Browsing: Crime

A Brief History On May 26, 1328, William of Ockham, a Franciscan Friar, snuck out of Avignon fearing his execution would be ordered by the Pope.  Known as “Doctor Invincibilis” (Unconquerable Teacher) at the University of Oxford, William had upset the Pope and other high church officials by preaching the Franciscan belief that since Jesus and the Apostles did not own personal property, Catholic clergymen should likewise not possess any worldly goods. Digging Deeper Not surprisingly, this situation was contrary to the reality of the day when Popes and Cardinals amassed great wealth.  William and other Franciscans sought asylum at…

A Brief History On May 23, 1701, Scottish Captain William Kidd was hanged in London for piracy and murder. Captain Kidd is one of the better known pirates, and here we list 10 of the most famous or infamous of them all. For today, we will stick to real people, so Captain Hook and Long John Silver will have to wait for a fictional list. Digging Deeper 10. Anne Dieu-le-Veut. The last name is actually a sobriquet meaning “God wills it” or “God Wants.” She was given this nickname because it seemed she achieved everything she tried. Sent to Tortuga…

A Brief History On May 23, 1934, waiting policemen ambushed notorious robbers and murderers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, filling them and their stolen car full of holes.  Bonnie was not quite 24 years old and Clyde was only 25, but at the time they were the most famous outlaws in the United States. Digging Deeper Blazing a trail of crime from 1932 to 1934, the couple and their gang had robbed about 12 banks, many stores and gas stations and had killed 9 police officers and a handful of civilians in the process. Both of these career criminals were born in Texas,…

A Brief History On May 22, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson announced his “Great Society” program that was to end poverty and racial injustice in the United States.  His reforms did neither, as we see so evidently today.  Presidents have often failed miserably in their attempts to achieve their agendas, and here we list 10 of those losing propositions.  (Note: The order listed does not indicate importance or scale of the blunders.) Digging Deeper 10. Richard Nixon, Cover up Watergate.  Nixon’s attempt to cover up the Watergate break-in by operatives of his re-election campaign blew up in his face when tapes…

A Brief History On May 22, 2002, Bobby Frank Cherry, former member of the Ku Klux Klan, was convicted of the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Digging Deeper The early 1960’s were a turbulent time in America, with racial integration and the civil rights movement in high gear.  As the South fought against the end of segregation, violence was used as a weapon by radicals on both sides.  The 16th Street Baptist Church had been a focal point for African-American activists, used as a meeting spot by the top ranking African-American civil rights activists and a…