Stock photo and blog post by John HoffAs part of my recent effort to dig up information and promote necessary public discussion about Major Topps--whose recent death was announced in a richly-detailed and highly-nuanced article in the Star Tribune, click here--today while en route back to Minneapolis after a long absence, I spoke to a high-ranking police official who will remain anonymous.
According to my source...
The person who assaulted Major Topps at New Bethel Baptist Church was the husband of Topps' ex-wife. The reason for the assault and the very vicious nature of the assault remains unknown.
My source also stated he/she had heard of widespread rumors about Topp having an unhealthy interest in young boys, but had never heard of the nickname some in the community attached to Topps:
"Minor Bottoms."
A rather interesting and detailed discussion is taking place about Major Topps in other parts of the blogosphere, and this discussion can be easily turned up by Googling "Major Topps" or, for that matter, "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON."
Be sure to put quote marks around "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON" before hitting the search button.
If you just write GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON but don't put it in quotes, it will not work.
According to my source...
The person who assaulted Major Topps at New Bethel Baptist Church was the husband of Topps' ex-wife. The reason for the assault and the very vicious nature of the assault remains unknown.
My source also stated he/she had heard of widespread rumors about Topp having an unhealthy interest in young boys, but had never heard of the nickname some in the community attached to Topps:
"Minor Bottoms."
A rather interesting and detailed discussion is taking place about Major Topps in other parts of the blogosphere, and this discussion can be easily turned up by Googling "Major Topps" or, for that matter, "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON."
Be sure to put quote marks around "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON" before hitting the search button.
If you just write GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON but don't put it in quotes, it will not work.
Interesting new information which just hit the Star Tribune:
ReplyDeleteA wake is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9 at Estes Funeral Chapel, 2210 Plymouth Av. N. Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 10 at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, 2519 N. Lyndale Av.
Elsewhere on the internet, word is Major Topps was some kind of deacon or pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church.
So why is his funeral taking place at a different church?
It should be noted--as I noted on the comment thread of the previous article--the original Star Tribune article contained numerous details about the assault at New Bethel Baptist Church. A subsequent revision of the article omits these details.
ReplyDeleteStar Tribune is now naming the person who assaulted Major Topps as FRANKLIN RICH in revised article.
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody know whether this is Franklin Roosevelt Rich, Jr. born 5/22/64?
ReplyDeleteFranklin Rich is a former employee of he Minneapolis Urban League and The Greater Twin Cities Big Brothers Big Sisters.
ReplyDeleteWhat else do you know?
ReplyDeleteI have known Major Topps for some time now and its sad that the man is dead but come on now people are glorifying this man like he was the northsides saver of young boys but he wasnt in fact he was a pediphile. I hope to God that now some of these innocent young men will be able to speak out and get some closure! People need to know the truth about the man that was hiding behind religon and not being responsible for his actions!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, but an anonymous commenter can say anything and who knows if it's true?
ReplyDeleteI mean, come on, can't you please provide a little more detail than that?
A line might have been crossed when you give yourself the permission to post unproven allegations sent to you by an anonymous source.You should have acknowledged the fact that you received the posting from the individual and told him to E-mail you the facts. You chose to just throw it out there.An anonymous commenter can say anything they want and they do.You posted an unsubstantiated allegation and ,if not true,you have let an anonymous voice,by the power of suggestion,say that the man was a pedophile.You surprise me.Would you insinuate he was a murderer by heresy alone?I thought you had a backround in law and would tread a little more cautiously when it comes to digging for whatever truth you may be digging for.I,ll stay anonymous on this one but i think you know who is posting this,and i will stay tuned for the facts.... unless for some reason you decide not to post This.
ReplyDeleteThe anonymous 1:14pm comment is exactly what my experience has been regarding Major Topps "reputation" for all these years. Everyone is just mystified as to how this man can have so much smoke hanging around him yet the leaders of our community seem to be willing to support him and ignore any possible risk or exposure to the children.
