"Swann was frequently arrested and jailed for throwing balls, without ever being charged with specific crimes. Police would arrest Swann and participants as 'suspicious characters,' according to Joseph, or charge them without evidence for associated crimes like vagrancy or 'keeping a disorderly house,' a law often associated with sex work. At one point, after being arrested and jailed, Swann sought a presidential pardon from then-president Grover Cleveland. He gathered lawyers and even collected signatures from community members to support his innocence. While he did not receive the pardon, he's recognized as the first person to take legal steps to defend the right to assemble for a queer party." -- Colleen Grablick (colleengrablick), "Dupont Residents Push To Dedicate Swann Street After William Dorsey Swann, The First Self-Described 'Queen Of Drag'", 2022-07-14, DCist.com