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Downtown St. Louis

Ballad of Stagger Lee

NW corner of Convention Plaza (formerly Morgan Street & Delmar Blvd) and 11th Street

Open to public /  Not Open to public

Not open to public

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The infamous legend of Stagger Lee (also known as Stagolee, Stack O' Lee, Stackerlee, Stackalee) is about a St. Louis carriage driver, gangster and pimp who gets into a dispute with his friend Billy DeLyon (also known as Billy the Lion or Billy Lyons) after losing his Stetson hat to Billy.

While the exact location of the saloon was on 11th and Delmar/Morgan, adjacent to or overlapping with the broader Chestnut Valley district, known for its vibrant nightlife, music, and often dangerous streets.

The story of Stagger Lee, whose real name was Lee Shelton, is rooted in real historical events. Shelton was a Black carriage driver and known figure in the St. Louis underworld. On Christmas night in 1895, at the Bill Curtis Saloon located on Walnut Street (near the Chestnut Valley area), Shelton shot and killed Billy Lyons during an argumentβ€”reportedly over a Stetson hat.

One version claims Lee, a Democrat, and Lyons, a Republican, were arguing over politics when Lee snatched Lee's Stetson hat off of his head and wouldn't give it back. Another version claims Lee lost the hat to Lyons while gambling.

Either way, Lee pulls a .44 on Lyons who then pleads to be spared for the sake of his wife and children. Showing no mercy, Stagger Lee cold-bloodedly shoots and kills his opponent. Witnesses said after the shooting, after Lyon fell to his death, Shelton picked up his Stetson and said "I told you to give me my hat." And then walked out the door.

One of the earliest versions in 1928, by John Mississippi Hunt, tells the story like this:
𝐴𝑑 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿ, π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› π‘Žπ‘ π‘˜π‘’π‘‘ "π‘Šβ„Žπ‘œ'𝑠 π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘”?" π‘†π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ 𝐡𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑦 πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘ . π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› π‘ π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘Žπ‘‘ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘‘π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’, π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’, π‘Žπ‘π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ 𝑀𝑖𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘›π‘˜ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘¦ 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑙 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜ π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘π‘œπ‘™π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘π‘ . π‘‡β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘€π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘π‘™π‘œπ‘€π‘  π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘’π‘Žπ‘β„Ž π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿ'𝑠 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘ , π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘¦ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘š π‘œπ‘“ πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›'𝑠 π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘π‘¦.

𝐼𝑛 π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›, πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘  π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘π‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘›'𝑠 π‘†π‘‘π‘’π‘‘π‘ π‘œπ‘›, π‘ π‘Žπ‘¦π‘–π‘›π‘” β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘›'𝑑 π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘› 𝑖𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑙 β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘π‘Žπ‘–π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘‘π‘Žπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘”π‘’π‘‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘. π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› 𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 π‘Ž .44 π‘†π‘šπ‘–π‘‘β„Ž & π‘Šπ‘’π‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘› π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘£π‘œπ‘™π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ, π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘‘ πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘ , π‘‘π‘œπ‘œπ‘˜ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘†π‘‘π‘’π‘‘π‘ π‘œπ‘› π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š β„Žπ‘–π‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜π‘’π‘‘ π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘π‘Žπ‘π‘˜ π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘π‘œπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘ π‘’. 𝐻𝑒 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝑛𝑒π‘₯𝑑 π‘šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”.

According to an eyewitness, the two men were shooting craps (as in certain versions of the the song) when at some point they began fighting, delivering blows to each other's hats. After Shelton broke Lyons' derby and Lyons took Shelton's Stetson and refused to return it, they threatened each other. Lyons made a move for what was possibly a knife and Shelton shot him with a Smith & Wesson. Lyons' friend, Henry Crump, admitted that he had given Lyons a knife before they entered the establishment. Another man claimed that Shelton killed Lyons to avenge the death of a friend who had been killed by Lyons' stepbrother.

And in 1895, the St. Louis Globe Democrat reported:
"π‘Šπ‘–π‘™π‘™π‘–π‘Žπ‘š πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘ , 25, π‘Ž 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑒 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘, π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘π‘‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘› π‘¦π‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘¦ 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 π‘Žπ‘‘ 10 π‘œ'π‘π‘™π‘œπ‘π‘˜ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘ π‘Žπ‘™π‘œπ‘œπ‘› π‘œπ‘“ 𝐡𝑖𝑙𝑙 πΆπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘–π‘ , π‘Žπ‘‘ πΈπ‘™π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘›π‘‘β„Ž π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘”π‘Žπ‘› π‘†π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘’π‘‘π‘ , 𝑏𝑦 𝐿𝑒𝑒 π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘›, π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘Žπ‘”π‘’ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ. πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘  π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘  π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œπ‘”π‘’π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿ. π΅π‘œπ‘‘β„Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘–π‘’π‘ , 𝑖𝑑 π‘ π‘’π‘’π‘šπ‘ , β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑒π‘₯π‘’π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘ π‘π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘‘π‘ . π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘‘π‘–π‘ π‘π‘’π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘“π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘π‘œπ‘™π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘π‘ , π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘› π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘”π‘’π‘šπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘’π‘‘, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘π‘™π‘’π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘œπ‘“ π‘€β„Žπ‘–π‘β„Ž π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘  π‘ π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘‘ π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘›'𝑠 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š β„Žπ‘–π‘  β„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘. π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘™π‘Žπ‘‘π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘”π‘›π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘™π‘¦ π‘‘π‘’π‘šπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑𝑠 π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›. πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘  π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘“π‘’π‘ π‘’π‘‘, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Žπ‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘€ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘£π‘œπ‘™π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘‘ πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘  𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘π‘‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘›. π‘Šβ„Žπ‘’π‘› β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘£π‘–π‘π‘‘π‘–π‘š 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑙 π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘™π‘œπ‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› π‘‘π‘œπ‘œπ‘˜ β„Žπ‘–π‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘› π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘œπ‘œπ‘™π‘™π‘¦ π‘€π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜π‘’π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘€π‘Žπ‘¦. 𝐻𝑒 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘ π‘’π‘π‘ π‘’π‘žπ‘’π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘™π‘¦ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘™π‘œπ‘π‘˜π‘’π‘‘ 𝑒𝑝 π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ πΆβ„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘‘π‘›π‘’π‘‘ π‘†π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘’π‘‘ π‘†π‘‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›. πΏπ‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘  π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘‘π‘Žπ‘˜π‘’π‘› π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π·π‘–π‘ π‘π‘’π‘›π‘ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘¦, π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘€π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘  π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘›π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘œπ‘’π‘ . 𝐿𝑒𝑒 π‘†β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘œπ‘› 𝑖𝑠 π‘Žπ‘™π‘ π‘œ π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€π‘› π‘Žπ‘  'π‘†π‘‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘”π‘’π‘Ÿ' 𝐿𝑒𝑒."

