Angels in Black

Cue "Evil Woman" by ELO...

It never fails to amuse me when I encounter obvious gender stereotyping. Hollywood has been at it for over a century now. Beautiful people are faultless, and ugly people usually do ugly things. This is why society generally gives gorgeous females a free pass, so-to-speak, for just about everything. Trouble parking a car? How cute. Can't do math? Isn't that adorable... here, let me help. Singing voice that of feuding vultures? Who cares; look at that body! Murders 100 people? But...that's impossible.

Originally published May 24th, 1988 in the Gainesville Times, Professor Alex Taylor swan dives into the murky, turbulent sea of contact mines that is the world of killer women. Okay, being that this is a rather prickly subject, maybe I should just let the column speak for itself. I mean, most women know the level of treachery their gender is capable of perpetrating. Why would anyone be shocked?

The animal pictured above is Jane Toppan. Cute as a newborn snow leopard. You'll read about her below. One thing not detailed though, is that her "excitement" was sexual.I happened to catch my father on the phone just before drafting today's preface. He added that some form of sexual gratification was typical among serial murderers, particularly women.

 

Jackass!

A little levity is a good thing in times like these. One thing, though...

If you were truly paying attention, yes, he does this quite often. Storyteller's McGuffin?

Originally published May 17, 1988 in the Gainesville Times.

Not Forgettinaboutit II

Perhaps the best trailing nugget from this week's column is Joseph Petrosino. Here, we have an Oscar-worthy narrative replete with a tragic to unlikely and fortuitous embryosis, followed by a plucky and eccentric career at the infancy of modern law enforcement. Although parts of Joe's undertakings have been featured long ago in typical Hollywood fashion, a full accounting of his story might not have been presented due to its dreadful ending. Still, no pantheon of American law enforcement could exist without his name near the top. 

Alex Taylor's crime history column originally appeared in the Gainesville Times, Tuesday, May 10, 1988.

Not Forgettinaboutit

My father's memory of his days scrapping with elements of Tampa's mafia remain a frequent topic at family dinner conversations and other moments when something or someone suddenly prompts him. Lately, this occurs when either one of "those people" from that era, or perhaps a colleague from the police department, is featured in the Tampa obits. Always an earful.

We'd hear about Santo Trafficante, Frank ("Ten and Two") Diecidue and Anthony Antone, The Cracker Mob, the lounge wars, arsons, dynamiting, drive-bys, the cold, calculated homicide of Det. Sgt. Richard Cloud, corruption at TPD' top levels, as well as the distant ties to our own Tampa family and the truced dichotomy created by them. Naturally, these stories lead to the creation of my novel Bolita. (Hey, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least reference it twice)

But Professor Taylor's knowledge of the Cosa Nostra didn't end with his Tampa experiences, or, as he regularly reminds, the hit placed on him during an investigative visit to New Orleans — a sanctioned contract purported by his FBI contacts — when the List of Five was thought to be in play (this is also paralleled in Bolita, with Cloud being first). Because of this, Det. Taylor became a mob scholar of sorts, which included an uncanny photographic recollection of their history, and of those who fought them.  Maybe more about all this in future posts. For now, let's start ...at the beginning.

Originally published May 5, 1988 in the Gainesville Times, Det. Sgt. Alex Taylor (ret) gives us the etymology of the Sicilian mob, and notes on its forefathers. Suggested accompanying aperitivo? Onion rings, and order some for the whole tabl...

Ivan the What?

Welcome Back!

This week, Prof. Alex Taylor lobs a Hail Mary at the never-ending elucidation of Jack the Ripper's identity. I suppose no detective can resist taking a crack at it. Unfortunately, there's only so much postulation the general public can withstand before the entire matter becomes a convoluted, trivial eye-roller.

"Not this, again..."

Yes, THIS. 

Originally published in the Gainesville Times, April 26, 1988. 

For additional reading on Crazy Ivan, go HERE.

Rather excited to be moving on to the mafia next week. This is a subject former Tampa PD Det. Sgt. Alex Taylor knows quite well, having purportedly survived a contract hit himself.