10 Infamous Things To Know About Charles Manson

Charles Manson in August 2014. Author; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Wikimedia

10 Infamous Things To Know About Charles Manson

Born on 12^th November 1934, Charles Milles Manson was an American criminal and musician. He was also a cult leader of a cult that was known as the Mason Family based in California in the late 1960s. Charles was born to 15-year-old Kathleen Manson-Bower-Cavender at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, Ohio.

His biological father was Colonel Walker Henderson Scott who worked at local mills and had a bad reputation as a con artist. Charles’s mother was imprisoned for five years for robbery and assault which made him grow up at his aunt’s place. His first crime was when he was nine years when he set his school on fire.

Charles Manson was also involved in several crimes before forming the Manson Family cult. The Mason Family cult had several members who committed heinous acts like killings. In July and August 1971, the members of the cult committed nine murders at four locations.

Charles was convicted of first-degree murder and several conspiracies to murder the murders of renowned people. His ideologies made his members commit all the heinous acts. Here are the 10 Infamous Things To Know About Charles Manson;

1. Charles Manson was Born to a 15-year-old Mother and Con Father

Charles Milles Manson booking photo for San Quentin State Prison, California (CII 966 856) 1971. Author; State of California, San Quentin Prison. Wikimedia

On 12^th November 1934, Charles Milles Manson was born to a 15-year-old mother. His 15-year-old mother was known as Kathleen Manson-Bower-Cavender, Maddox who gave birth to him at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.

His biological father, Colonel Walker Henderson Scott Sr. who was from Kentucky resurfaced later after Mason was born. He filed a paternity suit which ended with an agreed judgment in 1937.

His father walked in local mills and had a bad reputation for being a con artist. Colonel had lied to Mason’s mother when he was in the army after he was informed about her pregnancy. He lied to have been recalled by the army after getting the news of the pregnancy and never returned home.

2. His Mother was Arrested and Convicted of Robbery and Assault

In 1934, Manson’s mother was married to William Eugene Manson whose name he retained. After the marriage, Manson’s mother became a drunkard who went on drinking sprees with her brother Luther. Manson was left with several babysitters during this spell.

On 30^th April 1937, William divorced Manson’s mother. On 1^st August 1939, she was arrested alongside her cousin Luther for robbery and assault. Kathleen Maddox was sentenced to 5 years in prison while her brother was handed 10 years sentence.

Read 10 Things To Know About The Wife Swap Murders.

3. Manson’s First Crimes were Burning a School and Petty Issues

Charles Manson. Author; San Quentin. Wikimedia

His mother was paroled for her crimes of robbery and assault. Charles Manson had been living with his aunt during this period. He described the moment of reuniting with his mother as the best moment of his life.

They relocated to Indianapolis where he started his crime life. In an interview with Diana Sawyer, Charles Manson revealed that his first crime was when he was 9 years old. Charles revealed that he set his school on fire at this tender age.

This was not his last time in crime as he committed other troubles too. He got in trouble for truancy and several other petty theft cases.

4. Manson used to Run Away from a School for Male Delinquents and Slept Anywhere in the Open

At the age of 13 in 1947, Charles Manson was placed in the Gibault School for Boys in Terre Haute, Indiana. This was a School for male delinquents that was run by Catholic priests.

This school was strict whereby boys received punishment for a small infraction which included being beaten using a wooden paddle or leather strap. Due to his naughty nature, Manson found himself in punishment. He used to run away from the school and slept in the woods, under bridges, or wherever he could get shelter.

5. Charles Manson Fled from the School and Committed his First Major Crime of Robbery

Charles Manson in a 1971 prison mugshot. Author; Uncredited prison photographer. Wikimedia

At Gibault School, Charles was never settled as he fled home to his mother and spent the Christmas of 1947 with his aunt and uncle. He was returned to the school but he managed to escape to Indianapolis ten months later. While in Indianapolis in 1948, Manson committed his first crime.

He robbed a grocery store where he had targeted to get food. However, he found a cigar box that had a hundred dollars which he took. This money was used to rent a room and buy some food.

6. He became an Apprentice of a Professional Robber after an Armed Robbery

In Indianapolis, Charles Manson had to sustain his livelihood after beginning his job as a message delivery boy. He began petty theft to supplement his wages but was caught. Charles was forgiven by a sympathetic judge who sent him to a juvenile facility in Omaha, Nebraska.

Four days at the facility, Charles and fellow student Blackie Nielson managed to get a gun which they used to commit an armed robbery. They used the gun to steal a car and committed another armed robbery on their way. They went to Blackie’s uncle who was a professional thief who took them in as his apprentices.

Two weeks later, Charles was arrested during a night raid on a Peoria store. He was linked to the two previous armed robberies and sent to Indiana Boys School which was a very strict reform school.

Also, read 10 Things To Know About The Wife Swap Murders.

7. Charles Attempted to Escape the Reform School 18 Times after He was Allegedly Raped

The reform school was never the best place for Charles Manson as he found himself in huge trouble. He was allegedly raped by other students under the encouragement of a staff member. Charles was also beaten repeatedly.

He decided to run away from the reform school eighteen times without any success. At the school, he had developed a defense mechanism which he had named the “insane game”. When he was beaten and could not defend himself, he could wave his arms, screech, and grimace to make his aggressors believe he was insane.

8. Manson’s First Imprisonment was After Raping a Boy at Knifepoint

Charles Manson, escorted by two Los Angeles Sheriffs, 1973. Author; Fitzgerald Whitney. Wikimedia

Charles Manson managed to escape from Indiana Boys School alongside two boys. They went on robbing gas stations as they drove to California in stolen vehicles. They were arrested and he was sent to Washington D.C’s National Training School of Boys.

In October 1951, a psychiatrist recommended that Manson be transferred to Natural Bridge Honor Camp where his aunt tried to bargain for his release. However, Charles Manson was caught raping a boy at knifepoint. He was then transferred to the Federal Reformatory in Petersburg, Virginia.

At the federal reformatory, Charles Manson committed several offenses. They were eight serious disciplinary offenses, with three being homosexual acts. This earned him his first imprisonment at a maximum security reformatory in Chillicothe, Ohio.

9. His Son was Born while he was in Prison after Probation Revocation

Charles married a hospital waitress, Rosalie Jean Willis in January 1955. Around October when his wife was pregnant, Charles and Rosalie arrived in Los Angeles in a stolen car. Manson was charged with a federal crime of crossing the vehicle across state lines.

However, his psychiatric evaluation earned him 5 years of probation which was revoked after failing to appear at a Los Angeles hearing. He was given a three years sentence. His son, Charles Manson Jr was born when he was in prison and his wife was staying with his mother in Los Angeles.

10. Charles Formed the Manson Family Cult Majorly Made Up of More Women than Men

Charles Manson in 1997 prison mugshot. Author; Uncredited prison photographer. Wikimedia

In 1968, Charles Manson earned his freedom again after his second imprisonment. Several things happened to his life the major one being the formation of the Manson Family cult. This was a dangerous cult that was majorly made up of more female members than male members.

The cult was majorly directed by Charles Manson who planned and made his members commit several atrocities. The 1971 murders put them on the spot as they went on a spree that killed famous people like film actress Sharon Tate.

The crime life of Charles Manson never came to a stop even after he got freedom on multiple instances. He was handed the death penalty which was commuted to life imprisonment. Charles Manson was survived by three children after he died from cardiac arrest brought about by respiratory failure due to colon cancer on 19^th November 2017.

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