Belligerent Monster--The Carl Panzram Story

After he was released from Leavenworth in 1910, Panzram had nowhere to go. Though he was only 19, he had already spent a substantial portion of his young life in reform schools and prison. At Leavenworth, any semblance of hope that he may have had to grow into a mature, productive adult citizen was effectively destroyed. Years of abuse and physical torture had taken their toll. There was no family who cared about him, no real home and no prospects for the future. He had probably never known a woman’s touch in his life to that point and never evolved as a man in natural way. “All that I had on mind at that time was a strong determination to raise plenty of hell with anyone and everybody in every way I could,” he said. The years that followed saw Carl drift across the U.S. raising hell wherever he went. He was arrested several times under various aliases.

The different names he used were enough to cover up his tracks as law and enforcement wasn't as efficient and organized in those days. “I burned down old barns, sheds, fences, snow sheds or anything I could, and when I couldn’t burn anything else I would set fire to the grass on the prairies, or the woods, anything and everything.” When he burglarized homes, he looked for guns first. “I would spend all my spare change on bullets. I would take potshots at farmers’ houses, at the windows. If I saw cows or horses in the fields, I would cut loose at them. I burned down old barns, sheds, fences, snow sheds or anything I could, and when I couldn’t burn anything else I would set fire to the grass on the prairies, or the woods, anything and everything.” When he burglarized homes, he looked for guns first. “I would spend all my spare change on bullets. I would take potshots at farmers’ houses, at the windows. If I saw cows or horses in the fields, I would cut loose at them,” he wrote. He raped without mercy, rarely passing up an opportunity to take on a new victim. “Whenever I met one that wasn’t too rusty looking I would make him raise his hands and drop his pants. I wasn’t very particular either. I rode them old and young, tall and short, white and black. It made no difference to me at all except that they were human beings,” he said years later.

Tempered by years of drinking, beatings, imprisonment and living on the road like an animal, Panzram evolved into a hardened criminal. He was also physically big, square shouldered and muscular. His dark hair and good looks attracted women, but Panzram never displayed any interest in the opposite sex. And his eyes had a strange, sullen appearance that unnerved people, made them wonder what was behind that cold, barren stare.