This week, Prof. Alex Taylor covers the meaning and origin of a few choice words from the world of crime. To comment, time apparently never favors certain parts of language, as you shall soon see.
This column was originally published October 18, 1988, in the Gainesville Times, usually found on the left of the first page of its NE Georgia section.
About Dad
For those of you just joining this regular feed, Prof. Taylor retired from the Tampa Police Department in the late 1970s as a Detective Sergeant and former head of TPD’s Criminal Intelligence Unit. While at TPD, he received his master’s from the University of Tampa, and was sourced as one of Brenau University’s professors of Sociology, Criminology and Deviant Behavior, where he later became Dean of their Professional Studies. He was a regular lecturer for several local colleges and universities, and attended Atlanta’s John Marshall School of Law. There’s quite a lot more to his CV, and maybe I’ll get to that when the proper context arises.
“We’ll see …”
(Don’t forget to check below the column for additional info!)
TRANSCRIPTION:
Did G-men lynch hoodlums in red light districts?
Have you ever wondered where all the slang and humorous terminology in the world of crime and criminology originated? Old records are valuable sources of information that can brighten your evening on a clear, cold October sunset.
The origin of the word cop or copper probably goes back to Jacob Hays, one of the first high constables of New York City in the early 1800s. Hays introduced the badge system for policemen, with different metal badges for different ranks. Brass was for patrolmen, silver for lieutenants and captains, and gold for the commissioner. Sergeants, always the most accessible and visible member of the force, wore a five-point copper star. Any time someone wanted to complain, they were advised to go see the copper . . . and the name stuck.
The use of the term G-men to describe FBI agents was the product of a shoot-out between George Machine Gun Kelly and federal agents during the mid 1950s. When trapped inside a home in Memphis, Tenn., Kelly supposedly yelled, “It’s the government men. Don’t shoot, G-men!”
Others say this version is distorted and Memphis Detective Sgt. W.J. Raney actually captured Kelly by sticking a shotgun into his stomach and stating, “I have been waiting for you all night.
“We often use the term “hoodlum” as if it belongs exclusively to American criminals. Unfortunately, that is correct. The term originated in San Francisco during the early 1800s within a vicious gang known as the Hooler Brothers. They were so active as criminals that people all over the West began to use the name Hoodler when referring to criminals or thugs.
Over the years, the name was corrupted to the now popular hoodlum.
The criminal term for “hijack” originated during Prohibition when the commandeering of trucks became a common event. The opposing gang members would jump upon the running boards of loaded trucks and yell, “Raise your hands high, Jack!” Later, they would simply yell, “Hijack,” and the rest is history.
The term “lynching” originated because of the civic duties of Captain William Lynch, a Virginia planter and member of the American Revolution. Lynch cleaned up the Virginia countryside by hanging several men on Sept. 22, 1780, hence the beginning of lynching.
One of the most interesting customs of American criminal history was the beginning of red-light districts where prostitutes gathered to meet their clients. One of the most wide open towns in the West, Dodge City, Kan., earned the distinction of originating the first red light district . . . with the help of train crews. Often visiting the bordellos, crew members would hang their red lanterns on the outside doors so they could be located in case of emergencies. Prostitutes soon learned this was an excellent source of advertisement, and red lights went up all over certain areas of town . . . just like modern neon lights!
Folks around town still talk about a certain brick building in Athens with a red light . . . Effie’s, I believe.
Alex Taylor’s column on criminology and history appears in The Times on Tuesdays.
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Of His Era
Now, I need to remind everyone that my father’s columns were drafted in the pre-net era, given to anecdotal folly and limited or lax formal reference due to the arcane nature of slang. In other words (pardon the poor pun), paper encyclopedias and books from “authorities” were never 100% accurate or foolproof. I know, neither is the internet, but with enough credible sources, a little verification, and a dash of common sense, we’ll arrive at a reasonable conclusion that is likely true. Diving in for the facts ….
“Copper” seems to arrive from a different place if you are to believe etymology.com’s reference. No badges or their ranking metals mentioned. Wikipedia may have copped theirs from here or vice versa. If you run a Google search for cop, copper, brass, and gold badges, you’ll locate several references to the metal of one’s badge. I have to wonder where “top brass” came from if the actual top brass used gold badges. A military term, perhaps. Opinions vary.
Take any 1930s gangster movie or film noir and “G-Man” is a ubiquitous affair. Of course, as the WWII-era poster below depicts, G-Man later became synonymous with virtually any government employee. Wikipedia cites several references, careful to employ the passive, safe-harbor term “may”. Fair enough.
This brings us to “hoodlum”, which appears to be spot-on if you trust Wikipedia and the Online Etymology Dictionary. For those with curious minds, “hoodwink” appeared a few hundred years before hoodlum, although it was possible to be hoodwinked by hoodlums in the late 1800s. Today, you might be hoodwinked by hoodlums wearing hoodies.
Bad hoodoo!
All right, enough of that.
Moving On
“Hijack” is more of an enigma to verify. There are several references that state something similar to “probably” from the Prohibition Era, so I’ll have to give this one a pass as credible.
And now, “lynching”. It was 1988 when my father wrote this, so (and due to obvious father-son bias) there’s somewhat of a cultural context pass for the omission of lynching’s racial context. The Etymology Dictionary’s entry does a fair job of that, so I’ll let them do the heavy work. Otherwise, the word origin is correctly attributed.
Lastly, “Red Light Districts”, according to Wikipedia, passes as credible, although one of its contributors appears to favor the possibility of a western-European origin. It’s Wikipedia, therefore I’m surprised Facebook doesn’t place misinformation disclaimers anytime someone cites it. Too inconvenient, methinks.
Coming next Taylor Tuesday: Some Nude History
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