- Paperback: 232 pages
- Publisher: John F. Blair Publisher; New edition edition (Oct 1 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0895872463
- ISBN-13: 978-0895872463
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.9 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 381 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #353,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Library Journal
After his "Untouchables" exploits, Eliot Ness became the Cleveland director of public safety in 1934. He launched a mostly successful campaign against crime and corruption, but his record was somewhat marred by a series of gruesome, motiveless murders which were never solved. The "Torso Murderer" was responsible for at least 13 victims--ten never identified and all decapitated and dismembered. Since Ness was not a homicide detective, his Cleveland years are peripheral to the "Torso" case. The latter will be of some interest to crime buffs, but there is just not enough compelling material in this slim volume for a general audience.
- Gregor A. Preston, Univ. of California Lib., Davis
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Gregor A. Preston, Univ. of California Lib., Davis
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
Most people know Elliot Ness as the unimpeachable FBI agent who led a special Justic Department squad known as the Untouchables in a war against Al Capone. In Torso, Nickel explores Ness's later career, the search for one of America's first serial killers. 20 photos.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cleveland's "Jack the Ripper",
By Acute Observer (Egress XI) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Torso: The Story of Eliot Ness and the Search for a Psychopathic Killer (Paperback)
In the 1930s over a dozen murders were attributed to the "Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run", a ravine that runs through Cleveland Ohio and contains this stream and railroad yards. Most of these bodies were unidentified: headless, the arms, legs, and torso were cut up by someone who knew anatomy or butchering. It was never solved, altho one suspect was made to confess, repudiated this confession, and then found a suicide in jail. Such serial murders were rare in America; earlier serial murderers did it for money and left this trail. No motive was ever established for these murders. Most sex murderers are the product of large cities, which have anonymous victims or perpetrators. Chapter Eleven summarizes these cases. This book is about the later career of Eliot Ness. After Chicago, he was put in charge of the Alcoholic Tax Unit of norther Ohio. He cleaned out bootleggers, hitting a still every day. Organized crime made Cleveland a safe haven for criminals on the run. Corruption had spread everywhere; neighborhood crime had greatly increased. Harold Burton became mayor, and chose Eliot Ness as Director of Public Safety to oversee the police and firemen. (Burton later became a Senator, a friend of Truman, and was appointed to the Supreme Court.) The ineffectiveness of the police was due to widespread corruption and complacency. With Prohibition gone, Ness prosecuted gambling and union racketeering. Ness cultivated a good relationship with reporters, and got favorable publicity. He tried to purge corrupt policemen but was met with silence. Then a police captain was caught in a cemetery lot racket. Another owned a restaurant which fronted for a gambling room. The bodies found in Kingsbury Run highlighted the corruption. Cleveland had been the worst city (after Los Angeles) for traffic deaths and injuries. Ness purged the traffic division, began arresting drunk drivers, prosecuted ticket fixing, gave harsher penalties for unpaid fines, and started tougher automobile inspections. Ness promoted traffic safety with a public awareness campaign. He began an Emergency Patrol with first aid training to reach any accident within two minutes. This cut traffic deaths by half, and he received national recognition. Some of the increased traffic fines were put back into the police budget. Squad cars now had two-way radios. A single phone call brought police assistance within 60 seconds. Ness was criticized for wasting tax dollars, but in one year overall crime dropped 38%, robberies by 50%! Public success was followed by private problems: divorce, late night socializing, stories of drinking. Ness later resigned to join the Federal Social Protection Program during WW 2. Afterwards, he became a businessman but was not successful. His campaign for Mayor of Cleveland flopped. He later met Oscar Fraley and began to write his book. Just before its publication, Ness died of a heart attack; he never knew of its success.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good.,
By Cvwneworleans (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Torso: The Story of Eliot Ness and the Search for a Psychopathic Killer (Paperback)
Very good. Accurate, concise, and interesting. Could have used more elaboration on both the potential connected crimes and the Elliot Ness socialite nut goofiness. Best book on the Kingsbury Run Butcher yet.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but could be better,
By
This review is from: Torso: The Story of Eliot Ness and the Search for a Psychopathic Killer (Paperback)
While this book is well written, I feel that as source material on the Torso Killer it leaves much to be desired. This book is more of Eliot Ness' personal and professional life than of the murders and investigations. For those who are looking for strictly the facts on the Torso case, this book is not the place to find it. As entertainment, the book is more than satisfactory.
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