COMMEMORATIVE RELEASE TUESDAY AUGUST 4, 2009 The MMUURRDDEERR of PPOOLLIICCYY KKIINNGG TTEEDD RROOEE 57 YEARS AGO TO THE DAY! By NATHAN THOMPSON PUBLISHED BY THE BRONZEVILLE PRESS 877/870-4348
[email protected] MMOONNDDAAYY NNIIGGHHTT AAUUGGUUSSTT 44,, 11995522,, PPOOLLIICCYY KKIINNGG TTEEDD RROOEE LLEEFFTT HHOOMMEE aatt 5522nd && MMIICCHHIIGGAANN AATT 1100PPMM FFOORR TTHHEE LLAASSTT TTIIMMEE.. By Nathan Thompson Born Theodore L. Roe in Louisiana to a black mother and an Italian father, and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, “Ted’s” “The night Theodore Roe got killed, I was working at 4715 career in the Policy business began in 1929 when he first hit Wabash at Harvey Goldfree’s garage,” says an old-timer Chicago. At that time 31 years old, his reputation already named Canada who called into the Cliff Kelley radio show preceded him, having had led a colorful life as a notorious (WVON). “All the big shots, they’d bring their cars in there and hard-nosed bootlegger in Arkansas who was allowed to park ‘em. My job was to take them home and drop them off and “pass as a white man” because he was too crazy for the deliver their car back to them if they wanted it. So, this night local sheriff to deal with. After that played out, Ted landed in when Roe walked in I said, ‘you want me to take you home?’ He Detroit working for a motorcar company. When that work said, ‘no, I’m gonna run home, take a shower and change shirts. ran out, he beat it to Chicago’s South Side—Bronzeville, the I’ve got a big important meeting I’ve gotta get to and I’m runnin’ “Policy Capitol of the World.” late.’ So he got in his car and zoomed on home.