Back in 1896, The Lone Star Saloon opened its doors for business on State Street, just south of Harrison, in one of the roughest places in Chicago, a neighborhood once known as Whiskey Row. The Lone Star Saloon has been closed for over one hundred years, its name forgotten. The legacy of the owner, however, a notorious Chicago Irishman may live on forever; thanks to his barmaid, the gal with one tooth named Gold Tooth Mary……….
Whether she happened to lose her pearly whites breaking up bar fights, starting bar fights, or the usual way by opening up bottles, no one ever found out the answer; you see there are some questions you never ask a lady, especially one from Whiskey Row. I thought to show her picture, to prove she once existed, but trust me on this and be thankful I didn’t!
The owner insisted that Mary sell shots of the house special advertised on signs hanging behind the bar. That golden smile and a wink was all it would take to get a man to shout out for a double. The next day the poor sick fellow would wake up in an alley, robbed of all his valuables.
Now if someone named Gold Tooth Mary handed you a glass and told you it was a Mickey Finn would you drink one? Back in the day on Whiskey Row the men did. “Try a Mickey Finn Special,” the signs on the wall read, and the mastermind behind the scheme was the owner of The Lone Star Saloon, Chicago Irishman: Mr. Mickey Finn.
Mickey was prone to bragging that he had never been arrested because he was connected the Chicago way with his aldermen. However, when Mary became convinced that Mickey had his eye on her gold, she honestly and toothfully testified against him. The press was outraged and city officials responded, shutting down the Lone Star in 1903.
No one knows if Gold Tooth Mary landed another job on Whiskey Row, or perhaps ran off and married a dentist; the history books don’t say. But to this day, people are still finding ways to slip the unsuspecting a mickey, but only Chicago Irishman Mickey Finn, could get his victims to ask for one by name.
They call me Chicago Kenny and I specialize in helping people learn more about the history of Chicago. We offer private tours for groups of friends, co-workers and family members.
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