Joseph A. Shakspeare
Encyclopedia
Joseph Ansoetegui Shakspeare (April 12, 1837 - 22 January 1896) was mayor of New Orleans from 1880 - 1882 and again from 1888 to 1892.
, Samuel Shakspeare, and Mariane (Mathias) Shakespeare, a Swiss immigrant. He studied iron design in New York City
and later returned to New Orleans to run an ironworks started by his father. He later entered politics, serving one term in the state legislature. He married Antoinette Kroos, a German immigrant, in 1863; the couple had five children.
In the municipal election of 1880, Shakspeare accepted the mayoral nomination of a coalition of reformers determined to take power from “the Ring”
, a scandal-plagued local political machine. Shakspeare defeated Jules Denis, the Ring candidate, by 9803 votes to 9362. For several days, outgoing Ring mayor Isaac W. Patton
refused to recognize the results. He would not give up City Hall until ordered by a judge.
and Reconstruction. He increased the city’s revenue by selling the Carrollton Street Railroad franchise and by devising the ‘Shakspeare Plan,’ a scheme whereby illegal gambling operations were able to continue to operate as long as they made regular payments to the city treasury. He attempted to reform the fire and police departments, removing them as sources of political patronage, but was thwarted by City Council. Under Shakspeare’s administration, the city enacted a new municipal charter which replaced the Reconstruction-era charter. Shakspeare’s new charter created a new thirty-member City Council with legislative power, and increased the mayor’s term of office from two years to four. His administration also began construction of the monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee
, which still stands today in Lee Circle, and authorized the creation of a monument commemorating the Battle of Liberty Place
of 1874, in which the white supremacist White League attempted to overthrow the Reconstruction-era Republican state government.
Shakspeare did not run for re-election in 1882. He was succeeded in office by William J. Behan
, the Ring candidate.
, by 23,313 votes to 15,635. The election was characterized by the presence of armed bands of men from both the reform and Ring camps.
Under the rules of the new charter, Shakspeare’s second term was a four-year one. His second term was characterized by renewed street improvements, the introduction of electric street lights and street cars, and a further improvement of the city’s debt situation. His administration began construction of a new courthouse and jail complex on Tulane Avenue. He also created a professional fire department to replace the existing volunteer fire departments, which had been active in municipal machine politics. But his efforts to use the police department as a source of political patronage alienated some of his reform-oriented supporters. Shakspeare appointed David Hennessy as chief of police. Hennessy’s assassination in October 1890, allegedly by members of the Sicilian Mafia
, sparked an anti-Italian riot in which the parish prison was stormed and eleven Italian immigrants were lynched. The riot created an international diplomatic incident with the government of Italy
.
Shakspeare ran for a third term in 1892, but by then his reputation as a reformer was tarnished, and he was defeated by Ring candidate John Fitzpatrick
, who was a popular politician with strong pro-labor credentials. Shakspeare died in New Orleans in 1896.
Early life and political career
Joseph Shakspeare was born in New Orleans, the son of a Quaker from DelawareDelaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Samuel Shakspeare, and Mariane (Mathias) Shakespeare, a Swiss immigrant. He studied iron design in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and later returned to New Orleans to run an ironworks started by his father. He later entered politics, serving one term in the state legislature. He married Antoinette Kroos, a German immigrant, in 1863; the couple had five children.
In the municipal election of 1880, Shakspeare accepted the mayoral nomination of a coalition of reformers determined to take power from “the Ring”
Regular Democratic Organization
The Regular Democratic Organization , or Old Regulars, or the New Orleans Ring, is a conservative political organization based in New Orleans. It has existed for 130 years and as of 2006 is still active. The symbol of the RDO is the rooster...
, a scandal-plagued local political machine. Shakspeare defeated Jules Denis, the Ring candidate, by 9803 votes to 9362. For several days, outgoing Ring mayor Isaac W. Patton
Isaac W. Patton
Isaac W. Patton was the 39th mayor of New Orleans ....
refused to recognize the results. He would not give up City Hall until ordered by a judge.
First Shakspeare administration, 1880-1882
Shakspeare’s first two-year term as mayor was a difficult one. He was the only reformer elected, so he faced unending hostility from the seven-member City Council and administrative board, both still controlled by the Ring. Despite these difficulties, Shakspeare was able to overhaul the city’s disorganized budget, and managed to reschedule the crippling municipal debts left over from the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and Reconstruction. He increased the city’s revenue by selling the Carrollton Street Railroad franchise and by devising the ‘Shakspeare Plan,’ a scheme whereby illegal gambling operations were able to continue to operate as long as they made regular payments to the city treasury. He attempted to reform the fire and police departments, removing them as sources of political patronage, but was thwarted by City Council. Under Shakspeare’s administration, the city enacted a new municipal charter which replaced the Reconstruction-era charter. Shakspeare’s new charter created a new thirty-member City Council with legislative power, and increased the mayor’s term of office from two years to four. His administration also began construction of the monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, which still stands today in Lee Circle, and authorized the creation of a monument commemorating the Battle of Liberty Place
Battle of Liberty Place
The Battle of Liberty Place was an attempted insurrection by the Crescent City White League against the legal Reconstruction state government on September 14, 1874 in New Orleans, Louisiana, where it was then based....
of 1874, in which the white supremacist White League attempted to overthrow the Reconstruction-era Republican state government.
Shakspeare did not run for re-election in 1882. He was succeeded in office by William J. Behan
William J. Behan
William J. Behan was the 41st mayor of New Orleans ....
, the Ring candidate.
Second Shakspeare administration, 1888-1892
In the municipal election of 1888, Shakspeare ran again as a reform candidate opposing the Ring. As before, he was supported by members of the city’s conservative Bourbon business elite, and he defeated the Ring candidate, Judge Robert C. DaveyRobert C. Davey
Robert Charles Davey was a U.S. Representative from Louisiana.Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Davey attended the public schools, and was graduated from St...
, by 23,313 votes to 15,635. The election was characterized by the presence of armed bands of men from both the reform and Ring camps.
Under the rules of the new charter, Shakspeare’s second term was a four-year one. His second term was characterized by renewed street improvements, the introduction of electric street lights and street cars, and a further improvement of the city’s debt situation. His administration began construction of a new courthouse and jail complex on Tulane Avenue. He also created a professional fire department to replace the existing volunteer fire departments, which had been active in municipal machine politics. But his efforts to use the police department as a source of political patronage alienated some of his reform-oriented supporters. Shakspeare appointed David Hennessy as chief of police. Hennessy’s assassination in October 1890, allegedly by members of the Sicilian Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
, sparked an anti-Italian riot in which the parish prison was stormed and eleven Italian immigrants were lynched. The riot created an international diplomatic incident with the government of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Shakspeare ran for a third term in 1892, but by then his reputation as a reformer was tarnished, and he was defeated by Ring candidate John Fitzpatrick
John Fitzpatrick (mayor of New Orleans)
John Fitzpatrick was an Irish-American mayor of New Orleans from April 25, 1892 to April 27, 1896.-External links:*...
, who was a popular politician with strong pro-labor credentials. Shakspeare died in New Orleans in 1896.
Sources
- Profile of Shakspeare Administration
- Biographical Dictionary of American Mayors, 1820-1880. Greenwood Press, 1981.
- Jackson, Joy J. New Orleans in the Gilded Age: Politics and Urban Progress, 1880-1896. Louisiana Historical Association, 1997.
- Kendall, John Smith. History of New Orleans. Lewis Publishing Co., 1922.