Old King Bolden …” is from Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 74n.
16 “I thought I heard Buddy Bolden say …” For the lyrics to “Funky Butt,” see Marquis, Bolden, 109–10.
17 “When the settled Creole folks …” is from Leonard Bechet in Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 120.
18 trades traditionally pursued by Creoles … See Lester, “New Negro of Jazz,” 32.
19 George Baquet, a Creole clarinetist … Baquet in Robichaux’s band per Marquis, Bolden, 79.
20 “George, why did you do it?” The incident of the cutting contest is described in several places, including Ramsey in Downbeat, December 15, 1940, and January 1, 1941. Also, Marquis, Bolden, 81.
21 “Bolden cause all that …” is from Paul Dominguez in the Buddy Bolden Vertical File, Beg.-1999, Hogan Jazz Archive.
22 “I came to New Orleans in 1906 …” is quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 31–32.
23 Edward “Kid” Ory … The best source for Ory is McCusker’s Creole Trombone.
24 “Sometimes the guys would put the horns down …” For Ory’s early life and the quote, see McCusker, Creole Trombone, 30–31.
25 straight hair, light skin, and Anglo features … For Ory’s appearance, see McCusker, Creole Trombone, 22.
26 “It was dark and no one could see us …” is from McCusker, Creole Trombone, 37.
27 made their own musical instruments … McCusker describes the homemade musical instruments in Creole Trombone, 38–39.
28 “After finishing the three instruments …” is from McCusker, Creole Trombone, 38–39.
29 “an old beat-up valve tombone” … and Ory’s difficulties after his parents’ deaths are from McCusker, Creole Trombone, 50.
30 “Then we had some real rehearsing …” is from McCusker, Creole Trombone, 51.
31 “Young man, are you blowing the trombone?…” The Ory-Bolden incident is cited in several places. Quotes here as per McCusker, Creole Trombone, 53–56.
32 Robichaux, from whom Ory learned … McCusker, Creole Trombone, 61–62, is the source for Ory’s modeling his polished style on Robichaux.
33 perhaps the greatest jazz clarinetist … The best sources on Bechet are his own autobiography, Treat It Gentle, and Chilton’s Sidney Bechet: The Wizard of Jazz.
34 first heard Bolden playing on the street … For Bechet’s first hearing of Bolden, see Chilton, Bechet, 5.
35 trying to blow the nozzle of her douche … See Chilton, Bechet, 4.
36 “[It] was down there around Canal Street somewheres …” is from Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 62–63.
37 “Us Creole musicians always did …” is quoted in Chilton, Bechet, 5.
38 “No, no, no …” The Papa Tio incident as per Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 79.
39 “Some musicians played the tune prettily …” Chilton, Bechet, 7, discusses Bechet’s modeling himself on Louis Nelson’s playing style, and is the source for the quote.
40 birthday party in April 1907 … Leonard’s birthday party as per Chilton, Bechet, 5–6, and Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 70–72.
41 “I knew I was too young for them …” is from Bechet, Treat It Gentle, 71.
42 “He kept me there all evening …” is from Chilton, Bechet, 6.
43 “I used to see Sidney around …” is quoted in Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 115.
44 “When Baquet wanted to lay off …” is quoted in Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 116–17.
45 Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe … Valuable sources for Jelly Roll Morton are Lomax’s Mister Jelly Roll and Reich and Gaines’s Jelly’s Blues.
46 “Uptown Negroes” … For Morton’s disdain of Uptown black music, see, for instance, Carney, “Creation of Early Jazz,” 301–03.
47 “didn’t want to be called Frenchy” … is quoted in Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 4.
48 a three-piece string band … For Morton playing in the band, see Gushee, “Chronology,” 392.
49 “a very good piece of ragtime” … as per Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 7.
50 “I was so frightened …” is from Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 30.
51 “The streets were crowded with men …” is quoted in Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 30–31.
52 “more money than I ever heard of …” is from Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 31.
53 “no matter how much his Diamond Sparkled …” is from Armstrong, In His Own Words, 24.
54 Laine had a few musicians in his fold … For the interest of the white musicians from Laine’s band, see Carney, “Creation of Early Jazz,” 303, Charters, Trumpet Around the Corner, 68, and Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 42.
55 “Whites who played jazz …” is from Hersch, Subversive Sounds, 111.
56 When Giarolamo LaRocca discovered … The incident with LaRocca’s father as per Charters, Trumpet Around the Corner, 128, and Brunn, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, 1–5.
57 “the citadel of white caste privileges” … Edmond Souchon’s story is from Souchon’s Jazz Review article, 8–9.
58 “Most saloons had two sides …” is from Foster, “Tarnished Angels,” 64.
59 a rise in cocaine use … See the Chicago Tribune of July 13, 1903.
60 “The orchestra consisted of a clarinet …” is from the NODI, as quoted in Winston, “News Reporting of Jazz,” 33. (NODIs from this year are missing from library microfilms.)
61 A short, ill-tempered man … Morton’s description of the shooting at a Bolden performance, including quotations, as per Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 71–72. [NB: Marquis believes Morton may be conflating two separate incidents in this story.]
