Big John

[sheepdawg]

I had a business acquaintence, about 6'9" and 350 at least who when he drank whiskey would always start something. Never with me but with some poor guy in the joint that just made eye contact or something. I mean as big as he was everyone would look at him. One night I had another buddy, nice guy, friendly drinker about 15 years older than my large friend come in and before I knew it these two were into it. Time to get the hell out of there, this friend happened to be the ex president of one of Memphis' most notorius biker clubs. I understand the older fellow was getting pretty beat up until a few of his buddies showed up.

Thankfully by then I was a few miles away.

 

[don5]

Glad to see you are back Charlie. As usual, another good story told by you!

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Back in the middle '60's I moved to a small town in the Sierra Nevada's. We had been there a couple of weeks when about midnight I heard a ruckus by the highway. I got up & got my gun & walked outside. It was the neighbors 150 yards across the road fighting. George was about 6'3" & 290 lbs. His wife Betty was no slouch either,drinking or yelling. As the years went by George was kicked out of every bar in the county & by the grace of bartenders never spent a night in jail.Last I heard of George he was in the Booby Hatch in Idaho. Betty died of cancer later that year.

 

[nicky4968]

"Is there an oath I can relieve you of?"

I was a very sickly child. You can do a lot of reading when you spend the occasional two weeks in an oxygen tent. Always liked that line.

 

[Jim Shugart]

I love your stories, Charlie. Hopefully a book of them is still in the works.

 

[model70hunter]

Yes actually a book and more than one movie and a 60 minutes segment. Simply google Skidmore,Mo or Ken McElroy. His demise is not the only dark tail in that lil' burg, interesting reading.

Jim in Iowa

I know folks who personally knew that fella, but kept at a distance. He was beyond a bully and did receive the correct medicine for his problem.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Update. Little Joe was released from jail yesterday pending a grand jury investigation. That usually means there is an element of self defense involved.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Update. Little Joe was released from jail yesterday pending a grand jury investigation. That usually means there is an element of self defense involved.

Also usually means that the DA will not be too hot for an indictment-I know how these things go as do you.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The "Big Johns"-I prefer Obnoxious John, the Big John I was thinking of was a real hero-need to be reminded that while God made some men big and some men small, Colonel Colt-and Daniel B. and Horace S.-made them all equal. And there are fates worse than Death.

 

[5Wire]

...it reminds me of the story (supposedly true) that I read a while back. Typical scenario. Small town somewhere in East Texas in the 80s IIRC. Guy would come to town and push merchants and people on the street around. Molest women and girls....[o]ne day after an incident he was getting into his car when gunshots rang out from several different directions. He was dead when he hit the ground. The investigation was unable to determine where exactly the shots came from or who might have done the shooting. Nobody heard or saw anything...

A TV Movie was made, In Broad Daylight, the story of the killing of Ken Rex McElroy on the main street of Skidmore, Missouri in July 1981, from the book of the same name. In Broad Daylight: Harry N. MacLean: 9781482639872: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iF7qUAvZL.@@AMEPARAM@@51iF7qUAvZL

It was a good movie, I haven't read the books.

 

[nawilson]

Yes actually a book and more than one movie and a 60 minutes segment. Simply google Skidmore,Mo or Ken McElroy. His demise is not the only dark tail in that lil' burg, interesting reading.

Jim in Iowa

I just read the Wikipedia article. Sounds like justice was done to me... He has plead his case to a higher court. One that will not be intimidated.

I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of Legionaires decided to solve the problem the same way they had solved similar problems in WW II, Korea, or Vietnam.

 

[rwsmith]

Three people were....

One day after an incident he was getting into his car when gunshots rang out from several different directions. He was dead when he hit the ground. The investigation was unable to determine where exactly the shots came from or who might have done the shooting. Nobody heard or saw anything.

Three people were "cleaning their guns and they went off."

