Phenix City: Alabama's "Sin City" and organized corruption

Phenix City Story

Once Known as "Sin City"

Commonplace Sins

Haven for Hellish Activities?

Cleaning Up Phenix City

The name, "Phenix"

Excuses and Reasons

THE PHENIX CITY STORY

"Once Known as "Sin City"

Real People good name is better than precious ointment.

Bible: Hebrew)

Remember, real people live here!" Littlejohn (26) notes one native-born Las Vegas' civic leader to state about "Sin City." "Sin City," the focus for this paper does not refer to Las Vegas but Phenix City in Russell County in Alabama. The reminder "Remember, real people live here!" referring to Las Vegas, however, proves applicable to Phenix City, also known as Phenix City

History has reportedly entwined some facts with myths about Phenix City. Rawls and other writers report General George Patton, former commander of Fort Benning, to have sated: I am going to smash Sin City flat with my tanks. Okamo, alkbeit, argues that words Patton, vowing to blow "Sin City," off the map, are currently deemed to be a myth. Whether Patton threatened to destroy Phenix City or not, sources agree that during the height of its corruption, "The vice industry," Jenkins said, "was Phenix City's only industry." (Rawls)

II. Commonplace Sins

Cleaning Up Phenix City

During its zenith as "Sin City," "Murder and bombings were commonplace. Attractive, unprotected women - including 12- and 14-year-old farm girls-were snatched off the streets and forced into prostitution. Elections were meaningless because the government counted the votes. As the crooks controlled the prosecution, judge and jurors, no crime was punished."(Roberts) Right after Patterson was murdered, John Patterson vowed to smash the mob that murdered his father. At this time, the National Guard was called out. Under martial rule in 1955, Major General Walter J. (Crack) Hanna began to clean up Phenix City.

Hanna, commander of the Alabama National Guard, was ordered by Alabama's governor City the morning after the shooting to go lead the Guard into Phenix. July 22, 1954, when the governor proclaimed martial law, convinced Phenix City officials were covering-up crime, General Hanna and his guardsmen disarmed the sheriffs and policemen and "took over the administration of law in Phenix City." ("Could This Be...")

Judge Walter Burgwyn Jones, sixty-six-year-olds, assigned as special judge over the Phenix City proceedings, in addition to being a judge, served as president of the Alabama Bar Association, president of the Alabama Bible Society, editor of the Alabama Baptist Society Quarterly. He also published forty-five books on legal, historical, and biblical issues. June 30, 1954, Judge Jones opened court. He delivered the following prepared message to a courtroom "packed with hostile mobsters, racketeers, brothel operators, prostitutes... As well as citizens hoping for a return to law and order:

It is the unalterable determination of the State, of the Governor, and the people, that there shall be no return here of organized crime and commercialized vice; no further continuance of a wicked regime which, for years, has burdened the county with an arrogant violation of the laws of God and man. There will be no return of the miserable days when a few gained wealth by holding in contempt the laws of the State, and by pandering to the lusts and base desires of men and women....

What is going on in this country today is not just a passing phase, not just a condition which will exist only for a few weeks or a few months-it is a permanent condition: all the powers of hell won't be able to prevail against it....

A bring to the good people of Russell County the assurance of the Governor of Alabama that the State will do everything in its power to bring to an end the rotten situation here so long disturbing to the law-abiding people of the county. No longer is this county to be under the control and dominion of racketeers and gamblers and purveyors of prostitution.

Their insolent sway here forever ended on the night of June 18, when a cowardly assassin took the life of Albert L. Patterson and made his name the symbol of resistance to organized crime.

Albert L. Patterson rests in the earth from which he came, but the State of Alabama, all her forces of law, will not rest, day or night, until his murderer is tracked down and the extreme penalty for the brutal deed.

Let it be understood here and now, once and for all, that there will be no return to Russell County of that tragic era, the days when the law violator reigned supreme, and trampled the Constitution and laws under his foot. From this day forward the reign of law has come to Russell County to stay, and stay it will under the providence of God and all the power of Alabama's government....

To those who have had part in the lawlessness in this country, who have made crime their livelihood, who have grown fat in the debauchery of our youth and the destruction of the morale of our Nation's young soldiers, your day is ended, your hour of reckoning is at hand, you stand at Armageddon.... (Ibid.)

III. The Name, "Phenix"

Excuses and Reasons

Besides, you start drinking whiskey gambling, it gives you an excuse for losing.

That's something you don't need, an excuse for losing. (Sydney and Rossen)

This quote from the movie, "The Hustler," reminds one that for some things noted

Phenix City's history, no rational excuses or reasons exists. Brasher reports that when many people see the name Phenix, they immediately think of mob rule; gambling; voting fraud; prostitution and mob rule, trademarks from Phenix's past. Some, on the other hand, question if/why Alabamians misspell the name, "Phoenix." In light of its tumultuous past, in 2005, Shaun Driggers, a native of Phenix City and current owner of the Barber Pole barber shop, organized a petition to change Phenix City's name. Driggers contends: "All over town we have pictures of this majestic bird -- the phoenix. Then underneath it, we have the word misspelled. How does that make us look?" (Ibid.) Driggers aims to eradicate the negative "Sin City" reputation, synonymous with Phenix City's name since the 1950s. Some people, Driggers contends, refuse to admit they live in Phenix City. (Ibid.) Despite current contentions about its name, Brasher posits, Phenix City makes a point to show off its "transformation." During 2004, Phenix City celebrated: "50 Years of Progress with "concerts, fireworks and 1950s-themed events to acknowledge its past and celebrate its transformation into a family-friendly town of 28,500." (Ibid.) Those who contribute the beginning of Phenix City's previous crime crisis, however, disagree. Some contend that today; lessons of history seem to appear to have begun to fade. Along with dog racing, Alabama seeks "the legalization of horse racing, casinos, and lotteries as well. Governor Jim Folsom, Jr.-the son of Governor "Big Jim" Folsom supported by the Phenix City machine in 1954-has threatened to call for a special legislative session to consider, among other things, casino gambling." ("Could This Be...")

Amid the controversies regarding gambling and changing its name, most signs of Phenix City' torrid past have dissipated. The only physical reminder of what was once known as "Sin City," the building where Patterson practiced law, a poignant reminder that then as now, real people live here. (Rawls)