62 “I’ve often wondered why …” is from Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 72.
63 “When we started off playing Buddy’s theme song …” is quoted in Marquis, Bolden, 111.
64 “manifestations of cultural resistance …” is from Lester, “New Negro of Jazz,” 50.
65 “These guys wouldn’t wear …” is quoted in Lomax, Mister Jelly Roll, 23.
66 “just the sight of the famous cornetist …” is Bob Lyons as quoted in the Ramsey Papers, Folder 319, Historic New O
rleans Collection.
67 “King Bolden! …” as per Marquis, Bolden, 96.
68 Nora Bass, a twenty-two-year-old … For Nora and their daughter, see Marquis, Bolden, 96–98.
69 “Sometimes he would have to run away …” is Albert Glennie as quoted in the Ramsey Papers, Folder 765, Historic New Orleans Collection.
70 severe headaches … see Marquis, Bolden, 112.
71 Other symptoms appeared … For his failure to recognize friends and talking to strangers, see Ramsey Papers, Folder 304.
72 send Buddy’s friend Louis Jones … For Jones having to bring Bolden home, see Ramsey Papers, Folder 286.
73 a fear of his own cornet … Marquis, Bolden, 112.
74 Some said he drank too much … Louis Armstrong thought Bolden’s madness stemmed from excessive drinking per Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 39.
75 an untreated ear infection … Louis Jones on the ear infection is from his oral history of January 19, 1959, in the Hogan Jazz Archive.
76 he just played too loud … Paul Barbarin’s mother’s theory is cited in Marquis, Bolden, 70.
77 “You can go back home …” The incident with Dusen is cited in Ramsey and Smith, Jazzmen, 17–18. [NB: The black Masonic and Odd Fellows Halls were the same building on the corner of Rampart and Perdido.]
78 attacked Mrs. Bass with a water pitcher … The incident in which Bolden attacked his mother-in-law is from Marquis, Bolden, 112–13.
79 threw a neighbor’s baby out of a window … is from Ramsey, “Ramsey Speaks Out,” 37.
80 “He’s nuts, you know” … as cited in Marquis, Bolden, 118.
81 “Character of Disease: Insanity …” Bolden’s final decline as per Marquis, Bolden, 118–22, which reproduces the commitment document in full.
82 “Before the dance …” is from Armstrong, “Growing Up in New Orleans,” originally in Life magazine, reprinted in Miller and Anderson, eds., New Orleans Stories, 23.
Chapter 10: The Sin Factory
1 “Representative Anderson of the Fourth Ward …” The opening quote, as indicated in the text, is from the NODP of June 20, 1902.
2 as lucrative and efficient as any lumber mill … According to Leavitt, Great Characters, 29, prostitution had become the second-largest industry in New Orleans at this time. 230 brothels, etc., as per Long, Babylon, 158.
3 “I’ll tell you, five minutes …” is from Rose, Storyville, 162.
4 “This Tenderloin District …” is quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 6.
5 “A lot of the prostitutes lived in different sections …” is quoted in Shapiro and Hentoff, Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya, 5.
6 “Those places were organized …” is quoted in Rose, Storyville, 160.
7 a lagniappe—a little bonus … as per Rose, Storyville, 162.
8 “the king of the district” … is from Rose, Storyville, 114.
9 a quick delivery of the really good Champagne … Details about Champagne sales at Lulu White’s come from State of Louisiana vs. Lulu White, Docket No. 15,896, as cited in Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 176.
10 “From time to time …” is from Danny Barker, Buddy Bolden, 54–55.
11 the corner of Basin and Iberville … For renaming of Customhouse Street (in 1904), see Rose, Storyville, 219.
12 “Tom Anderson overtops the restricted district …” The excerpt from Collier’s as cited in Rose, Storyville, 46.
13 “below whore scale” … For Sarah Bernhardt’s visit, see Rose, Storyville, 78.
14 host to some of the greatest sports figures … as per Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 126.
15 When George M. Cohan showed up … The George M. Cohan and John L. Sullivan incidents as reported by Billy Struve in the New Orleans Item-Tribune of August 2, 1931.
16 “immaculate, cool-headed, and calm” … as per Barker, Buddy Bolden, 56.
17 “He listened to their love problems …” is from Barker, Buddy Bolden, 57.
18 “characteristically humorous …” is from the NODP of June 22, 1904.
19 a fairly effective representative … For Anderson’s bills supporting the asylum, and for his gift of oil during the yellow fever epidemic, see the NODP of August 11, 1905, and July 28, 1905.
20 when President Theodore Roosevelt came to New Orleans … See Behrman, Martin Behrman of New Orleans, 149.
21 named to the honorary committee … as per the NODPs of October 8 and 27, 1905.
22 A picture of the two of them … is mentioned by Struve in the New Orleans Item-Tribune of August 2, 1931.
23 bills to raise the salaries … Proposals regarding police and stenographers were reported in the NODPs of May 18, 1904, and June 21, 1906.
