Carl L Panzram (1891 - 1930)

Born 28 Jun 1891 in East Grand Forks, Polk County, Minnesota, USA

Died 5 Sep 1930 at age 39 in U.S. Penitentiary, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA

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Biography

Youngest of the sons had by John and Lizzie Panzram.

Aliases used by Carl Panzrams include:^[1] Carl Baldwin, Jefferson Baldwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson Davis, Jefferson Rhodes, Jeff Rhodes, Jack Allen, Jefferson Baldwin, John King, John O'Leary, Cooper John, Teddy Bedard

The self proclaimed "world's worst murderer" wrote this in his autobiographical confession:^[2] "In my lifetime I have murdered 21 human beings. I have committed thousands of burglaries, robberies, larcenies, arsons and last but not least I have committed sodomy on more than 1,000 male human beings. For all of these things I am not the least bit sorry. I have no conscience so that does not worry me. I don't believe in man, God nor Devil. I hate the whole damn human race including myself."

When Panzram was about 8 years old his father John Panzram abandoned the family.^[3]

The 1905 Minnesota state census confirms that at the age of 13, he was already incarcerated at the Red Wing Juvenile detention center at Goodhue County, Minnesota.^[4]

He lied about his age and enlisted in the army at age 16 although the recruiter recorded his age as 21. He was remanded to Company A under First Lieutenant George England who handed Panzram a copy of the Articles of War. An hour later, England ordered Panzram locked in the guardhouse for a week for what he did with the Articles. Two days later, Panzram was reported to the commander for fighting and impertinence. His sentence was extended to 30 days on bread and water. On 8 April 1907 Panzram attempted to walk off base with 2 stolen Army overcoats, a civilian suit and a pocketful of gold collar buttons. His general court-marshal was held 20 April 1907. After being in the Army less than 2 months he was sentenced to three years at the Military prison at Ft. Leavenworth, known in the 21st centuary as The United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. As the military was unaware of his real age, the 16 year old teenager was placed in the adult population of the federal prison. ^[2][5]

After serving his term, Panzram got the notion to go to Mexico. In 1911 crossed the border into Agua Prieta where he intended to rob churches having heard they were full of gold artifacts. Upon arrival, he enlisted in the Foreign Legion of the Constitutional Arm of Northern Mexico under the command of General Stanley Williams. He was disappointed, writing in his later confession "all the churches I ever saw had all been robbed before I got there." After about a month in the Mexican Army, he deserted stealing his army horse and "everything that wasn't tied down."^[2]

While incarcerated at Levenworth he killed the prison's laundry foreman, Robert Warnke, on 20 June 1929 by crushing his skull with an iron bar..^[3][6] This led to Panzram being placed on death row.^[7] On 20 June 1930, Panzram attempted suicide in his cell by eating rancid food he saved for the purpose and cutting a 6" gash in his leg with a sharpened button. A prison guard on rounds heard him retching and saw blood on the cell floor, prompting him to call for help. Panzram was executed by hanging on 5 September 1930.^[2]

Burial

United States Penitentiary Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas, USA

Plot: Row 6, Grave 24 (#31614)^[8]

• Fact: Residence (1905) Red Wing, Ward Number: 03, Goodhue, Minnesota
• Fact: Burial (1930) United States Penitentiary Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States

Sources

1. ↑ Carl Panzram. (2015, August 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:08, August 7, 2015, from Wikipedia - Carl Panzrams
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Gaddis, Thomas E., and James O. Long. Panzram: A Journal of Murder. Los Angeles, CA: Amok, 2002. Print. ISBN 1878923145. ISBN 978-1878923141.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Pandika, Melissa. "History's Most Sadistic Serial Killer." OZY. OZY.com, 23 May 2015. Web. 06 Aug. 2015.
4. ↑ Minnesota State Population Census
5. ↑ U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 11 November 2020), memorial page for Robert George Warnke (8 Apr 1882–20 Jun 1929), Find A Grave: Memorial #71815783, citing Highland Cemetery, Junction City, Geary County, Kansas, USA
7. ↑ Graden, Debra. Leavenworth, Kansas Deaths, 1923-30 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1998.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 10 June 2021), memorial page for Carl Panzram (28 Jun 1891–5 Sep 1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID Find A Grave: Memorial #7629484, citing United States Penitentiary Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 30 June 2017, 03:09), entry for Charles 'Carl' Panzram(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LT78-7DR); contributed by various users.

• United States Federal Census
  • Year: 1900; Census Place: East Grand Forks, Polk, Minnesota; Roll: 781; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0212; FHL microfilm: 1240781
  • Year: 1930; Census Place: Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth, Kansas; Roll: 707; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0017; Image: 1108.0; FHL microfilm: 2340442

• Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007
  • Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1865-1905. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164.

• Ancestry.com. U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
  • Original data: Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M233, 81 rolls); Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C.