Joe Rosenberg

In other words, he wasn't just their accountant. He was also their corruption broker.

In other words, he wasn't just their accountant. He was also their corruption broker.

So the photographers climbed up into a hidden loft, positioned behind a fake air vent, and they waited. And remember, before it opened, the bar had serious code violations, things that really were dangerous. So the first big test came with the fire inspector's visit.

So the photographers climbed up into a hidden loft, positioned behind a fake air vent, and they waited. And remember, before it opened, the bar had serious code violations, things that really were dangerous. So the first big test came with the fire inspector's visit.

Zay had dreamed of being a reporter for The Sun-Times his entire life. And in 1977, he was still a cub reporter, a rookie, stuck covering the suburbs. But then, one night, he was in the office, working late.

Zay had dreamed of being a reporter for The Sun-Times his entire life. And in 1977, he was still a cub reporter, a rookie, stuck covering the suburbs. But then, one night, he was in the office, working late.

And there was something else that Pam and Zay and the Sun-Times were able to document. Not only did they find and prove incontrovertible government graft over and over again, but in creating a bar, they had also created a tiny new world. And that tiny world was peopled with stories.

And there was something else that Pam and Zay and the Sun-Times were able to document. Not only did they find and prove incontrovertible government graft over and over again, but in creating a bar, they had also created a tiny new world. And that tiny world was peopled with stories.

There quickly grew this cast of regulars at the Mirage.

There quickly grew this cast of regulars at the Mirage.

Then there was the guy they called Lost Weekend.

Then there was the guy they called Lost Weekend.

And then, of course, there were fights because, you know, it's a bar.

And then, of course, there were fights because, you know, it's a bar.

Once they had their story, it was time to close the doors and say goodbye to the menagerie.

Once they had their story, it was time to close the doors and say goodbye to the menagerie.

There was one last hurdle. They had to write the story.

There was one last hurdle. They had to write the story.

Three months later, on January 5th, 1978, an article appeared on the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Three months later, on January 5th, 1978, an article appeared on the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The article was a hit, and four days later, another article appeared, and then one the day after that, and the day after that. Zay and the team would end up writing a 25-part series.

The article was a hit, and four days later, another article appeared, and then one the day after that, and the day after that. Zay and the team would end up writing a 25-part series.

And it turns out, while the mayor and city council might be able to duck one bad article, a 25-part series is a little harder to gloss over. In the next election, the mayor was voted out of office, although Zay says it wasn't all thanks to the mirage.

And it turns out, while the mayor and city council might be able to duck one bad article, a 25-part series is a little harder to gloss over. In the next election, the mayor was voted out of office, although Zay says it wasn't all thanks to the mirage.

There's still a bar at 731 North Wells Street. They knocked on a wall, but the old back bar is still there, and there are pictures from its days as a sting operation.

There's still a bar at 731 North Wells Street. They knocked on a wall, but the old back bar is still there, and there are pictures from its days as a sting operation.

The night the Mirage closed, there was a wrap party. All the reporters went, the fake bartenders, the real bartender, the photographers who had been cooped up in the ceiling boards. And even some members of the menagerie showed up.

The night the Mirage closed, there was a wrap party. All the reporters went, the fake bartenders, the real bartender, the photographers who had been cooped up in the ceiling boards. And even some members of the menagerie showed up.

That's when the editor read Zayn on the plan, that the Chicago Sun-Times had bought a bar.

That's when the editor read Zayn on the plan, that the Chicago Sun-Times had bought a bar.

Pam Zekman was a senior investigative reporter at the Sun-Times, and she and the editor, Stu Laurie, had come up with this idea. The idea was for the paper to buy, set up, and operate a working bar. This would be a sort of undercover bar to catch Chicago officials in the act of corruption.

Pam Zekman was a senior investigative reporter at the Sun-Times, and she and the editor, Stu Laurie, had come up with this idea. The idea was for the paper to buy, set up, and operate a working bar. This would be a sort of undercover bar to catch Chicago officials in the act of corruption.

Normally, what would happen is that people would call into newspapers like the Sun-Times with complaints about things that they thought needed to be investigated, and then Pam and the other reporters would go out and, well, investigate.

Normally, what would happen is that people would call into newspapers like the Sun-Times with complaints about things that they thought needed to be investigated, and then Pam and the other reporters would go out and, well, investigate.

In other words, a city inspector would come to an establishment like a restaurant and say, oh, geez, you're out of code. What can we do? And then shake them down for a little money. And to be clear, this wasn't something that just affected a few businesses. It affected thousands.

In other words, a city inspector would come to an establishment like a restaurant and say, oh, geez, you're out of code. What can we do? And then shake them down for a little money. And to be clear, this wasn't something that just affected a few businesses. It affected thousands.

And that's when Pam and her colleagues came up with the idea. Well, what if we buy a bar? And this was back in the day when a newspaper could afford to buy a bar. No sooner had they made their grand plan than they realized exactly how unprepared they were to buy, manage, and run a bar in the middle of Chicago.

And that's when Pam and her colleagues came up with the idea. Well, what if we buy a bar? And this was back in the day when a newspaper could afford to buy a bar. No sooner had they made their grand plan than they realized exactly how unprepared they were to buy, manage, and run a bar in the middle of Chicago.

First, they partnered with an investigator from the Better Government Association named Bill Rechtenwald to help them run the operation. The second is, duh, they hired a bartender. They figured they needed at least one professional who could pose as the owner. His name was Jeff Allen. But like them, he was new to the ways of the Chicago bar scene.

First, they partnered with an investigator from the Better Government Association named Bill Rechtenwald to help them run the operation. The second is, duh, they hired a bartender. They figured they needed at least one professional who could pose as the owner. His name was Jeff Allen. But like them, he was new to the ways of the Chicago bar scene.

Then came the third order of business, to actually find a bar, preferably one that wasn't sparkling clean and up to code.

Then came the third order of business, to actually find a bar, preferably one that wasn't sparkling clean and up to code.

Finally, they found a 731 North Wells Street.

Finally, they found a 731 North Wells Street.

This happened a few times. An inspector would come in, hem and haw, and leave saying they'd be back to work something out. So all that Pam and the rest could do was carry on with the business of getting the bar ready and wait to see what would happen next.

This happened a few times. An inspector would come in, hem and haw, and leave saying they'd be back to work something out. So all that Pam and the rest could do was carry on with the business of getting the bar ready and wait to see what would happen next.

But even before the bar opened, they also had had to figure out how to find graft, and they had no idea how it worked. How would inspectors ask for handouts? What words would they use? And how were they expected to hand over the bribes exactly?

But even before the bar opened, they also had had to figure out how to find graft, and they had no idea how it worked. How would inspectors ask for handouts? What words would they use? And how were they expected to hand over the bribes exactly?

But they didn't know the dance. They didn't know the language. But luckily, they had found this accountant.

But they didn't know the dance. They didn't know the language. But luckily, they had found this accountant.

His name was Phil Barish.

His name was Phil Barish.

And Phil Barish showed them the exact steps of the corruption dance. The bribes were small, but they were coming in from hundreds of bars across the city. So they added up.

And Phil Barish showed them the exact steps of the corruption dance. The bribes were small, but they were coming in from hundreds of bars across the city. So they added up.