Project Overview

1914 Civic Investigation Intro

This investigation is what I am working on as of early 2025. Who knows where things will go?

But! What is this civic investigation? OK. Great question.

Note on incomplete items: There will be items that I haven't figured out yet that I reference. You will see my note beside it in these - []. The plan is to come back later and update as I find stuff.

The Overview

In June 1914 the City of Edmonton, population ~70 000, up from ~24 000 only 3 years before [1], launched an investigation into the local police department. There were four big questions that they set out to answer:

Since February 1912 have any city council member or city staff been taking bribes to look the other way when it comes to illegal activities, with specifically a focus on sex work and gambling?
Since February 1912, have any of the members of the police force been taking bribes or in general being scumbags? If so, how high up does it go?
Since February 1912, has anyone who owns property in the city been allowing gambling or sex work to happen in their property?
Has crime generally increased between February 1, 1912 and June 8, 1914? Have authorities done diddly squat about it or encouraged said crime? [2]

(PLEASE NOTE: interpretation of the legalese done by yours truly)

To answer these questions, the city brought in a Supreme Court Judge and had 2 lawyers prepare information.

Several people were subpoenaed, many of whom showed up and some of whom booked it out of town, and were questioned before the court.

(Please note: I will add exact numbers in when I have them)

Everyone who could turned out to view the investigation. There are multiple points where the transcript notes the "audience" (my wording) gasps, or laughs, or calls out in outrage. It was very much the entertainment of the season. And it had a significant effect on how sex work was treated in the city.

What Am I Doing?

I am trying to find answers to several parts of this investigation.

What happened? I stumbled into this investigation by poking around the archived records of The Bulletin (Peel's Prairie Provinces) and immediately went "What the heck is this?"
What was the context the led up to and surrounded the investigation? I want to know what was the dominating cultural viewpoint around sex work in early 20th Century Edmonton? Who held this viewpoint? How did viewpoints vary? What were the laws around sex work?
Who were the people doing sex work?

a) What were their names?

b) Where did they come from?

c) Where did they end up?

d) What stories do they have to tell?

4. Who were the people involved in the investigation?

a) What are their stories?

5. How did the colonial history of this place impact what was happening and happened?

6. Exactly how silly does this story get? So far this story has gotten very silly. In ways that are both surprising and deeply familiar.

How am I Doing this?

Physical Archives

I have been spending my time in the City of Edmonton Archives and the Provincial Archives reviewing the transcript from the investigation, reviewing court records, census data, meeting minutes and reports, and asking lots of questions of the Wednesday evening archivists. (shoutout to the archivists who answer my emails and many in-person questions)

Internet Magic

The Peel's Prairie Provinces's digital collection has a wealth of data on the Internet Archive. I also spend a lot of time reviewing census data through the Library and Archives Canada.

Honestly, I am having an amazing time.

What is this website?

I have a couple goals:

To create posts about some of the people that are main players in the investigation and update them as I piece together more information, along with what questions I am pursuing.
To map out a timeline highlighting key points over a 2-ish year period - February 1912 to May 24, 1914
To share the funny, interesting, exciting, salacious tidbits that I find.
1. Who yelled in Court today?
2. Who did the Judge tell off today?
3. Which disguise did a prisoner use to escape the prison and what did they do for 2 weeks while the authorities looked for them?
4. Which Alderman (city councilor) will complain about the newspapers today when they report which sex workers they are working for?

Stay tuned and found out how closely I come to meet my goals!

PS. 1) almost always Joe Clarke, 2) fifty-fifty Joe Clarke or a witness, 3) dressed as a man and hunted rabbits just outside of town, 4) almost always Joe Clarke.

References:

"Population History", City of Edmonton, accessed February 3, 2025, https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/facts_figures/population-history
City of Edmonton, City Council, Meeting no 47, June 8, 1914