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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Kevin's Chronicles: Tom Pendergast's influence on KC, Part I

Credit: 41 Action News
Duration: 03:37s 0 shares 1 views

Kevin's Chronicles: Tom Pendergast's influence on KC, Part I
Kevin's Chronicles: Tom Pendergast's influence on KC, Part I

If you’ve ever been to Tom’s Town in Downtown Kansas City, where "The People Are Thirsty," you might have wondered, "Who’s Tom?" 41 Action News caught up with Tom’s Town Co-Owner Theo Epstein to find out more.

THERE'S SO MUCH RICHHISTORY IN THIS CITY, ANDSO MANY STORIES TOTELL.IN MY SERIES,"CHRONICLES OF KC", OURGOAL IS TO PROVIDE YOUWITH INSIGHT ANDPERSPECTIVE INTO HOWKANSAS CITY CAME TO BEWHAT IT IS TODAY.TONIGHT, KEVIN IS GOINGTO JAZZ THINGS UP - ANDTELL YOU ABOUT THEBOSS OF KANSAS CITYDURING PROHIBITION.THERE'S A STATUE INDOWNTOWN KANSAS CITYOF JAMES PENDERGAST.HE WAS A CITYCOUNCILMAN AND SOMESAY HE'S THE FIRST BIGBOSS OF KANSAS CITY.BUT HE ISN'T EVEN THEMOST POWERFUL PERSONIN HIS FAMILY.HISTORIANS SAY HISYOUNGER BROTHER RANKANSAS CITY.Theo Epstehe was bigger than a mobbossTHEO EPSTEININTRODUCES US....Theo Epsteinfor a 13 year stretch it wasunfettered by the lawhe was the lawHE IS TOM PENDERGAST.A MAN SOME SAY PUTKANSAS CITY ON THE MAP -FOR JAZZ.Theo Epstein"cause Charlie Parker couldplay in one of the 200 speakeasys and jazz clubs rightaround hereALCOHOLTheo Epsteinhe had 10 brandsand basically you had tocarry one of those tenbrandsAND CORRUPTIONTheo EpsteinJanuary 19th, 1920, it's thefirst day of prohibitionwe call that the greatest dayof tom pendergast's lifebecause there were no rulesIN THE LATE 1800'S TOMPENDERGAST MOVED TOKANSAS CITY TO BE WITHHIS BROTHER - CITYCOUNCILMAN JAMESPENDERGAST.IN 1910 JAMES DIED, WITHTOM TAKING HIS POSITIONSHORTLY AFTER.HISTORIANS SAY TOMREALIZED HE COULD HAVEMORE POWER IF HEWASN'T IN OFFICE.SO HE EVENTUALLYSTEPPED DOWN,FOCUSING ON THEJACKSON COUNTYDEMOCRATIC PARTY...ANDHIS BUSINESSVENTURES.LEGEND HAS IT UNDER HISWATCH - AND HIS MUSCLE,DUE TO A BIT OF FRAUDAND INTIMIDATION- VOTERTURNOUT WOULD NEAR100 PERCENT.Theo Epstehe was bigger than a mobbosseveryone reported to himthe mayor, the firedepartment, the policeeveryone reported to himTHIS WAS ESPECIALLYIMPORTANT DURING THEDAYS OF PROHIBITION.PENDERGAST WOULDMAKE MONEY HAND OVERFIST DURING THAT PERIOD-YOU SEE A LOT OF HISMONEY CAME FROM TWOSOURCES:BOOTLEGGING -Theo Epsteinall of his rivals were shownthe doorINCLUDING EPSTEIN'SOWN GRANDFATHER.AND PENDERGAST'SCONCRETE COMPANY...Theo Epsteina big part of the story wasthe kansas city concretecompanyso every major prject andi'm talking major projects,the airport, brush creek,kansas city power and lightall of that went throughpendergastand he had about 42companies and some ofthem would bid agaisnt eachotherso coincidentally he wouldget the hightest and lowestbidALL THAT CONCRETE - ASWELL AS THE CONCRETEUSED TO BUILD KCPD HQAND THE COURTHOUSE -CAME FROMPENDERGAST'S COMPANY.THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY -MILLIONS.WITH THAT MONEY YOUCOULD BRIBE POLICE,WHO COULD THEN TURN ABLIND EYE TO ALCOHOLAND GAMBLING - DURING ATIME OF PROHIBITION.AS WELL AS KEEP ANDPUT YOUR FRIENDS INPOLITICAL POWER.SO DURING THE GREATDEPRESSION OF THE 20SAND 30'S - WHEN MOSTPLACES STRUGGLED...THE PENDERGASTMACHINE -Theo Epstereally created this into thelas vegas of its dayKCPD IS CURRENTLYUNDER STATE CONTROMANY SAY PENDERGAST ISTHE REASON WHY.AND MANY SAY HE'S A BIGREASON WHY HARRYTRUMAN MADE THE JUMPFROM KC TO DC TOBECOME PRESIDENT.WE TALK ABOUT HISINFLUENCE ANDFRIENDSHIP WITH

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