Opened in 1877 as a final resting place for Bohemians of any religion, and 10 years later to people of any ethnicity, Bohemian National Cemetery on the Northwest Side is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with 60 acres designed by Jens Jensen. It is the largest burial place of people killed in the Eastland Disaster – Chicago's worst tragedy for loss of lives. It also offers lessons on how Bohemians improved their standard of living and gained better political representation via the Chicago Machine developed by favorite son Anton Cermak, who is also buried there.
inside StreetWise
StreetWise participant Tony Landers was found dead in his South Shore apartment October 24 and the Chicago Police Department is conducting a homicide investigation. Those closest to him describe him as a "survivor" with a creative, loving spirit.
The Playground
OM THE COVER: A Mother's Sorrow. THIS PAGE: "The Pilgrim" or "Death," a solid bronze by Albin Polasek, is caught mid-stride, headed toward the Stejskal Mausoleum. Legend has it that if she ever reaches her destination and enters the mausoleum doors, Doomsday has arrived. (Bohemian National Cemetery photo). DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
Amanda Jones, Director of programs ajones@streetwise.org
Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org
Ph: 773-334-6600
Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Daria Hamelin
Japanese Arts in Chicago!
Godzilla Gala
The Japanese Arts Foundation invites you to this annual fundraising gala, where you’ll savor exquisite Japanese cuisine and spirits while experiencing captivating artistic performances and activities. Set against the stunning backdrop of Artifact Events, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave., it will celebrate 70 years of the Godzilla legacy, with proceeds directly supporting the Japanese Arts Foundation’s mission to promote and preserve Japanese arts in Chicago’s diverse community. This year, experience the world of kaiju, featuring everything from 5-foot origami monsters to immersive sounds and visuals–and yes, costumes and cosplay are highly encouraged! Friday, November 1 from 7-11 p.m., with tickets starting at $135. For more information, visit www.japaneseartsfoundation.org
Up, Up, and Away!
‘The Lives in the Midway’ – A Photo Exhibit by Paul D’Amato Step into a world just beyond the bustle of Chicago’s Midway Airport–a place where the sound of planes fills the air, and the everyday rhythm of life is often overshadowed. In “The Lives of Midway,” celebrated photographer Paul D’Amato joins the Chicago Cultural Center to shine a light on the people and places that exist in the margins of urban and suburban Chicago. His photographs are windows into the sould of these neighborhoods, revealing grit, beauty, and resilience of communities that often go unnoticed. This exhibition is on display until Jan. 4, 2025, at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.) open daily from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.chicago.gov
In the Name of Love!
'The Love Object’
Get ready for a dazzling premiere as The Story Theatre, The Raven Theatre Chicago’s 2024/25 Resident Company, takes center stage! In "The Love Object," dive into the glamorous yet tumultuous life of pop sensation Ramona, who is on the brink of a sold-out stadium tour. Just as the excitement builds, her best friend and loyal assistant, Paula, drops a bombshell: she’s leaving to pursue her own artistic dreams. This contemporary adaptation of Euripides’ "Hippolytus" explores the hyper-sexualization of women in the spotlight, the dynamics of interracial friendships, and the harsh realities of late-stage capitalism–all wrapped in the glittering, bubblegum aesthetic of early 2000s pop stardom. This show will run through November 10 at The Raven Theatre Chi cago (6157 N. Clark St.). Tickets are $20. For more information, visit www.raventheatre.com
Jackie Taylor’s ‘Blue Eyed Soul Sung by Brown Eyed People’
The Soul of Music!
Written and directed by the talented Jackie Taylor, “Blue Eyed Soul Sung by Brown Eyed People” runs through November 10. This captivating production explores the powerful connections that music creates among us, regardless of race or background. With heartfelt performances and unforgettable memories, this show honors the incredible artists and timeless tracks that unite us all through the universal language of song. Join the Black Ensemble Theatre (4450 N. Clark St.) for this exhilarating tribute that showcases the spirit of music, with tickets ranging from $55 - $70. For more information, visit blackensembletheater.org
Let's Do The Time Warp Again!
