COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • JUNE 13, 2018 • 8A
Off -Beat Oregon: The notorious White Eagle Saloon
By Finn John
Special to The Sentinel
T
he White Eagle Saloon
on Russell Street in east
Portland has its share of
colorful rumors and claims of
ghostly presences.
Th ere was a bordello upstairs,
one claims. An opium den in
the basement, whispers anoth-
er. Oh, and see that doorway
there, the one that looks like
the lid of a coal chute? Th at’s
a secret shanghaiing tunnel to
the waterfront. Shh — did you
hear that? A soft ghostly step
from the spirit of a murdered
hooker on the sec-ond fl oor —
and the toilet at the end of the
hall just fl ushed itself!
All of this, of course, is
straight hokum. Fun hokum,
but hokum just the same.
But the most interesting sto-
ry about the White Eagle is ab-
solutely true, and serious as a
heart attack. It attracted nation-
wide at-tention to Portland in
general and the White Eagle in
particular — and not the good
kind of attention, either — and
possibly, if not probably, in-
volved international espionage.
Th e case came to the atten-
tion of the Portland public
on June 20, 1906, when they
opened their newspapers to
a story headlined “MARKED
FOR DEATH.”
It seemed that a Polish gen-
tleman named Henry Lopasky
had gone to the police in a great
state of alarm. He had, he said,
just been given 72 hours’ notice
of his upcoming assassination.
A committee of three anar-
chists from the cell based at the
White Eagle Saloon (or, more
specifi cally, at the meeting-hall
on its second fl oor) had in-
formed him that “in three days
he would be killed like a rat,” as
the Oregonian put it, “and that
there was no way in which he
could avoid his end.”
Lopasky apparently intend-
ed to spend his last 72 hours
making as much trouble for
the Polish expatriates of Port-
land as he possibly could. So
he proceeded to spill some
seriously alarming dope on
the White Eagle regulars: Not
only were they pistol-waving,
bomb-throwing
anarchists,
but they had actually formed a
plan to assas-sinate President
Th eodore Roosevelt — had
actually picked a trig-ger man
and raised funds to send him to
Washington to do the job.
Th e next day in court, Lo-
pasky was joined by a fellow
Pole named Walter Sealazck-
iwicz, who claimed he’d gone
to a Polish National Alliance
meeting at the White Eagle on
June 17 and been assaulted and
had his watch stolen. Seala-
zckiwicz had then gone to the
po-lice, who had raided the
White Eagle and arrested sev-
eral “anar-chists.” At the hear-
stripped of his rank and ex-
ing, Sealazckiwicz also testifi ed
pelled from membership over
that a num-ber of the arrestees
disagreements about activism
were known anarchist activists
tactics.
who had trav-eled to Portland
Aft er that, the story faded
to help make trouble. And he
quickly away. Th e federal Se-
reaffi rmed Lopasky’s claim that
cret Service agent, although he
the PNA had planned to send
claimed to stand by his story of
an assassin — a fellow named
danger and anarchy, consistent-
John Przywara — to kill the
ly refused to release any of the
president.
evidence he’d seized from the
All of this must have seemed
raid on the White Eagle, imply-
very confusing to the average
ing that it was too terrible and
Port-lander, reading the in-
seditious for the public to be
creasingly strident coverage
exposed to it. No one seems to
about it in the newspapers. It
have bought that, but it served
had been less than three weeks
as a cover story for him, en-
since an anarchist had tried and
abling him to save face while
failed to kill the king and queen
everyone got busy forgetting
of Spain by chucking a bomb
the whole thing had ever hap-
at them aft er their wedding,
pened.
spattering the queen’s wedding
Today, of course, the White
dress with blood from the 65
Eagle Saloon is one of the Mc-
innocent bystanders injured or
Menamins properties, and it’s
killed in the blast. Anarchism
one of the oldest taverns still in
was very much on the public’s
operation in Portland. One can
mind.
