Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Solari Versus Von Der Ahe

Up to about a year ago August Solari was the proprietor of the Grand Avenue Park which, under his management, was not an overpowering success, and an association was formed last spring known as the St. Louis Sportsmen's Park and Club Association, with Chris Von der Ahe as President. Under the new auspices the plae beame popular and successful, which fact it appears did not please Mr. Solari, who threw impediments into the way of the club, and resorted to some means of ruffling the feathers of the club at large and Von der Ahe in particular. He caused them trouble about their liquor license and about their shooting privileges, but was usually checkmated. As a final piece of spitework, the clubmen say, he erected a high fence on the grounds in front of Von der Ahe's house, to shut out the view of the park to that gentleman's family, and caused the arrest of Von der Ahe on a charge of making false affidavits on a question of resident tenants in the vicinity of the park. Yesterday the case came up in the Court of Criminal Correction. On motion to quash, the motion was sustained and charge dismissed, Solari thus scoring another defeat.
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 31, 1881


My favorite thing about this article is the way in which it portrays Von der Ahe, who is referred to as a gentleman. In about ten years, the St. Louis press was going to change its tune.

No comments: