Charles Manson, an Icon of Evil: A Biography
CHARLES MANSON
BY: JACOB A. BOOKOUT
Charles Manson is a convicted serial killer who has become an icon of evil. In the late 1960’s, Manson founded a hippie cult group known as “the Family” whom he manipulated into brutally killing others on his behalf.
Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to 16 year-old Kathleen Maddox. Kathleen had run away from home at the age of 15 and spent the next few decades drinking too much, with periods of time spend in jail. Since his mother couldn’t take care of him, Charles spent his youth at the homes of various relatives and often at special reform schools and boys homes. By age nine, Charles Manson had already started stealing and soon added burglary and stealing cars to his agenda. (http://history1900s.about.com) In 1954, at age 19, Charles was released on parole after an unusual bout of good behavior. The next year, he married Rosalie Willis, a waitress, and they had a son together, Charles Manson Jr. Even while married, Manson had continued making extra money by stealing cars. In April 1956, he was again sent to prison. After Manson had been in prison for a year, his wife found someone new and divorced him in June 1957. (http://history1900s.about.com) In 1958, Manson was released from prison. While out, he began pimping, stealing checks from mailboxes, and conned a young woman out of money. He also married again, to a woman named Leona, and fathered a second son, Charles Luther Manson. Manson was again arrested on June 1, 1960 and sent to the McNeil Island Penitentiary off the coast of Washington. His wife soon divorced him. (http://history1900s.about.com) Charles Manson spent the next six years in prison. It was during this time that he befriended the infamous Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, former member of Ma Barker’s gang. After Karpis taught Charles to play the steel guitar, Manson became obsessed with making music. He practiced all the time, wrote dozens of original songs, and started singing. He believed that
BY: JACOB A. BOOKOUT
Charles Manson is a convicted serial killer who has become an icon of evil. In the late 1960’s, Manson founded a hippie cult group known as “the Family” whom he manipulated into brutally killing others on his behalf.
Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to 16 year-old Kathleen Maddox. Kathleen had run away from home at the age of 15 and spent the next few decades drinking too much, with periods of time spend in jail. Since his mother couldn’t take care of him, Charles spent his youth at the homes of various relatives and often at special reform schools and boys homes. By age nine, Charles Manson had already started stealing and soon added burglary and stealing cars to his agenda. (http://history1900s.about.com) In 1954, at age 19, Charles was released on parole after an unusual bout of good behavior. The next year, he married Rosalie Willis, a waitress, and they had a son together, Charles Manson Jr. Even while married, Manson had continued making extra money by stealing cars. In April 1956, he was again sent to prison. After Manson had been in prison for a year, his wife found someone new and divorced him in June 1957. (http://history1900s.about.com) In 1958, Manson was released from prison. While out, he began pimping, stealing checks from mailboxes, and conned a young woman out of money. He also married again, to a woman named Leona, and fathered a second son, Charles Luther Manson. Manson was again arrested on June 1, 1960 and sent to the McNeil Island Penitentiary off the coast of Washington. His wife soon divorced him. (http://history1900s.about.com) Charles Manson spent the next six years in prison. It was during this time that he befriended the infamous Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, former member of Ma Barker’s gang. After Karpis taught Charles to play the steel guitar, Manson became obsessed with making music. He practiced all the time, wrote dozens of original songs, and started singing. He believed that