"Trouble in Greek Colony" article (describes location of "South Side Greek settlement" - Chicago Daily Tribune, January 29, 1898

Published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, January 29, 1898

TROUBLE IN GREEK COLONY.

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Factional War Breaks Out in the

Twelfth Street and Wabash Avenue Settlement

Difference of opinion as to the organization of a secret society is said to have caused members of the Greek colony at Twelfth street and Wabash avenue to form themselves into two factions and declare war. The trouble began several weeks ago, and after numerous fluctuations was renewed yesterday afternoon with such vigor that after, it is said, blows had been struck and several Greeks of one faction had been pursued by rivals with hatchets and clubs, three of the more unruly colonists were arrested and locked up at the central station charged with making threats to kill.  The prisoners are John Economon, Saranto Economon, and Peter Zeferen.  They were arrested on warrants sworn out by "Tom" Baryames.  John Economon is said to be the recognized leader of one faction, while Baryames is at the head of the opposing forces.

Baryames alleges that he and a number of his countrymen were attacked by Economon and his forces.  Nothing more serious than a few bruised heads and noses, however, resulted from the conflict.  Baryames declares that he was pursued three blocks by the prisoners, who flourished clubs and hatchets, but the charge is emphatically denied by the Economon brothers and Zeferen.

The South Side Greek settlement is in the alley between Wabash avenue and State street from Twelfth to Fourteenth streets, and most of the colonists live in barns.  Detectives Briscoe and Granger say they found as many as a dozen persons occupying squalid quarters in each barn.