William Thompson

William Thompson was born in Boston on 14th May, 1867. His family moved to Chicago and Thompson enjoyed considerable success as an athelete.

In 1900 Thompson became active in the Republican Party and in 1915 was elected major of Chicago. The city was under the control of gangsters and Thompson was suspected of being on the payroll of Al Capone. His critics claimed this is why the police were unable to gain control of the city.

During the First World War Thompson was staunchly pro-German and even organised public book-burning of British books taken from the city's public schools. In 1923 Thompson was investigated for fraud and he decided not to stand as mayor. He returned in 1927 when once again he was elected. Once again Thompson made little attempt to control gangsters in Chicago.

In 1931 Thompson was challenged by Anton Cermak who accused Thompson of being under the control of Al Capone and other gangsters in the city. Cermak campaigned for social reform and an end to prohibition. On 7th April, 1931, Cermak defeated Thompson, by 200,000 votes. However, on 15th February, 1933, Cermak was assassinated by Guiseppe Zangara.

Thompson failed in his attempts to become mayor of Chicago in 1936 and 1939. William Thompson died at the Blackstone Hotel on 19th March, 1944.

In 1999, Melvin Holli, the author of The American Mayor, and a group of experts on local government, voted Thompson was the worst mayor in United States history. Holli wrote: "The experts ranked Big Bill a solid and undisputed first place; he led the pack in the times-ranked-first column and also in the number of experts (forty-five) who put his leadership in the mayoral hall of shame."