Carl Panzram

Carl Panzram as born on June 28, 1892 in east Grand Forks Minnesota to Johann John and Matilda Panzram. His parents, East Prussian immigrants, lived in a family farm with their six children.

Carl’s first act of misdeed came in when he was 12 years old. He stole cake, apples, and a revolver from a neighbour’s home. When his parents came to know of this, they sent him to Minnesota State Training School.

At Minnesota State Training School, Carl Panzram was abused physically and mentally. Like other children at the training school, he was tortured and raped by staff members repeatedly. Angered and frustrated by the sexual abuse, he burned down the entire place.

In 1905, he was released from the training school. By the time he reached teenage, he was embroiled in criminal activities neck deep. He became an alcoholic and was charged of burglary and theft. He created trouble and panic everywhere that he went. At the age of 14, he ran away from his home.

In 1907, Carl Panzram got enlisted in the US Army. A year later, he was convicted of larceny and served in the prison for two years at Fort Leavenworth's United States Disciplinary Barracks. It was this imprisonment that worsened Panzram’s mindset further as he got more and more involved in criminal acts.

After getting released from jail, he continued with his burglary and theft. He stole almost anything and everything he got his hands on. He was imprisoned several times.

He did not restrict himself to a particular state or city. He travelled far and wide under various aliases. Interestingly, his imprisonment records also have different names under which he was imprisoned at different prisons. During his time in prison, he attacked guards and refused to follow their orders.

Heavily built and of large stature, Carl Panzram often raped men whom he robbed. He had great physical strength that helped him overpower most men whom he encountered. He also engaged in vandalism and arson.

In 1915, he looted a house in Astoria, Oregon. While trying to sell the looted stuff he was caught and imprisoned for seven years at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. While in Salem, he was disciplined several times, including 61 days in solitary confinement before his escape. However, he was recaptured and brought back to prison.

Carl Panzram was hanged to death on September 5, 1930. Even on his death day, he was least apologetic. Instead, when guards attempted to place a black hood over his head, he allegedly spat in the executioner's face. When asked for any last words, he responded, ‘Yes, hurry it up, you Hoosier bastard! I could kill a dozen men while you're screwing around!’ His grave is marked with his prison number 31614.