Midnight Showing of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Step into a world of camp, sci-fi, and rock ‘n’ roll at The Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport Ave.) with the notorious horror parody that has capitvated audiences for over 40 years! "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" follows naive couple Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) as they unwittingly stumble into the lair of the fabulous Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). Featuring a bizarre musical lineup and unforgettable perfomanaces October 26 - 31. At 11:59 p.m., the interactive shadow-cast performance will keep audiences captivated with laughter, thrills, and memories. Tickets start at $11 at www.musicboxtheatre.com
Taking It To the Streets!
27th Annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade
Prepare for a night of fright and festivity as Chicago’s vibrant LGBTQ+ Northhalsted neighborhood hosts its 27th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade! Recognized as one of the Top 10 Halloween parades in the U.S., this free event promises an unforgettable evening filled with jaw-dropping costumes, thrilling performances, and a lively atmosphere. This year’s parade takes place on October 31, starts at 6:30 p.m., and begins at Halsted and Belmont. For more information, visit www.northhalsted.com
Happiness is Blooming!
'Divine Gardens'
Discover a world where nature and the divine converge at the opening of "Divine Gardens," an evocative art exhibit showcasing the works of Volodymyr Podlevsky and Svitlana Moiseieva. Hosted at the Ukrainian National Museum (2249 W. Superior St.), this exhibition transports viewers to a mystical garden filled with life, beauty, and spiritual harmony. Celebrate this captivating vision through November 3, Thursday - Sunday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 at ukrainiannationalmuseum.org
A Forbidden Love!
‘All’s Well That Ends Well’
Join the DePaul Theatre School (2350 N. Racine Ave.) for an engaging adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic, "All’s Well That Ends Well," directed by Nicole Ricciardi. This tale follows Helena, a low-born ward of the Countess, as she bravely pursues a love that transcends her social standing, despite the unworthiness of her beloved. Catch the show from November 1-10, with previews beginning on October 30. Tckets range from $7 - $32, at theatre.depaul.edu
Alive in Color!
Diwali Celebration for All Families
Experience an exciting Diwali workshop led by bestselling author Ajanta at the Independance branch of the Chicago Public Library (4024 N. Elston Ave.), where the vibrant energy of Indian dance meets enchanting cultural stories. This unique event takes participants on a lively journey through the five days of Diwali, bringing each day to life with movement and joy. Get ready to dance, learn, and immerse yourself in this non-religious celebration that promises fun, educational, and culturally enriching adventure. October 30, 10:30-11:30 a.m.. For more information, visit www.chipublib.org. FREE.
Witches Have Us in Stitches!
'Becky Nurse of Salem'
Visit Theatre Wit (1229 W. Belmont Ave.) for "Becky Nurse of Salem," a wickedly sharp and darkly comic play presented by Shattered Globe Theatre. Becky Nurse, a brash and quick-witted tour guide at the Salem Museum of Witchcraft, is navigating a difficult life in modern America. As a direct descendant of Rebecca Nurse, who was executed for witchcraft in 1692, Becky is haunted by her family’s past and the persistent question: has anything really changed for women over the centuries? Set in today’s tumultuous political climate, this hilarious yet poignant play explores the intersection of history, feminism, and generational trauma. Now through November 16, with tickets ranging from $10 - $52 at www.theatrewit.org
Who is the NBA G.O.A.T.?
Allen: Who is the GOAT, Greatest of All Time in the NBA? Michael Jordan or James LeBron? But first, the Boston Celtics have 18 championships and the Lakers have 17. The Boston Celtics took the lead this past year.
But getting back to Michael Jordan and LeBron James, James beats Jordan in rebounds 7.5 to 6.2; in assists, 7.4 to 5.3; in field goals, and 50.5 to 49.7; in three-point average percentage, 34 to 32.7. LeBron James has played more than 400 regular season games.
