Mayer co-founded the Illinois Manufacturers ' Association and served as its general counsel . In 1895 , he defended the group in the Supreme Court of Illinois in '' Ritchie v. People '' , which outlawed the eight-hour workday limit for women . Likewise , he co-founded the Distiller 's Securities Corporation . Mayer oversaw the 1899 acquisition of Siemens & Halske Electric Company of America by the Electric Vehicle Company . In 1903 , Mayer defended the Iroquois Theatre following the Iroquois Theatre fire . Mayer was able to convince a judge to move the case to Peoria , Illinois and successfully had the charges against theater manager Will Davis dismissed . In 1905 , charges against the theater were thrown out . When Illinois courts reopened the case against Davis , he had the venue moved to Danville , Illinois . There , he convinced the judge that the city ordinances that targeted Davis were illegal . Davis was found not guilty
Iroquois Theatre fire
Iroquois Theatre fire
Levy Mayer