Illicit Economies in the Detroit- Windsor Borderland, 1945-1960

Ambassadors of Pleasure: Illicit Economies in the Detroit- Windsor Borderland, 1945-1960 by Holly Marie Karibo A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy History Department University of Toronto © Copyright by Holly Karibo (2012) Ambassadors of Pleasure: Illicit Economies in the Detroit-Windsor Borderland, 1945-1960 Holly Karibo Doctor of Philosophy History Department University of Toronto 2012 Abstract “Ambassadors of Pleasure” examines the social and cultural history of ‘sin’ in the Detroit-Windsor border region during the post-World War II period. It employs the interrelated frameworks of “borderlands” and “vice” in order to identify the complex ways in which illicit economies shaped—and were shaped by—these border cities. It argues that illicit economies served multiple purposes for members of local borderlands communities. For many downtown residents, vice industries provided important forms of leisure, labor, and diversion in cities undergoing rapid changes. Deeply rooted in local working-class communities, prostitution and heroin economies became intimately intertwined in the daily lives of many local residents who relied on them for both entertainment and income. For others, though, anti-vice activities offered a concrete way to engage in what they perceived as community betterment. Fighting the immoral influences of prostitution and drug use was one way some residents, particularly those of the middle class, worked to improve their local communities in seemingly tangible ways. These II struggles for control over vice economies highlight the ways in which shifting meanings of race, class, and gender, growing divisions between urban centers and suburban regions, and debates over the meaning of citizenship evolved in the urban borderland. This dissertation subsequently traces the competing interests brought together through illicit vice activities, arguing that they provide unique insight into the fracturing social lines developing in the postwar North American cities. III Acknowledgments I feel lucky to say that it is difficult to identify all of the personal and professional sources of support that have made the completion of this project possible. What began as a move from Michigan to Ontario in order to pursue an undergraduate degree turned into ten amazing years of learning–inside and beyond the academy. I am indebted to all of my family, friends, and colleagues who have made this a wondering, challenging, and rewarding journey. First and foremost, this project has come together because of the support, motivation, and inspiration I received from my committee members at the University of Toronto. From day one, Daniel Bender was an engaged and encouraging supervisor who constantly challenged me to push the boundaries of my historical inquiries. His tireless support and faith in my abilities made it possible to make it through even the toughest moments of this process. Elspeth Brown has also been an important mentor over the last six years, and her knowledge of history and passion for her work is something I will always aspire to. My many discussions with Steve Penfold likewise proved not only invaluable in furthering my understandings of borderlands history, but were also incredibly enjoyable and entertaining. A special thank you goes to Carol Chin, Sean Mills, and Victoria Wolcott for their insightful feedback at the final stages of this project. Overall, the Collaborative Program in History and Women and Gender Studies proved to be an ideal program in which to undertake my graduate studies, and I am grateful for the help and encouragement I have found in the faculty and staff at U of T. As any graduate student quickly learns, generous financial support makes it possible to undertake the many years of study required to complete a Ph.D. I am grateful for the funding provided by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C., the Centre for the Study of the United States, the Bentley Historical Library, and the History Department and School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto. I have been surrounded by a large group of individuals whose friendship has made my time in Toronto extremely enjoyable, and who helped me maintain a much-needed work-life balance. To my graduate student friends who have been there since the beginning—especially Jodi Giesbrecht, Camille Begin, Jared Toney, Nadia Jones-Gailani, Peter Mersereau, Vanessa McCarthy, Rebecca O’Neill, Benjamin Pottruff, and Sandy Carpenter—I couldn’t have made it to the end of this phase of my life without you. To my friends outside of U of T, especially Lara Tobin and Breeze Romaine, you kept me grounded and always reminded me that while it is important to work hard, it’s also