sit at its gorgeous antique bar
Three of the men involved in the rumored anarchy-and-Presidential-assassination scheme and nurse a glass of Hammer-
And Portland’s Polish “anar-
chists” at the White Eagle had headquartered in the White Eagle Tavern, as drawn by the Portland Journal’s staff artist for head knowing that one is sit-
now come to the attention not the June 22, 1906, issue.(Image: UO Libraries)
ting in the establish-ment that,
just of Portlanders, but of the welcome addition to the Amer- situation spiral out of control ETY NOT ANARCHISTIC,” for two wild and hectic weeks
entire country: in the June 23 ican Catholic church, which (with a great deal of help from the headline read, adding, 115 years ago, was known as
issue of McClure’s Magazine, had public-relations problems an overzealous agent of the U.S. “ARE MERELY SOCIALISTS.”
the hottest hot spot in the na-
the “muckraking” magazine of its own at the time — half the Secret Service), talked his edi-
Th e article also made Lopas- tion for the forces of terror and
famous for its brutal exposés of country regarded Catholics as tor into letting him go down to ki’s status as a suspected Rus- anarchy.
the Standard Oil and U.S. Steel inherently seditious, since their the White Eagle to get the story sian spy clear and also pointed
With a story like that, who
trusts, Portland was called out primary loyalty was (their crit- straight.
out, for the fi rst time in print needs a bunch of made-up
as “becoming one of the worst ics charged) to the Pope rather
Th e resulting article, which (so far as I have found), that bunk about ghostly prostitutes
centers of anarchy of Russian than to their country. So there was also run in the Evening Sealazckiwicz was the former and spooky toilet-fl ushings?
origin, producing a plot to kill was already great ten-sion in Telegram, was like oil on trou- president of the group he was
the president late in May of this the Polish-American commu- bled waters. “POLISH SOCI- denouncing — having been
year.”
nity between assimilators and
To understand what was refugees.
happening in Portland during
Th ere was also clear evidence
that hectic month, a little his- that Czarist Russia was taking
tory is needed. Th e nation of a strong interest in the refugee
Poland, in 1906, existed only communities, and had agents
in the hearts and minds of its provocateur in the fi eld work-
patriots. Th e country itself had ing to exploit those diff erences.
been carved up like a Christ-
And there’s pretty good rea-
mas ham in 1795 and annexed son to suspect that Lopaski —
into the empires of Russia, he of the “you’re dead in three
Austria-Hungary, and Prussia. days” claim — was just such
In the Russian portion, things an agent. According to the
got especially ugly, as the czar Chicago Polish community’s
pursued policies that basically magnifi cently-named newspa-
amounted to a war on Polish per Robotnik (Polish for “Th e
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
DRAIN:
Delight Valley
culture and identity — confi s- Worker”), Lopaski had been
and St. Philip Benizi
HOPE U.M.C.
Church of Christ
cations of property, closure of the skipper of a Russian torpe-
Catholic Churches
131 W “A” St. Drain, OR
33087 Saginaw Rd. East
1025 N. 19th St.
541-315-1617
541-942-7711
universities, forced Russifi ca- do boat captured by the Japa-
541-942-3420
Pastor:
Lura
Kidner-Miesen
Pastor:
Bob
Friend
tion in primary schools, forced nese during the Russo-Japanese
Father: Joseph Hung Nguyen
Fellowship & Song: 11:30am
Two Services:
military service, and so forth.
War, and was a well known
Holy Mass:
Potluck Lunch: 12:00pm
9am - Classic in the Chapel
Th e result was that many of agent of the Russian secret po-
Tue-Thu: 8:30am; Sat:5:30pm
Worship: 12:30pm
10:30am - Contemporary in the
Sun: 10:30am
Auditorium
the Poles in America were not lice.
Confession: After daily mass,
COTTAGE GROVE:
immi-grants, but refugees. Th ey
All of which seems to have
Sat. 4-5pm or by appointment
6th & Gibbs Church of Christ
First Baptist Church
had no interest in assimilating been of considerable interest to
St. Philip Benizi, Creswell
195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822
301 S. 6th st • 541-942-8242
552 Holbrock Lane
Pastor: Aaron Earlywine
Interim Pastor: Reed Webster
and becoming Americans; they a certain reporter at the Morn-
541-895-8686, Sunday: 8:30am
Summer Service: 9:30 am
Sunday School 9:30am
needed a place to hang their ing Oregonian. Th e paper nev-
Christian Education:
Worship Service 11:00am
hats and earn an honest living er mentions his name, but iden-
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
Pre-K through 5th
Youth Wednesday 6:30pm
1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050
www.6thandgibbs.com
cgfi rstbaptist.com
while making plans to take tifi es him as having been born
Rev. Lawrence Crumb
their country back.
and raised in Russian Poland.
