Shippy, George M. (1854-1913)

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Mentioned in (6)
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Statement on Theater Censorship, May 2, 1907 (excerpt)

Charles D. Norton to Jane Addams, March 11, 1908

Jane Addams to Sarah Alice Addams Haldeman, March 24, 1908

The Chicago Settlements and Social Unrest, May 2, 1908

Jenkin Lloyd Jones to Jane Addams, August 14, 1908

Autobiographical Notes Upon Twenty Years at Hull-House: Echoes of the Russian Revolution, September 1910

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Birth Date

1854-06-24

Death Date

1913-04-13

Birthplace

Chicago, Illinois

Biographical Text

George Shippy was a member of the Chicago Fire Department. He worked his way up to Lieutenant and, eventually, Captain. Shippy then worked as a businessman; later he became a police patrolman. He then worked up to become the General Superintendent of the Chicago Police, a title he kept from 1907 to 1909. In 1908, a young Russian anarchist, Lazarus Averbuch, attempted to take Shippy's life. Averbuch came to Shippy's home at 31 Lincoln Place and a struggle ensued, leading to Averbuch stabbing Shippy and shooting his driver and Shippy's son, Harry. Shippy then shot and killed Averbuch. The case following this incident led to the national government's movement against anarchists.

Shippy married Sadie Shippy in 1880. They had two children: Georgiana and Harry. A few months before his death, he was committed to an insane asylum due to "softening of the brain," which was most likely Alzheimer's Disease. Shippy died in 1913.