The Men of Baker Street

John Bosworth at the start of his sentence at McNeill Island.

National Archives and Records Center

In February of 1918, the United States Army learned that the Presidio of San Francisco was home to men who desired other men.

The events that would come to be known as the Baker Street vice scandal at first had nothing to do with any vices. Actions that were then viewed as criminal violations of the 96th Article of War would not be seen as such today.

While investigating a civilian posing as a soldier, the Military Police became aware of two houses on Baker Street, where men were gathering with and engaging in sexual relations with other men.

As the Military Police lacked jurisdiction, they contacted the San Francisco Police Morals Squad. Together they put the flats under surveillance. On February 16th, officers raided the homes, beginning what newspapers called a “siege of the two flats.” Over the next ten days, men were detained in the two flats for questioning. Anyone who arrived was held as well. All the men were questioned until they signed confessions, gave the names of friends, and surrendered personal letters and address books.

Eleven men were initially arrested. A second wave of arrests soon followed based on information divulged by the detained men. All in all, over 30 civilians and six soldiers found themselves behind bars. The six soldiers spent five months incarcerated in the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz Island awaiting their courts martial.

Much of what we know today about the lives of these six soldiers comes from their testimonies given while being detained and at their courts-martial.

These men described themselves as “temperamental” and “queer.” They spoke candidly of knowing of this identity from a young age. During his interrogation, Laurel Yeamans stated he had been temperamental “ever since I can remember.” Upon being asked about his temperamental “inclinations,” Garwood Simmons stated, “I knew inheritably that I had some spirit in me that wanted to come out.” John Bosworth testified, “This temperamental character is or was very largely something natural, a condition of mine of which I was in nowise [sic] responsible, something born.”

These courts-martial found all six soldiers guilty of various specifications and charges. The men were dishonorably discharged, forfeited all pay, and five were sentenced to be “confined at hard labor” at various disciplinary barracks. Their sentences ranged from 2-10 years.

In the end, although the military justice system saw these men as criminals, they did not view themselves in that light. John Bosworth stated, “...until I was about 23 years old I thought I was the only person in the world who had this temperament, and about that time I met a man who told me it was not uncommon. I have since read a good many authorities on the subject. These authorities claim [homosexuality], in fact, always existed in the world; they cite cases of a great many brilliant men who did things of the kind, and I got the idea that maybe it was not so repulsive and criminal an offense after all.”

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Sources:

• Lipsky, Bill “The Fabulous Baker Street Boys” in San Francisco Bay Times

• Sueyoshi, Amy “The Baker Street Vice Ring and the Birth of the Asian American Homo” in “Process: a blog for american history”