Wolfe Londoner was an American politician who served as the mayor of Denver, Colorado from 1889 to 1891.
Background
He was born on 4 July 1842 to parents Herman Londoner and Rachel Hearst in New York City, New New York While his father was a wealthy merchant, he found himself to become restless and at the age of 13 years, he left home and travelled by steamship to San Francisco. He continued with this work until he had saved enough to open his own grocery business, he remained here for 4 years, until he decided to return to New York, where he went into business with his father.
In 1856 his father moved the business to Dubuque, Iowa and opened a large store, putting Wolfe"s older brother in charge.
Career
He died of apoplexy. While here he found employment in a local hotel (where he received $125 a month, including board) and also took on work at an auctioneers helping sell goods every evening (where he received $200 a month). He took charge of another branch store a few miles away. During the Panic of 1857 the whole business folded, his father took the last remaining stock to Saint Louis hoping to revive the business there and then send monetary funds back to DuBuque to assist his family in making the journey down the Mississippi River to Saint Louis.
After waiting a short time Wolfe received $20 from his father, while told to wait for further funds, he ignored this and bartered with a local steamboat captain who eventually acquiesced to allow him and the rest of the family passage for $15 total (promising to repay the rest once he had found work in Street Louis).
In spring 1860, while still in their employment he moved to Denver to take charge of their store there, then during the summer he was sent on to Canon City to start another store there, which became the 1st stone building in the city. During winter of this same year, he gave up the management of the store, preferring to take on a store in California Gulch as his own, where he stayed until 1865.
While located there he held the offices of County Clerk, Recorder of Lake County, County Treasurer and County Commissioner. In 1887 the Denver business moved premises to the Londoner Block, a large four-story building (located at 1624-1630 Arapahoe Street).
He became Denver"s 20th Mayor by 77 votes, however shortly after getting into office, several disgruntled candidates filed charges against him for corruption, which was taken to court on 6 April 1890.
The jury determined that he should step down from office, he appealed this decision with the Colorado Supreme Court but on 7 February 1891 lost his case, with the Court upholding the Lowe Courts decision. He was later elected as President of the Colorado State Press Association in 1900.
Membership
He was a founding member of the Denver Press Club, becoming infamous in the town for his "cyclone cellar", the name given to the basement under his store where reporters would gather to discuss local gossip.