The Pendergast Era of Kansas City, Missouri: A Wild Ride
Alright, picture this: Kansas City, back in the day (we’re talking roughly 1890 to 1940), was a town run by a couple of Democratic bigwigs named James and Tom Pendergast. These guys weren’t just politicians; they were the heart of a powerful "machine" that pretty much controlled everything.
From Saloon to Supreme Power
Now, political machines weren’t exactly new at the turn of the century. In big cities, these organizations often had a strong following, especially among the working class and immigrant communities. The boss was the go-to person for jobs, favors, and a sense of belonging.
James Pendergast, the elder brother, got the ball rolling. He wasn’t born into politics; he started out working in a packing house and then an iron foundry. But James had an entrepreneurial spirit and was good at networking. Using winnings from a lucky horse race bet, he opened a saloon called the Climax Saloon. In 1880, he opened a boarding house, which he ran for 31 years. The bar became a hub, and before long, he was building a political faction in the Jackson County Democratic Party. His crew was nicknamed the "Goats" because they had support from those living in the hills.
By 1892, James, now known as "Alderman Jim" or "Big Jim," was doling out favors and solidifying his political clout.
Tom Joins the Party
Seeing his brother’s success, James summoned his younger brother, Tom, from St. Joseph. Tom started working at the Climax Saloon, and James schooled him in the art of city politics – how to control voters and pull the levers of power.
"Big Jim" won several terms on the city council, but his health started to fail. In 1910, he retired, and the following year, he passed away, naming Tom as his successor. And so, "Boss" Tom Pendergast took over the Democratic machine, inheriting his brother’s connections and leading the "Goat" faction. He had to fight off rival bosses, like Joe Shannon, who led the "Rabbits."
Tom stepped down from the city council in 1915 to focus on his role as the unelected leader of the Jackson Democratic Club, the formal party organization of the Pendergast Machine. From his office, he worked to ensure the election of favorable candidates to city positions, from which they could award lucrative contracts to Pendergast-owned or affiliated businesses or extend patronage — chiefly in the form of jobs — to individual machine supporters.
The "Wide-Open" City
Under the Pendergast machine, Kansas City became a "wide-open" town. What does that mean? Well, the machine turned a blind eye to things like gambling, bootlegging (especially during Prohibition), embezzlement, election fraud, bribes, and even prostitution.
During Prohibition, Kansas City remained unaffected, primarily due to the Pendergast Machine. Pendergast’s Machine bribed the police force, city leaders, and Kansas City’s federal prosecutor. This ensured gambling and bars remained open, and liquor was supplied.
As one observer put it:
"If you want to see some sin, forget about Paris. Go to Kansas City."
Jazz, Jobs, and Graft
The wide-open access to alcohol and gambling cultivated entertainment and culture, especially jazz. The city became a haven for musicians, and Kansas City Jazz was born. While jazz began in the 1920s with a bang, it flourished in the 1930s, mainly due to political boss Tom Pendergast. Jazz remains popular in clubs, events, and dozens of nightclubs.
By 1925, Pendergast had little serious competition as rival bosses and their organizations were integrated into the larger Pendergast Machine, displaced completely, or bought off.
In 1926, the Pendergast faction had co-opted its last rivals — Joe Shannon’s “Rabbits†and Cas Welch’s East Side group that included African American precincts. This provided much more stability for the Machine in the future.
Pendergast gained control of the city government the same year when his right-hand man, Henry McElroy, became the city manager. McElroy would hold the position until 1939.
In 1927, Pendergast established an office for his Machine in a building that still stands at 1908 Main Street.
The Great Depression hit in 1929, and people were desperate for work. Pendergast and McElroy launched the "Ten-Year Plan," a massive bond issue that promised city improvements – roads, sewers, parks, and more. It created thousands of jobs, and voters loved it.
But here’s where things get shady. While Kansas City was building and expanding, a lot of money was flowing through the City Manager’s "Emergency Fund" with little oversight. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs came in, even more money was sloshing around. It’s said that funds were used to pay machine-controlled employees who never did anything but pick up their paychecks, with the rest of the funds turned over to the Pendergast’s bookkeeper, Ernest L. Schneider.
