An Accidental Anarchist: How the Killing of a Humble Jewish Immigrant by Chicago's Chief of Police Exposed the Conflict Between Law & Order and Civil Rights in Early 20th Century America

by Walter Roth, Joe Kraus

It was a bitter cold morning in March, 1908. A nineteen-year-old Jewish immigrant traversed the confusing and unfamiliar streets of Chicago–a one-and-a-half-hour-long journey–from his ghetto home on Washburne Avenue to the luxurious Lincoln Place residence of Police Chief George Shippy. He arrived at 9 a.m. Within minutes after knocking on the front door, Lazarus Averbuch lay dead on the hallway floor, shot no less than six times by the chief himself. Why Averbuch went to the police chief's house or exactly what happened after that is still not known. This is the most comprehensive account ever written about this episode that stunned Chicago and won the attention of the entire country. It does not "solve" the mystery as much as it places it in the context of a nation that was unsure how to absorb all of the immigrants flowing across its borders. It attempts to reconstruct the many different perspectives and concerns that comprised the drama surrounding the investigation of Averbuch's killing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crime

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olga Averbuch hoped that the murder of her brother, Lazarus Averbuch, at the hands of Chicago Police Chief Shippy in 1908 not be forgotten -- and that his hopes and dreams, as a survivor of the Kishinev pogrom, impoverished immigrant to America, and laborer not be forgotten. Authors Roth and Kraus have fulfilled her long-ago wish by creating this thorough account of his death and the efforts -- by some very well-known Chicagoans like Jane Addams and Harold Ickes, and some of his fellow workers and neighbors -- to clear his name and comfort her. They do not solve the mystery of why Lazarus went to the police chief's house that day, and the only witnesses to his almost-immediate violent death are members of the Chief's family and staff. But they do paint a picture of life in Chicago for Jewish immigrants, for the political leaders like Emma Goldman and Ben Reitman who inspired them, and the hardships of daily life in a corrupt, violent and deeply prejudiced era. This book was the basis for a terrific novel "The Lazarus Project" by Aleksandr Hemon.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty decent book about how much power journalists really have, whether they know it or not

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading The Lazarus project, I had to read the non fiction version, which does not disappoint. Full of contemporaneous details and information regarding the incident and investigation, this book delivers the true story.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a mystery with no clear answers. Chicago's chief of police kills a young immigrant at his door and claims self defense against someone he describes as an obvious anarchist. It tells much about our history but does not answer what this young man was doing far from home

[Benny Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little known history that speaks to seemingly timeless dynamics in US society. Well and clearly written, based on definitely thorough research. Just be ready to skim here and there where it gets bogged down quoting conflicting newspaper accounts of less significant details.

[Academy Chicago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexander Hemon was inspired by this book to write the Lazarus Project. However, I have an odd feeling that his will sell just a few more copies...

[Lena]

I mean, the Lazarus Project is way better but this is a history book and that's a novel so if you want to know the facts about the Averbuch Affair I guess this is the one to read