Opening a tavern across the street from the Cook County Hospital definitely had its drawbacks for owner Nicholas Urbanus. The Urbanus saloon was located at 18th Street and Wentworth Avenue fronting the hospital at 18th and Arnold Street, which had opened in 1866.
On April 13, 1871, the boys were tossing back a few, having a good old time, and the talk turned toward "dead-houses." Patron Larry Ryan began boasting about the number of bodies he had taken from the grisly establishment. A couple of the lads left the establishment and Ryan followed.
The gaiety continued until a few minutes after 8 o'clock when the front door of the watering-hole was opened and the corpse of a young badly burned girl was flung through the opening. "The body was scarecely draped and presented a most hideous and revolting appearance," reported the Chicago Tribune.
Barkeep Urbanus quickly covered the poor girl and notified hospital authorities that one of their former patients was now located in his tavern. Mr. Urbanus also told reporters that this was not the first occurance of this kind.
Party on.
Recommended reading:
Cook County Hospital (Encyclopedia of Chicago)
The History of Cook County Hospital
History of Hospital in Cook County
Photo credit: County of Cook: Milestones in Healthcare
2 comments:
This isn't relevant to your post just something I thought of while I was here.
A friend sent me a link to photos of 100abandonedhouses (I'd have to find the link to be sure that is right) in Detroit. The photographer went to different areas of Detroit where there are houses abandoned by the owners. Many have been on fire and are falling apart. Most are boarded up. Does Chicago also have a lot of abandoned houses now? I think this would be a really interesting post for you. If you do something about it will you please slip me an email, even just a note through CMF Ads? I would love to know and see any photos you might take.
OK, I know I must be very dense, but I don't get it. Did the bodied come out of the tavern or the hospital? www.satisfiedsole.com
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