Lower Downtown District, Inc.

DENVER’S SORDID POLITICAL PAST

Nov 17, 2000

The Rocky Mountain News proclaimed the 1889 mayoral election ?“the most disgraceful in the history of Denver politics.?” That year?’s election of Republican Wolfe Londoner triggered unrivaled turmoil in the city?’s political history. After several years of scandals, trials, and journalistic wordplay, Londoner became the only chief executive of
Denver ever removed from office.

In the 1880?’s, Denver's population tripled, and by 1890, nearly a quarter of those living in the capital were foreign-born. As city government proved their incompetence in dealing with this population explosion, politicians jockeyed for officer and corruption grew. Democratic reformers believed society?’s ills could be cured by strict
enforcement of liquor and gambling laws. The saloon, a popular base of
operations for city bosses, became the Democrat?’s central issue.

Democrats wanted Denver to follow the state law prohibiting sales of
alcohol on Sunday. The city council argued that the charter gave the
city the power to regulate their city.

On Election Day, some of Londoner?’s supporters actually voted twice. Reportedly, saloonkeepers were paying two dollars per vote instead of the traditional one. Bonuses for repeaters were generously awarded in the form of lottery tickets and free beers. Con man Soapy Smith and gambler-gunman Bat Masterson played leading roles in the manipulation of voters ?– actively gathering the long list of dead names to distribute to
qualified voters. In addition, hundreds of legitimate voters found that someone else had voted for them and were unable to cast votes for their own choices. When irate citizens complained to the deputies, they were told to stop interfering, and some were even threatened with jail. When the Democrat?’s mayoral candidate Elias Barton complained to police chief Henry Brady, he was told to ?“go to hell.?”

After both city and council officials refused to investigate the election, Elias Barton, Londoner?’s opponent carried his complaint to the state supreme court, which offered the Arapahoe County Court to hear the case. It took two years to bring the case to the Colorado Supreme Court. Following a trial that uncovered gross voting abuses, Mayor
Londoner was removed from office.

Wolfe Londoner managed to avoid any direct link to the illegal voting practices. He returned to his grocery business and worked his way back into civic affairs. When he died in 1912, his dishonorable discharge from office was not mentioned in an of the many glowing obituaries of this ?“well beloved citizen.?”