tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709087743016851805.post2002110975002994975..comments2023-12-14T21:13:46.857-06:00Comments on Tom Roeser's Blog: Personal Aside: My Interview with Leon Despres.Jake Parrillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195261008177966339noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709087743016851805.post-51393914980652347042008-04-01T16:49:24.000-05:002008-04-01T16:49:24.000-05:00John J. Hoellen (47th) was another member of the a...John J. Hoellen (47th) was another member of the aldermanic economy bloc. I would rate him as a liberal Republican on many issues. He worked with Despres on various matters. Hoellen was the son of a former GOP alderman, who served during the late Twenties and into the Thirties. He was elected in 1947 on the strength of a sympathy vote when a Democratic precinct work attempted to kill him with a sawed off shotgun. It was snowing and the powder was wet. Hoellen was wearing a winter coat and survived. He told me that he was losing the election prior to the shooting. The case was tried and the shooter was acquitted. Decades later, the judge admitted to Hoellen that Mayor Edward Kelly directed him to fix the case. Hoellen described the City Council under Mayor Richard J. Daley as a complete dictatorship. He seldom spoke to the mayor. Daley never forgave Hoellen for opposing him in an election for County Clerk during the early Fifties. Hoellen served for twenty-eight years. He lost his aldermanic seat in 1975 when he was drafted to run for mayor simultaneously. He was the last Republican to represent the 47th Ward and he routinely carried the district for the GOP ticket.Dan Kelleynoreply@blogger.com