Fred A. Busse

Who was Fred A. Busse?

Fred Busse was the mayor of Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois, from 1907 to 1911.

Busse became a local Republican leader, first elected to the Illinois Legislature in 1894, and eventually serving as State Treasurer beginning in 1902. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him Postmaster of Chicago, a political position at that time. He won the 1907 election for mayor against Democratic incumbent Edward F. Dunne. In business, Busse had been Secretary and Treasurer of the Northwestern Coal Company until 1905.

Busse's mayoral tenure is noted for its extensive corruption and presence of organized crime in the city. Busse's inaction in the face of growing popular concern led to the formation of several organizations opposed to crime and desirous of cleaning up the city government. Busse's image was used by at least one brothel owner to promote her business. While reform, both political and moral, was beginning to appear Chicago, Busse noted, "They don't need anyone sleuthing around after me. They can always get me any evening at J.C. Murphy's saloon, Clark Street and North Avenue."