24 arrested, tried, and convicted … Anderson’s initial conviction on the Sunday Closing Law charge as per the NODP of February 18, 1905.
25 a large supply of liquor and cigars … Gifts to Judge Skinner as reported in the NODP of January 4, 1906.
26 a Ring stalwart named Martin Behrman … Useful sources for Behrman are his own autobiography, Martin Behrman of New Orleans (hereafter Memoirs), and Zink, City Bosses in the United States.
27 “always knew what [had] led to the fall of the Roman Empire …” Behrman’s definition of a silk-stocking is from Behrman, Memoirs, 108.
28 “uncouth” … Behrman’s discussion of the Times-Democrat’s calling him this is from Memoirs, 89.
29 “Mr. Behrman does not rise …” is quoted in Behrman, Memoirs, 81n.
30 Parkerson accused Behrman … For Parkerson’s grafting accusations, see Behrman, Memoirs, 91.
31 “I would rather be a maggot …” is quoted in in Behrman, Memoirs, 100.
32 Steel Arm Johnny, Mary Meathouse … The list of Storyville characters is selected from a roundup in Rose, Storyville, 55.
33 rate of violent crime was actually relatively low … See Rose, Storyville, 64, for this claim. For the comparison of per capita murder rates of New Orleans and Chicago, see Adler, “Murder,” 297ff.
34 “no doubt the most heartless …” is quoted in Rose, Storyville, 55.
35 “Lulu dashed into the room …” is from the NODP of November 14, 1904. The ultimate charge against her as per Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 83ff.
36 a discount book of fifteen tickets … as per Levy, “Bards and Bawds,” 63.
37 Olivia the Oyster Queen … is from Rose, Storyville, 85.
38 “sex circuses” … Rose, Storyville, 50, describes the goings-on at Emma Johnson’s brothel.
39 “They did a lot of things …” is quoted in Rose, Storyville, 50.
40 “was in dread fear continually …” is from the Succession of Deubler, Tolliver testimony.
41 She named the place Anna’s Villa … is from other testimony in the Succession of Deubler case.
42 on the morning of December 1, 1905 … For the fire at Josie Arlington’s brothel, see the NODP of December 2, 1905.
43 “scantily clad” … The story of the crying prostitute, with quotes, is from the NODP of December 2, 1905.
44 she began to speak gloomily … For Arlington’s attitude change after the fire, see Rose, Storyville, 47–48, and Harris, “Whatever Became of Josie Arlington?,” 40.
45 Arlington purchased an imposing white mansion … All details about the move to Esplanade Avenue are from testimony in Succession of Deubler.
46 Some of her more presentable Storyville associates … Anderson’s visits to Esplanade Avenue and Anna’s Villa, and other details in this paragraph, are from testimony in Succession of Deubler.
47 some tough times ahead … For the coming reform legislation governing poolrooms, racetrack betting, and alcohol, see especially Landau, “Spectacular Wickedness,” 202–08.
Chapter 11: The Black Hand
The best source for the Lamana kidnapping remains the daily newspaper reports, though Tallant, Ready to Hang, 90–137, does a good job of recounting the story accurately and making sense of t
he plethora of accusations, false leads, and other peripheral details.
1 On a warm June evening in 1907 … The most complete accounts of the abduction scene are in the NODI of June 14, 1907, and the NODPs of June 15, 1907, and July 7, 1909 (with additional details that emerged in the trials). For the scents of Little Palermo, see, for instance, Morris, Wait Until Dark, 85.
2 Lamana had one of his horses saddled up … For Peter Lamana’s trip to West End, see especially the NODI of June 10, 1907.
3 “sewers, dark alleys …” is from the NODI of June 10, 1907.
4 “Your boy is comfortably housed …” The text of the ransom note is from the NODP of June 11, 1907.
5 “cut up in pieces” … The threat was reported in the St. Louis Dispatch of June 30, 1907
6 “Some twelve years ago …” is from the NOTD of August 11, 1903.
7 a man calling himself Francesco Genova … For information on Genova/Matesi and his arrival in New Orleans, see Critchley, Origin of Organized Crime, 58. For his Sicilian history, see also Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 819–20.
8 his supposed accomplice in the Seina murders … Reid, Mafia, 177–79, is best for Di Christina/Marchese.
9 One day in early May 1902 … The conflict with the Lucianos was reported in the NODI of June 12, 1902.
10 a brutal interfamily mob war … For the murder of Salvatore Luciano, see Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 22–23, and the NODI of June 12, 1902.
11 “I am satisfied …” is quoted in Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 823. For this scene, see also Reid, Mafia, 179, and the NODI of June 13, 1902.
12 Espare calmly took a revolver … For the killing of Antonio Luciano, see Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 824–25; Reid, Mafia, 181–82; and the Chicago Tribune of August 10, 1903. For Espare’s jump onto the Arlington Restaurant’s roof, see the NODI of June 16, 1907.
13 the first time in the city’s history … The first execution of an Italian for killing another Italian as per Kendall, “Blood on the Banquette,” 826.
14 the city’s Italian underworld was reawakening … Chicago Tribune of June 13, 1902.