Beyond Politics: Business Ventures
Boss Tom wasn’t just about politics; he had his fingers in a lot of other pies. He owned shares in the Sanitary Service Company (the city’s trash collector), plus liquor distribution companies, construction firms, and more. Businesses often had to kick back a percentage of their revenue to the machine to avoid trouble.
In the 1930s, gambling expanded into department stores, drug stores, and mom-and-pop grocery stores with the adoption of slot machines.
Pendergast’s power peaked in 1932 when Kansas City controlled its police department that had previously been under the direction of a governor-appointed Board of Police Commissioners. This ultimately gave Pendergast and the Machine more free rein, along with a sense of invulnerability. However, it may have caused Boss Tom to become overconfident and decrease his judgment on more questionable political and governing activities.
The third element of the crime trifecta at the time was prostitution. Speakeasies, jazz clubs, and public gathering places attract prostitutes, politicians, and businessmen. They, or their representatives, had to pay regular amounts to the enforcers to stay out in the open where they could solicit business. If those who plied these trades did not make the expected payments, the McElroy-controlled police could step in to shut down the illegal side of any of these enterprises.
The Downfall
The Pendergast machine seemed untouchable for a while, but things started to unravel.
Even after Prohibition was repealed in 1933, very little changed in Kansas City.
On June 17, 1933, the Union Station Massacre occurred when an attempt was made to free a federal prisoner being taken to Leavenworth Penitentiary. When three gangsters attempted to free Frank Nash from FBI custody, they killed him, three police officers, and an FBI agent. The gangsters had spent the prior evening at the Hotel Monroe, adjacent to Tom Pendergast’s office. They had received assistance in eluding a bribed police force from John Lazia, a prominent underworld figure with connections to Pendergast. Pendergast ally Johnny Lazia was later implicated in planning the escape attempt. One shooter has been positively identified as a mobster named Vernon Miller, who was only charged with obstruction of justice. The other shooters were never fully identified, although the FBI settled on Charles “Pretty Boy†Floyd and Adam Richetti as the fall guys. Within a year, all three were dead.
The tremendous public outrage over the shootout convinced the Pendergast Machine that Lazia had become a liability that needed to be eliminated. In early 1934, without Tom’s protection, Lazia was indicted for bootlegging, illegal gambling, and tax evasion. Lazia eventually pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was sentenced to one year in prison. However, Tom Pendergast got Lazia free on bail during the appeal. On the night of July 9, 1934, as Lazia was returning from his collection efforts with his wife Marie beside him and his driver Charley Carrollo, he was gunned down at the entrance to Park Central. Though Carrollo successfully whisked away Lazia’s wife, Lazia died a few hours later.
Then came the "Bloody Election" of 1934, with shootings, intimidation, and voter fraud. The feds started investigating, and hundreds of machine operatives were indicted.
In 1936, Tom was attending the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he suffered a severe heart attack. On follow-up, it was discovered that he had colon cancer requiring surgery. Afterward, his health declined overall.
Finally, in 1939, Pendergast was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes on a bribe. He served a year in prison and had to pay a hefty fine and back taxes.
The "Clean Sweep" campaign of 1940 ousted Pendergast’s people from office, and the police department was overhauled.
Tom Pendergast died in 1945, his reign over Kansas City long over.
Legacy: Good and Bad
The Pendergast era was a mixed bag for Kansas City. On one hand, there was corruption and shady dealings. On the other hand, the city saw massive growth, new infrastructure, and a thriving cultural scene. It’s a fascinating and complex chapter in Kansas City’s history.
During this time, the Kansas City boulevard and park system was developed; the Country Club Plaza and Country Club District was created; the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City Art Institute, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the Liberty Memorial were established; TWA made Kansas City the hub of national aviation; most of the downtown Kansas City buildings were built; its inner-city culture blossomed with contributions to Negro League baseball, Kansas City jazz music, and Kansas City-style barbecue.