35 Facts About Elmer McCurdy

Elmer McCurdy's life was a whirlwind of misfortune, crime, and a bizarre posthumous journey. His story is one of the strangest and most fascinating in American history. Let's dive into the life and afterlife of this infamous outlaw.

Early Life and Family

Elmer McCurdy's early years were marked by family secrets and personal struggles.

1. Birth and Early Life: Born on January 1, 1880, in Washington, Maine, Elmer McCurdy entered the world under a cloud of mystery. His mother, Sadie McCurdy, was unmarried, and the identity of his father remains unknown, with one possibility being Sadie's cousin, Charles Smith.

2. Adoption: To avoid social stigma, Elmer was adopted by George and Helen McCurdy, Sadie's brother and his wife. This arrangement aimed to provide him with a semblance of normalcy.

3. Parentage Revealed: As a teenager, Elmer learned the truth about his parentage. This revelation led to a rebellious and unruly phase in his life.

4. Drinking Habits: Elmer began drinking heavily during his teenage years. This habit would plague him throughout his life, affecting his ability to hold jobs and maintain relationships.

Career and Downfall

Elmer's professional life was a series of ups and downs, marked by brief successes and long periods of instability.

5. Apprentice Plumber: Elmer became an apprentice plumber and proved to be a competent worker. He lived comfortably until an economic downturn in 1898 caused him to lose his job.

6. Family Losses: In 1900, Elmer faced significant personal losses. His mother died of a ruptured ulcer, and his grandfather succumbed to Bright's disease within two months. These events further destabilized his life.

7. Drifting: After his grandfather's death, Elmer left Maine and began drifting around the eastern United States. He worked as a lead miner and plumber but struggled to maintain stability.

8. Alcoholism: Elmer's alcoholism made it difficult for him to hold jobs for extended periods. He frequently moved from place to place, often finding himself in trouble with the law.

9. Kansas and Missouri: Elmer worked as a plumber in Cherryvale, Kansas, and later moved to Iola, Kansas, where he was arrested for public intoxication in 1905. He then relocated to Webb City, Missouri.

Military Service and Criminal Activities

Elmer's life took a turn when he joined the military, but his criminal tendencies soon resurfaced.

10. Military Service: In 1907, Elmer joined the United States Army and was assigned to Fort Leavenworth. He operated a machine gun and received training in using nitroglycerin for demolition purposes.

11. Train Robbery: On October 7, 1911, Elmer attempted to rob a train in Oklahoma. His efforts yielded a mere $46 and two jugs of whiskey, leading to a shootout with police.

12. Shootout and Death: The shootout lasted about an hour before Elmer was shot through the chest. He was declared dead by the Pawhuska undertaker, who then embalmed his body.

Posthumous Journey

Elmer's story took an even stranger turn after his death, as his body became a macabre attraction.

13. Initial Display: After embalming, Elmer's body was put on display at the Johnson Funeral Home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. The mortician dressed him in street clothes and placed a rifle in his hand, dubbing him "The Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up".

14. Five-Cent Display: For five cents, people could view Elmer's body. This display attracted local interest, and the mortician attempted to capitalize on it by charging admission.

15. Carnival Promoters: In 1916, two carnival promoters posing as Elmer's brothers claimed the corpse. They took Elmer on the road with the Great Patterson Carnival Show, where he became a sideshow attraction.

16. Traveling Sideshow: Elmer traveled across the country with various carnivals, becoming a fixture in human curiosity shows. He was known as "The Outlaw Who Wouldn't Give Up".

17. Mummification: Over time, Elmer's skin mummified, and his body began to shrink. Despite this, his features remained remarkably lifelike.

Forgotten and Rediscovered

Elmer's body went through periods of neglect and rediscovery, each time adding to his bizarre legacy.

18. Museum of Crime: In 1922, Louis Sonney acquired Elmer and put him in his traveling show, the Museum of Crime, which toured the West Coast until the 1940s.

19. Storage and Neglect: After Sonney's death in 1949, Elmer was stored in warehouses in Los Angeles for twenty years. During this period, he was largely forgotten and neglected.