My favorite is Michael Jordan, though, because he took us to two three-peats, and I was living in the era when it happened. As a matter of fact, I was selling Chicago Bulls Tshirts. I think he's the greatest of all time. But nevertheless, because LeBron James got his son on the team, if they can win a championship for L.A. and tie them with the Boston Celtics 18-18, then LeBron
James would be the GOAT. But he has to win a championship with his son.
John: As far as the GOAT is concerned, I say Michael Jordan because he's undefeated in the championship series.
What I'm looking forward to is how unpredictable the NBA will be. Boston can repeat, or Dallas. I don't think the Lakers are going to have a chance to win this year. But there are teams in the West, like Golden State, plus Philadelphia in the East, and New York, who I think is going to be tremendously improved this year.
Russell: I think Jordan is the better player because of the impact he had on the game. People looked up to Michael Jordan. They were in his shoes, they were in his number. What did that tell you right there? He's the greatest. LeBron is great too in his own way. The man is 40 years old
and he's putting up hell of a number for an old man: 30some points, 25 points a game, 4 or 5 rebounds. So, it's okay, but it's not enough to take Jordan's praise.
William: Yeah, Jordan's still the best. When he started playing for the Bulls, we hadn't seen anything that good since Bob “Butterbean” Love back in the early 1970s. I remember as a kid, when I was in the 5th grade, 6th grade, watching college basketball on TV and seeing Michael Jordan playing then. I was like, man, this guy's going to go places. It was really exciting to see him playing for the Bulls in the 90s and getting us those 6 championships.
Russell: I watched the NBA draft, and I waited to see who the Lakers were going to draft. When they got their first pick, they drafted somebody else. And so I said, oh well, they're not going to get Bronnie James. But then in the
second round, it was the 54th pick in Boston. I said, Boston's going to get him. They're going to take Bronnie, so LA can't make history. But Boston didn't get him. Boston took Anton Watson from Gonzaga. So at number 55, they drafted LeBron’s son, Bronnie James. It was the first time ever that a father and son played together on the same team.
Allen: So we all agree that Michael Jordan is the GOAT. When it comes to the playoffs, we’re looking forward to seeing what Boston and the Lakers with LeBron James and his son do this year.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors (clockwise) A. Allen, John Hagan, William Plowman and Russell Adams chat about the world of sports.
When the S.S. Eastland rolled over in the Chicago River 110 years ago next summer, 844 people died in Chicago’s greatest loss-of-life disaster: “all hardworking, salt-of-the-earth immigrant families,” says Ted Wachholz, co-founder of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society (EDHS).
Leading up to the centennial of the tragedy, Wachholz said he looked at the number of victims’ and survivors’ families, of gravediggers and first responders, and he saw millions of people with a connection – even more so four generations later. As a result, he developed an “abundance mentality” toward telling all their stories on the EDHS website. Wachholz, his wife, Barbara Decker Wachholz, and her sister, Susan Decker, founded EDHS. Barbara and Susan are the granddaughters of the late Eastland survivor Borhild (Bobbie) Anstad, who treaded water until she was saved and who “didn’t let it bring her down. She loved life.”
Just the same, Anstad would say even years later, “’I can still hear the screaming,’” as Decker Wachholz recalled in a YouTube video.
The Eastland was one of five ships chartered for a Western Electric company picnic to Michigan City, IN on July 24, 1915. Western Electric employed nearly 25,000 people just west of Chicago in a modern business for its time: making telephone equipment for the nation.
In the small-town environment of the plant, its annual picnic was eagerly awaited as a sumptuous Saturday off with untold matchmaking potential. Among the people who drowned, suffocated or were crushed by people and debris, 23 was the average age; 70 percent were under 25; 228 were teens and 58 were infants and children, according to the EDHS website. Of the 175 women who went home widowed, three were pregnant.
STORIES FROM BOHEMIAN NATIONAL CEMETERY
Bohemian National Cemetery received 143 victims, more than any other resting place in Chicago. They are primarily in Section 16, where Czech language headstones read “24.cervence 1915,” the month sometimes abbreviated as “cerv’ce” or “cer’ce.” Other gravemarkers describe “obet’ Eastlandu” (victim of the Eastland) or “na lodi Eastlandu” (on the ship Eastland).