ReplyDeleteEven those church ladies on the "go lay by your dish don" comment thread are saying "no matter what people thought of Major.." (by the way, those church ladies are Al Flowers' campaign manager and sister coming to the defense of Major Topps)
After reading this blog, one community leader who shall not be named said:
"Tragedy; a predatory life out of control then death. Communities continue to sacrifice their young on altars of enablement in guise of honor."
Why did no one ever direct Major Topps to go volunteer and help lead the homeless men down at the shelter or those exiting prison and returning to their life?
Oh, that's what I should do, huh?
ReplyDeleteWell, here are some things to consider:
These unproven allegations have been swirling around in the community for more than seven years, and I've been trying (off and on) to get somebody to go on the record for about two years.
Now the man is dead, so he will never be able to answer and it's even more difficult to find out the truth. Meanwhile, some in the community are trying to glorify him as a savior of black youth. But weigh in these facts:
His organization, such as it was, couldn't pay the rent over and over, couldn't even buy toilet paper. If the organization was so good, why was it so badly supported and evicted?
Why did Topps claim he was savagely beaten at New Bethel Baptist Church but then fail to show up for a police interview? What this says to me is this: Yes, somebody beat the hell out of me, but there is a compelling reason I need to keep silent about the reason somebody beat the hell out of me.
WHY DID FRANKLIN RICH, married to Topps' ex-wife, beat Topps?
There is a blog where some discussion took place (Google "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON" to find it, be sure to use quote marks) and there are strangely truncated thoughts written about what people were "saying" about Major Topps. Like what was Pastor Hightower "saying" about Major Topps.
Yeah, what were they saying? What was that?
Topps' death means there is a new legal standard which applies to defamation. The fact that MANY IN THE COMMUNITY HAD THIS KIND OF DISCUSSION FOR MANY YEARS is not something I made up, it is a fact I have reported in a timely way, with faith in the legal standards which apply and exist for a good reason.
Now what has been said by word of mouth, over and over among members of the community for years, is being said out in the open in the blogosphere. It is a blogosphere discussion, just like the discussion glorifying Major Topps. Take the blogosphere for what it is worth.
My remark "oh that's what I should do?" was directed at the anonymous commenter, not the comment above my previous comment.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Northside! said...
ReplyDelete"Thank you for your comment, but an anonymous commenter can say anything and who knows if it's true?"
So an anonymous commenter says Topps is a "pediphile", and Megan says she has heard those rumors too, and posts a quote from an unnamed source, and we are supposed to believe this is all factual?
You post rumors, an anonymous source and your girlfriend confirm the rumors, and we're supposed to believe this stuff?
I'd be more inclined to believe you're pulling info out of your ass just to make headlines and increase your readership after being gone for several months.
John Hoff wrote:
ReplyDeleteTake the blogosphere for what it is worth.
OK - tabloid trash journalism.
Right, right, it's all a big conspiracy, huh? An elaborate plot to increase readership.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I also was involved in killing the man in such a timely fashion as part of this conspiracy to increase readership? All the way from South Carolina?
...And the high ranking police official also stated he has heard the rumors -- but that's part of the conspiracy, too. And the "Al Flowers church ladies" blatherings in a different blogosphere thread about "no matter what people thought of Major Topps" -- that's all part of the conspiracy, too, right?
ReplyDeleteAnd moving his funeral to a different church, not his own church, that's part of the conspiracy, too, right?
Man, Johnny Northside, you sure do have a lot of power to create all these elaborate conspiracies. {sarcasm font}
Oh, trust me, there is plenty of smoke here, and Johnny Northside is axing down the walls to expose the fire. Community members must STOP protecting predators and enabling their damage; whether it be a "good kid" turned thug, a nice Edina father turned slumlord, a nonprofit director turned theif, or a youth group leader rumored to be a pedophile.