“Church with the fl ags.”
Calvary Baptist Church
First Presbyterian Church
Th is made them a very un-
Th is reporter, watching the
Worship: Sunday 10:30am
77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290
3rd and Adams St
Worship
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The Oregon Insurance Lady
Presents the 2018 Classes for
"Medicare Made Clear"
Join Merrie M (Kim) Kelly, CLTC at one of her FREE Educational
Sessions. Learn about Medicare A & B, Part D prescription drugs,
the coverage gap, as well as the diff erence between Medicare
Advantage Plans and Medicare Supplements.
All sessions are Wednesday starting at 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• June: 6th and 20th
• August: 1st and 15th
• September: 5th and 19th
Th e Syman-Degler Building,
1163 Olive St., Eugene, Or 97401
(Across from the new Hilton, dark green 2 story building, set back from the street.
Next to Olive Plaza. Free parking right in front. Look for the 80' Cedar tree and pull
in there. If spaces are full, there is overfl ow parking underneath the building.)
Pastor: Riley Hendricks
Sunday School: 9:45am
Worship: 11:00am
The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm
Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm
541-942-4479
Pastor: Karen Hill
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:00am
www.cgpresbynews.com
Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
1447 Hwy 99 (Village Plaza)
541-942-6842
Pastor: Jeff Smith
Two Services on Sun:
9am & 10:45am
Youth Group Bible Study
Child Care 10:45am Service Only
www.cgcalvary.org
Hope In The Grove
700 E. Gibbs • 401-855-5668
Pastor: Wayne Husk
Sunday services:
Worship: 9am
Coffee Fellowship: 10:15am
Bible Study: 10:30am
Center for Spiritual Living
700 Gibbs Ave. (Community Center)
Rev. Bobby Lee
Meets Sunday 3:00 p.m.
cslcottagegrove@gmail.com
Church of Christ
420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565
Sunday Service: 10:30am
Cottage Grove Bible Church
1200 East Quincy Avenue
541-942-4771
Pastor:Bob Singer
Worship 11am
Sunday School:9:45am
AWANA age 3-8th Grade,
Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm
www.cgbible.org
Cottage Grove Faith Center
33761 Row River Rd.
541-942-4851
Lead Pastor: Kevin Pruett
www.cg4.tv
Full Childrenʼs Ministry available
Service: 10:00am
Hope Fellowship
United Pentecostal Church
100 S. Gateway Blvd.
541-942-2061
Pastor: Dave Bragg
Worship: 11:00am Sunday
Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday
www.hopefellowshipupc.com
“FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE”
All Welcome
Seventh-day Adventist Church
820 South 10th Street
541-942-5213
Pastor: Kevin Miller
Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am
Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40
Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00
Trinity Lutheran Church
6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373
Pastor: James L. Markus
Sunday School & Adult Education
9:15am
Sunday Worship 10:30 am
Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur
5:00pm TLC Groups
tlccg.com
United Methodist Church
334 Washington • 541-942-3033
Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen
Worship: 10:30am
Comm. Dinner (Adults $5,
Living Faith Assembly
Kids Free)
467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612
Worship Services Sundays: 9a & 11a 1st & 3rd Monday 5-6:00pm
Youth Worship Sundays: 11a (all ages umcgrove.org
welcome)
“VICTORY” Country Church
Mondays: 5:30p (6th-12th grades)
913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913
Pastor: Barbara Dockery
Non-Denominational
Worship Service: 10:00am
Church of Christ
Message: “WE BELIEVE IN
1041 Pennoyer Ave
MIRACLES”
541-942-8928
Preacher: Tony Martin
CRESWELL:
Sunday Bible Study:10:00am
Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm Creswell Presbyterian Church
75 S 4th S • 541-895-3419
www.pennoyeravecoc.com
Rev. Seth Wheeler
Adult Sunday School 9:15am
Old Time Gospel Fellowship
Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am
103 S. 5th St. • 541-942-4999
website www.creswellpres.org
Pastor: Jim Edwards
Sunday Service: 10:00am
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