The event occurred at the Bill Curtis Saloon (801 North 11th Street - now the St. Louis Board of Education - the bar’s entrance was on the Convention Plaze side), located in the epicenter of what was then St. Louis' thriving vice district called Deep Morgan, about ten blocks south of Chestnut Valley. The red-light district bordered Market, Chestnut and Targee streets and was centered by the infamous Rose Bud CafΓ© at 2222 Market. This was the Third Ward, and to St. Louis police officers, the nickname "the bloody third district" was well deserved. The two main bars in this part of town were the Bridgewater Saloon on the corner of 11th Street and Lucas Avenue, and Curtis' Saloon on 13th and Morgan. The two saloons were bitter rivals, and not only because they vied for the same business. Henry Bridgewater was a prominent black Republican, while Bill Curtis' saloon seems to have served as a meeting place for Democrat activists. (The saloon was also a few blocks away from the notorious bordello called The Bucket of Blood. )

Lee's reputation for "badness" is a key to the story. According to some classic musical recordings of the legend, the authorities are too frightened of Stagger Lee to arrest him for his crime. In some versions of the tale, he is eventually caught by the authorities, but the judge refuses to sentence him to prison because he fears that the badman will strike back against him. (In other tellings of the story, Stagger Lee appears in hell after he is killed or executed, but is so "bad" that he takes control of the devil's kingdom and turns it into his own badman's paradise.)

Neither man was a stranger to physical violence. Lyons (31) was a known bully and Shelton (30) bore scars on his face and head. The murder received significant exposure and political scrutiny, and resulted in a hung jury trial after Stagger Lee had hired one of the most prominent lawyers in the state, Nathaniel Dryden. Shelton’s case was retried in 1897 and he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to the notorious penitentiary in Jefferson City, Missouri. Around 1903, the first lyrics referring to the Stagger Lee murder were printed.

There are over 400 variations of the song in existence since its original recording in 1923. It has been recorded by James Brown, Nick Cave and Neil Diamond, The Clash, Pat Boone, Fats Domino and Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, The Grateful Dead, Woody Guthrie, The Ventures, Ike & Tina Turner, Ma Rainey and Jerry Lee Lewis. Tom Jones did it. So did Huey and the News, Beck, the Black Keys and Elvis Presley. This folk song has crossed over Ragtime, Broadway showtunes, Blues, Jazz, Honky Tonk, Country, 50s Rock and Roll, Ska, Folk, Surf, 70s punk, Heavy Metal, 90s punk, Rap, even Hawaiian. In the 1950s it was re written to make it less violent for television performances. Poems have spun off from the song, as well as a musical, two novels, a short story, an award-winning graphic novel, Ph.D. dissertations, a pornographic feature film and a hard cider.

In 1909, as folk versions of the song were cropping up all across the South, then-Missouri governor Joseph Wingate Folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving day. Just two years later in 1911, Shelton broke into a man’s home, murdered him, and was sent to prison. But by 1912 Shelton received yet another pardon from another governor, apparently due to political pressure. But before he could be released, the infamous Stack-O-Lee died in prison of tuberculosis.

Weeks prior on December 6, 1895, the 400 Club was established "for the moral and physical culture of young colored men. We contemplate no acts of violence, and as law-abiding citizens and voters we stand ready and willing to protect the laws of our sity, State and the United States." The order was organized with Mr. Will Richmond as president, Robert Lee as secretary and Mr. Lee [Lee Shelton] as captain.

For more on Stagger Lee read https://www.facebook.com/OurSt.LouisHiSTORY/posts/1415796715429606

SOURCE: The historical information presented on this page is adapted with permission from Discovering African American St. Louis: A Guide to Historic Sites by Dr. John A. Wright, Sr. We are honored to share his invaluable research and historical insights, made available through the generous consent of Dr. Wright and the Missouri Historical Society Press. Their dedication to preserving and celebrating the rich legacy of Black St. Louis is a gift to our community—a testament to those who came before us and a guide for those who walk the path forward.

John Wright Discovering AA St. Louis.jpg

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NW corner of Convention Plaza (formerly Morgan Street & Delmar Blvd) and 11th Street

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