 

[Diamondtreo]

Well, my name is John & I used to stand a hair over 6'4". Time & gravity have taken a toll, but back in the day I was a fairly intimidating specter at 225 lbs. Used to hang out with a fellow squid who did everything in his power to attract attention - at 5'4", he felt he needed the spotlight now & then. We would be sitting at the bar & after a couple of beers he would start in at me with lots of loud blustering antics & I would usually tell him to calm down. At that, he would jump up & loudly exclaim "You talk pretty big for a feller your size!" Fortunately, he never could hold a straight face at that point we would bust up laughing & usually get the barmaid to join in with the fun. I was married but he wasn't & he usually tried to take advantage of the situation at that point. Sometimes he did score. At any rate, we had good fun & nobody ever took us seriously, thank goodness, because I never looked for a fight - never really had to stand up to anyone in that light.

John

 

[gjgalligan]

Both big AND dumb....not a great retirement plan.

What is dumb about being big?

 

[fdw]

This is sorta off topic but the absolute biggest dude I ever saw in my life was in Hilton Head at a hotel. Foreign guy with his girlfriend. She was 6 ft plus.

He got out of the elevator as I was walking down the hall and really all I could do is stare. I asked him how tall he was and it pissed him off and he just sorta glared at me. I got to the room as fast as I could.

This guy was world record tall, I mean close to 8ft if not taller and probably weighed 300 plus and he was not fat! The dudes hands were freakish. I googled him under worlds tallest men but could not locate him. Anyway, he was a scary fellow and a scary moment.

 

[Doug M.]

Update. Little Joe was released from jail yesterday pending a grand jury investigation. That usually means there is an element of self defense involved.

*
At worst, criminal damage to occupied clothing, or misdemeanor littering/improper disposal of hazardous waste.

 

[handejector]

*
At worst, criminal damage to occupied clothing, or misdemeanor littering/improper disposal of hazardous waste.

That cracked me up.

Many years ago, when billysticks were wood and saps were still common, a deputy friend was telling me about a hairy call he took alone with a "shootin size drunk" that had decided to beat his wife to death. I asked him to define the term-

"When they're just TOO BIG to mix it up with, they're shootin size"

I figured that's what he meant.

 

[Jst1mr]

There must not be a lot of big men around here to relate our side of things. I'm not John, but close enough in frame size. Can't begin to tell you how annoying it is to try and relax in so many establishments and have some red-faced, intoxicated banty rooster type come up and try and mix it up with "the big man"...must be a lot of inferiority complexes out there....

 

[quneur]

This is sorta off topic but the absolute biggest dude I ever saw in my life was in Hilton Head at a hotel. Foreign guy with his girlfriend. She was 6 ft plus.

He got out of the elevator as I was walking down the hall and really all I could do is stare. I asked him how tall he was and it pissed him off and he just sorta glared at me. I got to the room as fast as I could.

This guy was world record tall, I mean close to 8ft if not taller and probably weighed 300 plus and he was not fat! The dudes hands were freakish. I googled him under worlds tallest men but could not locate him. Anyway, he was a scary fellow and a scary moment.

I had a friend once who was big. Not as big a the guy you describe but I came up to his mid belly. Had the bulk and strength to be an NFL lineman. But he was non-violent; didn't have an aggressive bone in him. Girlfriend told me he once saved a woman in a car accident. She was pinned between the steering column and seat. He ripped the door off the car then ripped the seat out with only his bare hands.

 

[Doug M.]

That cracked me up.

Many years ago, when billysticks were wood and saps were still common, a deputy friend was telling me about a hairy call he took alone with a "shootin size drunk" that had decided to beat his wife to death. I asked him to define the term-

"When they're just TOO BIG to mix it up with, they're shootin size"

I figured that's what he meant.

*
I've met those people. The term is right on point.

There is a rumor that some abrasive inconsiderate felony prosecutor did a gag charging document for a gang homicide citing to the statute for improper disposal of potentially hazard waste less than one cubic yard. No evidence exists to support that rumor.

There is also a rumor about a motion and order to destroy worthless person, citing to actual Washington laws that might apply, sort of. One would have to know where to look to find evidence.