20. Hollywood Wax Museum: In 1968, Elmer was sold to the Hollywood Wax Museum, where he was billed as the "1,000 Year Old Man".

21. Nu-Point Amusement Park: After the wax museum closed, Elmer was sold to Nu-Point Amusement Park in Long Beach, California. He was painted in fluorescent red and hung from fake gallows as decor for a spooky ride in the Laff-in-the-Dark funhouse.

22. Discovery by TV Crew: In December 1976, during the filming of an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man at the funhouse, a TV crew member accidentally broke Elmer's arm, revealing human bones inside. This discovery led to further investigation.

23. Identification: The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office examined the body and found a copper-jacketed bullet in the chest and a type of embalming fluid used during the early 1900s. With the help of Oklahoma historians, the remains were positively identified as Elmer McCurdy.

Final Resting Place

After years of being a sideshow attraction, Elmer finally found a permanent resting place.

24. Burial: In February 1977, the City Council of Guthrie, Oklahoma, offered a burial plot in the Boot Hill section of Summit View Cemetery. Elmer was finally laid to rest with a proper burial ceremony.

25. Concrete Burial: To ensure that Elmer could never go traveling again, a judge ordered concrete to be poured on top of his casket.

Cultural Impact

Elmer McCurdy's story has left a lasting mark on popular culture and serves as a reminder of the strange twists of fate.

26. Comic Book Inspiration: Elmer McCurdy is believed to be the inspiration for the DC Comics character Jonah Hex. Both characters were preserved and put on display after their deaths, leading to similar adventures and misadventures.

27. Musical Tribute: In 2024, a musical titled Dead Outlaw premiered off-Broadway, telling the story of Elmer McCurdy's life and afterlife.

28. Posthumous Legacy: Despite his troubled life, Elmer McCurdy's posthumous journey has become a fascinating and somewhat macabre part of American folklore. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the strange twists of fate that can befall even the most obscure figures in history.

29. Public Reaction: The mistreatment of Elmer’s remains after his death added another layer of tragedy to his existence. The public's fascination with his mummified body and the various displays he was subjected to have sparked both horror and fascination.

30. Historical Significance: Elmer McCurdy's story highlights the darker aspects of American history, particularly the treatment of outlaws and the public's fascination with death and the macabre. It also underscores the importance of proper burial and respect for the dead.

31. Cultural Impact: Beyond his own story, Elmer McCurdy has influenced popular culture. His character has been referenced in various forms of media, including comic books and films, cementing his place in American cultural heritage.

32. Personal Tragedy: Elmer’s life was marked by personal tragedy, including the loss of his family members and his own untimely death. His posthumous journey only added to this sense of tragedy, as he was treated more like a curiosity than a human being.

33. Social Commentary: The way Elmer’s body was used and displayed over the years serves as a commentary on society’s fascination with death and the macabre. It also highlights the exploitation of the dead for entertainment and profit.

34. Historical Accuracy: The details of Elmer’s life and death have been extensively documented, providing a rich historical record. His story is a testament to the enduring power of historical research and the importance of preserving accurate accounts of the past.

35. Legacy Continues: Even after his burial, Elmer McCurdy’s legacy continues to inspire new works of fiction and non-fiction. His story remains a fascinating and haunting reminder of the complexities and tragedies of human life.

The Strange Legacy of Elmer McCurdy

Elmer McCurdy's life was a series of unfortunate events, marked by poverty, illness, and crime. Yet, his posthumous journey is what truly sets him apart. From being embalmed and displayed as "The Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up" to becoming a sideshow attraction, his body traveled across the country for decades. It wasn't until a TV crew accidentally discovered his mummified remains in 1976 that Elmer finally received a proper burial. His story highlights society's fascination with the macabre and serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the dead. Despite his troubled life, Elmer's legacy continues to captivate and inspire, making him an unforgettable figure in American folklore. His tale is a poignant example of how even the most obscure individuals can leave a lasting impact on history.