Squizzy Taylor

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by reputed thieves, while Slater and Thorpe had left for interstate.

Throughout 1920 to 1921, Squizzy was believed to be responsible of many burglaries. However in June 1921, he was charged for breaking and entering a bonded warehouse in King Street, Melbourne. Squizzy was committed to stand trial and released on bail of £600. In spite of that, to the day of his trial, he failed to appear in court and the bail money was forfeited. For a year, police efforts failed to find locate Squizzy. Whilst in hiding, Squizzy wrote letters to the Herald newspaper saying he would give himself up when he was ready. After the long time he spent in hiding, he finally surrendered to the police in September 1922. Taylor was given a second trial for the warehouse incident and in his defense he told a dramatic exaggerated story. At this re-trial Squizzy was found not guilty.

Squizzy finally dies in St. Vincent Hospital after a gunfight against rival gangster John Daniel “Snowy” Cutmore on the 27th of October 1927 at the age of 39. Cutmore was an old foe of Squizzy which dated back to the ‘Fitzroy Vendetta’ when Cutmore was a member of the rival Fitzroy gang. Squizzy had heard about Cutmore’s return from Sydney so he set out to find him. That resulted to a place in Barkly Street, Carlton so Squizzy and two other men took a taxi to Cutmore’s house. The men conversed, then followed by rapid gunshots. Cutmore who was still lying in bed, was fatally wounded and his mother, who heard the loud gunshots, was also wounded in the right shoulder. Squizzy, who was shot in his right side below the ribs, was helped to St. Vincent Hospital in the taxi while his companions fled the scene. He soon died after reaching the casualty ward.

Squizzy Taylor was buried at the Brighton Cemetery and to this day, has become a major attraction. Squizzy is remembered as a colourful figure in the drinking and gambling clubs of Fitzroy, Richmond and Carlton. His criminal life can be remembered through the television series, Underbelly.

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