The Eastland Disaster wiped out 22 whole families, the largest being the Sindelars: George and Josephine, their five children, Adella, 15; Sylvia, 13; George Jr., 9; Albert, 7; William, 3; and Josephine's sister, Regina Dolezal.
Josephine’s and little William’s bodies were recovered the third day after the tragedy. Josephine was misidentified first by another family before her mother, Clara Dolezal, recognized her suede shoes protruding from under a blanket at the temporary morgue.
“This is Josie! This is Josie!” her mother said. “But if you doubt me, look into her mouth. Josie has two small rims of gold on her front teeth.” Josephine’s mouth was opened and the rims of gold were found.
Josephine was wearing a locket that has been handed down to succeeding generations of women in her family, Wachholz said during a tour of Eastland sites at Bohemian National. A joint funeral service for the whole family was on Wednesday, July 28, 1915, at the Masonic Hall on Oakley Avenue. Afterward, their white caskets were stacked on a Model T Ford for the drive to the cemetery.
William Sherry, 22, and Emilie Samek, 18, meanwhile, had been engaged. Emilie’s father had been too sick to work, so Emilie had helped support her parents and four siblings as a Western Electric switchboard operator, according to Friends
All stories by Suzanne Hanney
of Bohemian National Cemetery via the blog “Adventures in Cemetery Hopping.”
“Their families pressed through their grief and since they were betrothed, going to be married, decided that they should be buried together and came together in their grief,” Wachholz said.
"Spete, drozi snoubenci,” reads their joint headstone. “Sleep, dear fiances.”
The Polivka sisters – Josephine, Mae and Anna – had talked of being bridesmaids to the Zastera sisters: Marie, 23; Antonie, 20 and Julie, 18.
“On our way downtown, we stopped to call for our three neighbor friends. Their mother said, 'You girls are late, my daughters left a long time ago,'" Josephine recalled on the EDHS website.
The Polivkas went to the lower deck of the Eastland, but it was so crowded, they went back up just before it capsized. People were grabbing at them, but somehow, they were pulled onto the side of the ship. They took a cab home, where they learned all three Zasteras had died.
“It was a terrible time,” Josephine recalled. “So many people from our neighborhood worked at Western Electric. There was a memorial wreath on nearly every door.”
The Polivka sisters instead became pallbearers at the Zasteras’ funerals.
Jaroslav Sklenicka, 41, had a sick child, but his wife urged him not to miss the picnic.
Emma Straka Schroll, 23, her husband Julius, 33 and her 19and 21-year-old sisters, Pavlina “Paulina,” and Anna Straka, respectively, also perished – “which gives you insight into what the tragedy is all about -- beyond what any family can handle,” Wachholz said.
Emma was initially tagged as Margaret Morgan and taken to that family’s home for viewing. The mistake was only caught when the real Margaret Morgan was identified at the morgue. In the meantime, a would-be Emma Schroll was buried on Wednesday, July 18, the day of 700 Eastland funerals.
However, body No. 571 remained. Emma Meyer, a 21-yearold candy factory employee, was still missing, and friends said No. 571 was not her. Moreover, the envelope containing Mrs. Schroll’s personal effects had jewelry with the initials EM.
Cook County Coroner Peter M. Hoffman surmised that the body in Emma Schroll’s grave might be Emma Meyer and ordered it exhumed. His suspicions proved correct. Meyer was further identified by a scar on her forehead, a mole on her left shoulder blade and dental records. Emma Meyer was reburied at Oakridge-Glen Oak Cemetery in Hillside and Emma Schroll went to her proper place.
Wachholz credits Hoffman as a “pitbull who did not want to take the easy way out, leave a family not knowing and bury the last body as a Jane Doe, perhaps because he was also a family man with daughters. He didn’t have a procedure book for disaster like the Red Cross does today, but he wanted a centralized morgue, a coroner’s investigation jury.”
