Pensacola Criminal Justice Articles

119. US Army Air Corps Officer Acquitted of Mercy Killing 1945

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Sep 4, 20181 min read

119. US Army Air Corps Officer Acquitted of Mercy Killing 1945

On March 2, 1945, an Army Air Corps Lt. Colonel was acquitted by a military court of the charge of "voluntary manslaughter" in China's...

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112. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part III & IV)

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Aug 9, 20183 min read

112. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part III & IV)

Of course, death was not the only way out of the life style the soiled doves chose for themselves or perhaps was thrust upon them. One...

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111. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part VII)

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Aug 9, 20182 min read

111. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part VII)

While some saloons in the downtown area sought and earned a highly respectable reputation, others could more accurately be described as...

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110. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part VI)

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Aug 9, 20182 min read

110. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part VI)

One of infamous houses of “lesser quality” was the “Black Mariah” where prices ranged from $1.00 to $2.00 per encounter. These girls of...

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Aug 9, 20182 min read

109. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part V)

Several of the more distinguished Pensacola brothels belonged to such famous proprietors as Percy Nelson, Violet Arnold, and Miss Hazel,...

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107. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part II)

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Aug 8, 20182 min read

107. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part II)

The price for a turn of the century "soiled dove" can be gleaned from the death records of these ladies, all of which had their...

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Aug 8, 20182 min read

106. The Brothels of Pensacola (Part I)

Pensacola's economic boom at the turn of the century caused another problem to surface downtown and along the waterfront. With the...

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91. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XIV)

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Jul 14, 20181 min read

91. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XIV)

For years, people thought he was buried in an unmarked grave in the Brewton Cemetery. However, researchers found that he actually had...

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90. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XIII)

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Jul 13, 20181 min read

90. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XIII)

Long after his burial in an unmarked grave in the Brewton Cemetery, the Negroes refused to believe old Railroad Bill was actually dead....

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89. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XII)

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Jul 13, 20182 min read

89. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XII)

Railroad Bill's body was embalmed and placed in a metallic casket and set out on the depot platform until the mail train pulled into the...

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88. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XI)

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Jul 13, 20182 min read

88. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part XI)

Slowly the story of what happened in Atmore began to spread among the law enforcement community. Apparently. Bill had been seen in the...

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87. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part X)

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Jul 13, 20182 min read

87. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part X)

With the death of Sheriff McMillan, the wily outlaw’s reward rose to $1,200.00 for his capture and the manhunts increased. A couple of...

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86. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part IX)

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Jul 13, 20181 min read

86. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part IX)

Eventually, Bill returned to Bluff Springs where he hid out among the black populace in a small shantytown located down near the railroad...

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85. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part VIII)

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Jul 13, 20181 min read

85. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part VIII)

Time after time Railroad Bill emerged victorious after each robbery or shoot out with the law but time was running out for the outlaw as...

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84. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part VII)

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Jul 8, 20182 min read

84. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part VII)

One reason for his lengthy success was that the notorious robber usually did his work alone and in a bold way. Most outlaws of his time...

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83. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part VI)

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Jul 8, 20182 min read

83. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part VI)

The black gunman was shrewd, cunning, and as crafty a fugitive as the lawmen in these parts had ever tangled with. Time after time the...

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82. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part V)

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Jul 5, 20182 min read

82. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part V)

Another story of his changeling ability was when the same sheriff got word that Bill was probably heading for his girlfriend’s house over...

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81. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part IV)

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Jul 4, 20183 min read

81. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part IV)

The legends surrounding him grew and were of such heroic proportions because of stories such as stealing groceries from the rich and...

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80. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part III)

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Jul 3, 20182 min read

80. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part III)

It was about that time, as the story goes, that the law in Florida required everyone to have a license to carry a rifle and of course...

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79. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part II)

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Jul 3, 20182 min read

79. Escambia County's First Black Outlaw (Part II)

And later, as the manhunt to capture him mounted in earnest, the Negroes began asking themselves late at night as to why the white...

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