Depravity

I thought I would try something in a later time period than I read normally. The mid 1940's murder of the Black Dahlia has always fascinated me. I think the fascination is a combination of horror and amazement. Horror at the level of violence inflicted on Elizabeth Short and amazement that such a crime was never solved.

So, I got hold of a copy of John Gilmore's Severed the True Story of the Black Dahlia. Gilmore's good. The book is well paced. Gilmore provides a lengthy depiction of Short's personal life and the marginal existence she led prior to her murder. Severed is incredibly graphic. So much so that I was way over my head! Give me simple straight forward thieves any day of the week. I'm not sure if I agree with Gilmore about who the murderer is. If you Google the Black Dahlia you'll find multiple sights dealing with the crime. There are also several different men named as the murderer including two children who have named their fathers and written books about why they believe their Dad it. {Boy you'd really have to hate your Father to think him capable of doing these things} One woman named Orson Welles as the murder. It's sad that the case is going to remain unsolved. So many theories with no satisfactory answers.

I haven't got anything new to read. So I may go back to reading some old favorites. I'm not supposed to buy any new books until I finish reading all of the mysteries I've accumulated and let sit. But we'll see....

Lee and Linn Flournoy

This is Linn Flournoy, Lee Flournoy's twin brother, I couldn't locate a decent picture of Lee Flournoy, so since the two were identical a photo of Linn will have to do. Lee Flournoy, if you are not aware, was Charlie Mays partner for the Cherryvale Bank robbery. So far from what I've read Lee may have been the leader of the gang, but then again.... I've received articles on Lee including a more detailed version of what actually happened in Picher, OK in 1926 when Charlie and Lee were killed in a gunfight with lawman. It always seemed strange to me that they would be killed in the wee hours of the morning carousing as opposed to breaking and entering someplace.

If the picture of Linn, above looks a little hapless, it's because he owes his trip to the MO penitentiary to his twin, Lee. Linn, along with Lee's wife Dorothy, attempted to break Lee out of jail while Lee was waiting for trial on murder charges. Actually, they might have gotten away from it if they hadn't decided to make Dorothy their third man. It seems she became rattled waiting for them (she was the driver). She drove away leaving them to make do. They were caught. Lee and Linn were sent to the MO Pen. Now that photo exists now because Linn was arrested for theft (of groceries) in 1926. Only 3 months after the deaths of his parents and Lee. He admits that the crime was due to stupidity. Since the crime occur ed in KS where he did his time a file, and pictures, still exist.

I think I'm going to try to write something on the Cherryvale bank robbery. It wasn't the crime of the century but the players and circumstances of the event are worth telling. BTW, I got a call from the FBI about some files for the Denver Mint Robbery of 1922. It will be interesting to hear what they've found.