Section 16 also contains a striking memorial organized by the Eastland Memorial Commemoration Project in 2015. A bronze ship’s wheel protrudes from the river current above pavers from Czech community members, families whose relatives were not on board, first responders, even those who remember that Marshall Field employees brought blankets to the disaster site.
The Cove part of the Chicago Riverwalk, which contains the Clark Street disaster site, had opened just the month before the Eastland Centennial in 2015. It was an occasion where survivor descendants made lasting connections – sometimes with descendants of people who saved the lives of their ancestors, so that they were eventually born.
There were also recurring reminders of “844,” the number of people who died: the catering bill for one morning program was $844; a volunteer photography group that captured the weekend’s events enrolled its 844th member, and a descendant who was unable to come because of previously scheduled surgery wound up in hospital room 844.
The Friendly Heavenly Confines
When you leave Earthly cares behind, a Cubs-themed “skybox” might just be within your reach at the outdoor “Beyond the Vines” columbarium in Bohemian National Cemetery.
Conceived by the late Dennis Mascari, the 24-foot-long, ivy-covered wall has 288 “skybox” niches for urns containing cremains. Visitors can look up at you from Wrigley seats atop bricks from the field.
Russell H. Adams (not the StreetWise SportsWise team member), was born in 1911 and was interred there after his 2009 death. “I saw Ruth & Gehrig play at Wrigley” is his inscription.
Mascari (1948-2011) also has a Beyond the Vines skybox, front and center. His plaque reads, “Please tap here after [the Cubs] win.”
Page 7: The Eastland Memorial organized by the Eastland Memorial Commemoration Project constructed in 2015. This spread; top row: Ted Wachholz, co-founder of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society. The Sindelar family tombstone. The Dolezal tombstone. (All photos by Suzanne Hanney). The Sindelar family's caskets are carried by a Ford Model T to their burial ceremony (Eastland Disaster Historical Society photo). Second row: The tombstone of William Sherry amd Emilie Samek. The Zastera sisters' tombstone. The inscription of Julius and Emma Schroll on the side of the Straka family tombstone. The Straka family tombstone (All photos by Suzanne Hanney). Opposite page: The Chicago Cubs-themed "Beyond the Vines" columbarium (Chicago Architecture Center photo).
Willie 'little feller' Novotny & Anton Cermak
Nearly 700 of 844 Eastland Disaster victims were buried on Wednesday, July 28, 2015. There weren’t enough hearses in Chicago, so Marshall Field’s provided 39 trucks.
By the next day, body No 396 still remained unidentified in the temporary morgue at the 2nd Regiment National Guard Armory (the former Harpo Studios).
Newspapers nicknamed him “Little Feller,” and local businessman/politician Anton Cermak promoted the idea of giving him a burial fit for a prince.
When his corpse was taken to a funeral home, two friends of 7-year-old Willie Novotny thought they recognized him. There had been no one to claim him because his family had all perished on the Eastland: his father, James, a cabinetmaker at Western Electric; his mother, Agnes; and his 9-year-old sister, Mamie. Just six weeks earlier, his parents had finished paying off the mortgage on their home.
Willie’s grandmother made the identification, based on the brown knee pants he was wearing, part of the suit she had given him for Christmas.
“It was a new suit he went to the picnic in, and two pairs of pants came with it,” she said. “These are the others.”
Cermak, meanwhile, had been born near Prague in 1873 and emigrated to the U.S. with his parents as an infant. His family settled in Braidwood, IL and he became a coal miner like his father, then moved to the Czech neighborhood of Lawndale in 1890.
Cermak held minor jobs and eventually established himself in real estate, with ties to banks. He also moved up from a clerk in the Democratic Party to precinct captain, then the Illinois General Assembly from 1902-1909, when he became an alderman and then bailiff of the municipal court. He returned to the City Council in 1919.
In 1922, Cermak was elected chairman of the Cook County Board. Six years later, he was the undisputed Democratic Party leader, head of the emerging “Machine” for his adroit use of patronage and for having forced the dominant Irish to accept his German, Polish, Czech and Jewish coalition into his “house for all peoples.”
