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Basic ID |
Nightsticks, Chicago Police Department nightstick, circa 1886. Wood. Chicago, Illinois. Gift of Captain William Ward. 1887.1 |
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Title |
Nightstick (club), used in Haymarket Riot |
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Place of Origin |
Chicago (Ill.) |
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Date |
circa 1886 |
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Physical Description |
Cylindrical wooden stick with a recessed grip at one end. Grip has carved parallel lines, the rest of stick is smooth. Flat knob at grip end. |
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Materials/Techniques |
wood (plant material) |
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Dimensions |
Length: (15.25 in); Diameter Outside: (1.5 in) |
|
Marks |
Billy from Haymarket Riot, May 4, 1886 |
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Object History |
This nightstick, a type of wooden club, commonly known as a "billy" club used by police forces, belonged to Chicago Police Captain William Ward, who was in charge of the third precinct at the Desplaines Street Station. Ward used it during the Haymarket Affair (aka Riot) on May 4, 1886. He gave it to the Chicago Historical Society the following year. |
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Curatorial Statement |
This nightstick represents the early history of the Chicago Police Department's use of force and their role in labor unrest in the late 1800s. In spring 1886, Chicago became the center of national workers' movements' demands for an eight-hour workday, and strikes occurred throughout the city. On May 4, 1886, strikers and police clashed violently at Haymarket Square when a bomb was thrown into a group of police officers, causing them to fire into the crowd. Captain William Ward, along with Inspector John Bonfield, led 176 officers into the fray. The police force, established in 1858, was a relatively new presence and frequently used violence and weapons such as this club to subdue criminals and crowds. |
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Classification |
weapons |
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Object Types |
nightsticks |
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Related Persons |
Ward, William |
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Related Corporate Names |
Chicago (Ill.). Police Department |
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Related Places |
Chicago (Ill.) |
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Related Terms |
policemen
anarchists
labor
Haymarket Square Riot, Chicago, Ill., 1886
Riots
Labor movement |
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Credit Line |
Gift of Captain William Ward |
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Owner |
Chicago Historical Society |
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Copyright Notice |
© Chicago Historical Society, published on or before 2016, all rights reserved. |
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Exhibition History |
Chicago : Crossroads of America. Chicago History Museum (2006/09/30 - ) |
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Resources |
http://www.chicagohistory.org/dramas/ |
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Object Number |
1887.1 |
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Image File Name |
ICHi-31955 |
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Language |
English |
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Repository |
Chicago History Museum. 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614-6038 |
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Collection Name |
Museum Collection |
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Research Inquiry |
http://libguides.chicagohistory.org/research |
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Licensing Inquiry |
Visit https://images.chicagohistory.org or email rightsrepro@chicagohistory.org |
