Date:  Tue, 13 Jan 1998 11:57:12 -0500
From:  Larry Horn <laurence.horn[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]YALE.EDU>
Subject: Re: skell

Oops. I forgot to write the message before sending it. I wanted to
express my thanks, and those of the New Haven Register journalist who
contacted me, for the information contributed by David, Allan, and Jesse
on "skell". Both the writer and I had (independently) inferred from the
use of the term by police on "NYPD Blue" that it referred to small-time
hoods or perps, and that it might be related to the archaic "skellum"
('scoundrel, rascal') listed in the OED, but it's clear that the
resemblance here is coincidental. The derivation from "skeleton" is much
more plausible, given the original use in the late '70s through early '90s
as a policeperson's term of art to refer to vagrants who sleep in the NYC
subways, whether or not of criminal inclination. One question that arises
now is whether we might anticipate an extended use to other cities that
don't have subways open all night: will a "skell" be any vagrant? Any
small-time hood (following the apparent use on NYPD Blue)? Has anyone
encountered a non-NYC use of the word?

Larry