Cermak defeated Republican incumbent William H. Thompson for Mayor of Chicago in 1931 and is credited for delivering Illinois to Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the 1932 Democratic National Convention.
On February 15, 1933, Cermak was in Miami to talk to Roosevelt about federal programs to help Chicago. As Cermak stepped away from FDR’s car, Giuseppe Zangara fired five shots at the president, his hand deflected by a bystander who used her purse.
As Cermak and FDR sped to the hospital where Cermak died March 6, the mayor whispered, “I’m glad it was me, not you.”
These words were etched on his Art Deco mausoleum at Bohemian National Cemetery. Because 22nd Street traversed Czech-American neighborhoods and suburbs, it was renamed Cermak Road in his honor.
Above: The grave stone of William Novotny (Suzanne Hanney photo). Near Right: Anton Cermak. 44th Mayor of Chicago (1931-33) (Library of Congress image).Far right: The Anton Cermak Mausoleum (Suzanne Hanney photo). Opposite Page: The Gothic Revival-style gatehouse of Bohemian National Cemetery (Chicago Architecture Center photo).
bohemians improved their standard of living
Bohemian National Cemetery, 5255 N. Pulaski Road, was founded in 1877, when Chicago was on its way to becoming the world’s third largest Bohemian city, after Prague and Vienna. At the time, Bohemia was located between Bavaria, Austria and Poland. Since 1993, it has been part of the Czech Republic.
Many Czechs in the Austro-Hungarian Empire followed the official state religion of Catholicism, but many immigrants were “free thinkers” with socialist views. Bohemian National was founded as a nonsectarian cemetery where any Czech could be buried; 10 years later, it opened to all ethnicities.
According to the Encyclopedia of Chicago, Czechs began coming to Chicago began in the 1850s, after railroads linked the city to the East Coast. Their first neighborhood was centered at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church at DeKoven and Desplaines Streets – close to the origin site of the Chicago Fire of 1871. By the 1890s, Czechs were moving south and west: to South Lawndale, and by the 1930s, to suburbs such as Cicero, Berwyn and Riverside.
Czechs of the 1880s, however, had few marketable skills. They worked at unsteady jobs such as “lumber shovers” adjacent to their Bohemian neighborhood of Pilsen and they earned less than any ethnic group. Relying on their network, they used the mass worker strike – whole neighborhoods joining to keep out scabs -- to improve their economic situation. The event that precipitated the Haymarket tragedy of 1886, for example, was a violent clash between lumber shovers and police.
According to the online Chicagoland Czech American Community Center, 97% of new arrivals in the 1890s could read and write in their native language. By the 1910s, they earned more and had a more diversified economy, including jobs at Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works at the end of what is now the CTA Pink Line.
Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works, predecessor of AT&T Technologies, produced every major telephone switching system in the country, and by 1910 over 5.14 million Bell Telephone landlines. Western Electric’s annual company picnic to Michigan City, IN was eagerly anticipated, with nearly 7,000 employees, relatives and friends signed up for the Saturday, July 24, 1915 event.
Just before 7:30 a.m., more than 2,500 persons had boarded the S.S. Eastland at Clark Street on the Chicago River. Notoriously tippy, the Eastland had listed to port and starboard for 20 minutes before it rolled over onto its port side in 20 feet of mud and water, killing 844 people on board. It was Chicago’s worst loss-of-life disaster (by comparison, the Chicago Fire of 1871 killed about 300 people). There are 143 victims buried at Bohemian National Cemetery – more than any other Chicago resting place.
Chuck Michalek, a Bohemian National board member whose grandparents were born in Czechoslovakia, told Radio Prague International in 2019 that the cemetery had been common ground for politicians, bankers, doctors, lawyers, brewers, bricklayers, plumbers. He recalled community gatherings to remember relatives and loved ones with people in folk dress, music and parades.
Since a decade after its opening, however, Bohemian National has been open to all ethnic groups and nonsectarian. Its 124 acres include 60 acres designed by landscape architect Jens Jensen in 1906. The 1893 gatehouse is Gothic Revival and the crematorium/columbarium, dedicated in 1919, is Renaissance Revival. The cemetery preserves American history through memorials to veterans of the Civil War, Spanish American War, and World Wars I and II.