necessary to play hard. I am also extremely lucky to have such a large and loving family whose confidence in me and support is unparalleled. Thank you to my brothers and sisters—Collin, Rory, April, and Kali—who, no matter how far we moved from each other or how busy we got, were never more than a phone call away. To my mother Kathryne, who has been my biggest champion and a role of model of what a strong and confident woman can achieve. Few others would follow their daughters into the archives in search of vice and sin, and your constant interest in what I was doing and inspiring words made this achievement possible. To my father, David, you always IV pushed me to work towards my goals, no matter how impossible they may have seemed. Thank you for your love and unwavering support. To the Drohan family, who over the last ten years have been my surrogate Canadian family, you welcomed me into your family with open arms, and your endless support throughout this process is something I will never forget. And last, but certainly not least, this dissertation is dedicated to my partner in crime, Chris Drohan. For ten years you have been a constant source of love and inspiration, and I look forward to the next phase of our adventure together. V Table of Contents Introduction...................................................................................................... 7 Chapter One: 'The ‘Border Spirit': The Roots of Labor, Leisure, and Sin in the Detroit-Windsor Borderland................................................................... 33 Chapter Two: The Pursuit of Pleasure: Illicit Consumption in the Detroit-Windsor Borderland............................................................................................. 82 Chapter Three: Illicit Working-Class Economies: Selling Sex and Drugs in the Detroit-Windsor Region...................................................................................... 131 Chapter Four: Prohibition, Enforcement, and Border Politics in the Senate Committees of the 1950s..................................................................................... 177 Chapter Five: Sin, Slums, and Shady Characters: Regulating Vice in the Urban Borderland........................................................................................................ 222 Conclusion....................................................................................................... 270 VI Introduction In March of 1950, Essex County Magistrate J. Arthur Hanrahan sentenced local bootlegger Joseph Assef to six months in jail and “plunged the city of Windsor into two weeks of explosive investigations of vice-related activities in what has long been Canada’s best publicized ‘wide-open town.’” During the course of the eight-week-long trial, the Crown presented evidence that Assef had received over 5,400 illegal liquor deliveries, sometimes as many as sixty times a day. Hanrahan was particularly angered by the fact that local police failed to stop such blatant violations of liquor laws, requiring the Ontario Provincial Police to step in. While sentencing Assef to the maximum penalty, the judge blasted the Windsor Police Department for its wanton disregard for vice-related crimes. Confirming Hanrahan’s growing conviction that there was something “seriously wrong” in Windsor, Assef’s sentence was meant to both set an example to other law-breakers and to call attention to what the judge believed was a growing problem in the city: the expansion and tacit acceptance of vice economies in the border region.1 The public flogging of the Windsor police, which ultimately resulted in a provincial inquiry and the forced 'retirement' of the chief of police, placed an international spotlight on the Canadian border city. Local and international publications began to run stories about the rampant prostitution, gambling, liquor smuggling, and illegal drugs available in Windsor.2 These stories 1 Gerald Anglin, “He Blew the Whistle on Windsor Vice,” Maclean’s (May 1, 1950), p. 62. 2 For examples of Canadian and American news articles on vice in Windsor, see: “Police Keep Pressure on ‘Hot Spot’,” Windsor Daily Star (Aug. 14, 1950), p. 5; “Windsor Crackdown Fails to Prevent Vice Operations,” Detroit Free Press (April 9, 1950), p. 1; “Windsor: Border—Not Barrier,” Maclean’s Magazine (April 25, 1950), p. 56; “Graver Charge Often Withdrawn States Police Official,” The Montreal Gazette (Oct. 6, 1950), p. 24; “Windsor Police Probe Adjourned Temporarily, The Leader-Post (Oct. 6, 1950), p. 21; “Evidence that Attorney's Office Dictated Withdrawal of Charges,” Saskatoon Star-Phoenix (Oct. 6, 1950); “Windsor Police Commission to War on Vice,” The Owosso Argus-Press (Sept. 15, 1950); “Ontario Fires Attorney

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