Tony Sanders: 'a survivor who loved unconditionally'
by Suzanne Hanney
Tony Landers was found dead in his South Shore apartment on October 24, less than two months after finally receiving keys, in what the Chicago Police Department is investigating as a homicide. Tony was 61, mute after surgery in 2022 for esophageal cancer, but most of all, a “survivor. He didn’t take his handicap and make it a handicap.
“We want the world to know our brother as a kind person, a thoughtful person,” his sisters Kim Landers and Melissa Winston said in a phone interview. “He didn’t want to be identified as a disabled person. He had beat all the odds. He broke his hip but continued to walk. He was able to communicate, even being mute. He was articulate with his body language and how he felt. The most important thing: he loved unconditionally.”
Tony used to take freight trains between Chicago and Seattle or California to see his 30-plus grandchildren, as he told his sisters and StreetWise Director of Programs Aman da Jones. He had visited every state in the U.S. except Alaska, Hawaii, Connecticut and Vir ginia, and stayed anywhere from a day or two to a couple of months or even years. One of his favorite states was Ohio, which he said has good shel ters.
“Mostly he came in for the community here,” Jones said. “He always wanted to help out around the office. Once he lost his ability to speak, he would write what he wanted to com municate, which is kind of a blessing right now because I am able to read notes he left over the years.”
His sisters agreed about his de sire to be independent and to communicate. When he went to the hospital, he brought a board with an eraser.
Tony lived on the streets for more than 30 years: under the Wilson Avenue bridge in Uptown and at encampments. "Sometimes it’s fun. I like being outside because on the outside I am able to just be me. I get a whole lot of blankets. I just love wintertime in the snow.”
However, Tony admitted that as he was getting older, he was tired and experiencing dizziness. Being outside in the cold interfered with his ability to take his medication for seizures. In the worst weather, he would go to a shelter, but he didn’t like them.
Tony had been offered apartments, but he refused them because their rules prevented him from hosting his grandchildren. He dreamed of owning a big house where he could have
Winston said that even though Tony didn’t have the money for board games, he was so creative that he used cardboard to make them for his nieces. He never owned a car, but he would walk to and from Englewood and Rogers Park, a 15.5mile, 5½-hour trek. When he took his nephews around the K-streets of the West Side, however, he used a shopping cart to give them a respite when they got tired.
“He lived well,” Landers said. “He was the type of person who would say, ‘I want to invent something,’” Winston added.
He went to Manley and Crane high schools, where he played baseball. “I was going to be in the minor leagues, but I quit,” Tony said in a 2018 StreetWise profile. “I just got caught up with the wrong people – drinking and playing cards.”
In the two years since his esophageal cancer surgery (not lung cancer as previously said), however, Tony had been compliant with all his doctors, Winston said. Landers had been his caregiver since then; he listened to her advice
about health matters. Twice a week, Landers traveled from her apartment located 7000 north to his at 7100 south. He still lived like he was on the street, with stuffed animals, Christmas lights, a lot of knickknacks and blankets on the floor instead of a bed, she said.
Just before noon on October 24, she went through Tony’s back door and saw a bloody footprint, then another, according to ABC7. She called out to him before she found him lying unresponsive, struck on the head with a blunt object.
Chicago Police Department Area One detectives are conducting a homicide investigation – and looking for multiple suspects, according to ABC7. An October 25 autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office found that he died of multiple sharp force injuries.
Jones said it was more than ironic that Tony had finally started receiving regular disability checks and the social work that enabled him to get the apartment of his dreams on September 1. “I thought it would be safe for him and what he needed. It was a tragedy after all this culmination.”
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Lincoln Park Community Services cordially invites you to Thursday 11 • 7 • 24 6:00PM - 11:00PM
Taste Fall
Help us kick off a toast to 40 years of service to the community with fabulous food & drinks from local restaurants, entertainment, whiskey tasting and fundraising to support those experiencing homelessness.
