Charles Makley
Encyclopedia
Charles Makley also known as Charles McGray and Fat Charles, was an American
criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger
.
, Ohio
, to Edward Makley and Martha Sunderland Makley. Charles was the oldest of five, with two brothers, George and Fred, and two sisters, Florence and Mildred. Makley dropped out of school in the eighth grade and turned to crime in his teens, first with petty theft, then bootlegging
and bank robbery
in at least three Midwestern states. Makley's father worked as a stone cutter and in the 1910 Ohio census a 20 year old Charles is listed as working in his father’s profession. His parents had divorced by this time.
On his prison paperwork, Charles often listed his occupation as salesman. He also listed his wife as Edith Slife Makley, a woman previously married to his brother Fred.
, Michigan
. He was found not guilty. Over the next three years, Makley was arrested various times in Missouri.
On July 30, 1924, he was arrested in Wichita
, Kansas
, for bank robbery
, under the alias
of Charles McGray. He was sentenced to 15 years, but was paroled in May 1928. A few days later, he robbed a bank in Hammond
, Indiana
. He was apprehended on June 2, 1928, and sentenced to 10 to 20 years. Makley entered Indiana State Prison
in Michigan City
on June 25, 1928.
was on the silent system. Prisoners remained silent during work hours and in the dining hall. Makley was not a model prisoner, but incurred only minor infractions during his stay at Indiana State: possessing contraband cigarette papers, having an electric stove, and wearing first grade uniform to a ball game.
It was here that Makley became friends with a number of prominent bank robbers, including Harry Pierpont
, Homer Van Meter
, John Hamilton
, Russell Clark
, and John Dillinger
. Dillinger was paroled in May 1933, but swore to liberate his friends, and had pistols smuggled in to Makley, Pierpont, Hamilton, Clark, and several other convicts. On September 26, 1933, a total of ten armed men escaped from the main gate of Indiana State Prison
.
. They went to the home of Pierpont's girlfriend, Mary Kinder, to change out of their prison uniforms, and then hid out at a farm owned by Pierpont's parents near Leipsic
, Ohio
.
It was around this time that the gang learned that Dillinger
had himself recently been arrested for bank robbery
and was being detained at the Allen County
jail in Lima
, Ohio
. Determined to free Dillinger, the gang needed cash to fund an escape. On October 3, 1933, the gang robbed the First National Bank of St. Mary's
, Ohio
.
Nine days later, on October 12, gang members converged on the jail where Dillinger was being held. Pierpont, Makley, and Russell Clark entered the facility, while Ed Shouse remained outside as a lookout. The three men confronted Sheriff Jesse Sarber—in the presence of Deputy Wilbur Sharp and Sarber's wife—and stated that they were from Indiana State Prison
with a transfer request for John Dillinger
. When the sheriff asked to see their credentials, Pierpont
shot him in the abdomen. Makley and one other man then physically assaulted the sheriff, mortally injuring him. They locked the deputy and Sarber's wife in a cell and left Sarber for dead while they made their escape.
On October 14, Dillinger, Makley, and the gang stole guns, ammunition and bulletproof vest
s from a police station in Auburn
, Indiana
. On October 20, they pulled a similar heist at a police station in Peru
, Indiana
. On October 23, the gang used its new arsenal to rob a bank in Greencastle
, Indiana
, escaping with $74,782. By the end of the year, Makley ranked fourth on Illinois' list of "public enemies", behind Dillinger
, Pierpont
, and Hamilton
.
, Arizona
, a fire broke out in Makley and Clark's room at the Congress Hotel. Firemen responding to the blaze recognized the notorious gangsters, and reported them to the authorities. Makley was apprehended at the Crabtree Electric Company, shopping for a radio. Makley, Harry Pierpont
, and Russell Clark were sent back to Indiana State Prison
under the supervision of Sheriff Don Sarber, the son of the Allen County
sheriff they had killed.
All three were later extradited to Lima
, Ohio
, to stand trial for the murder of Sheriff Jesse Sarber. The men were tried separately, and all three were found guilty. On March 24, 1934, the three were reunited for their sentencing. Makley and Pierpont were sentenced to die
in the electric chair
, while Clark received a life sentence
. On March 27, the three were transferred to the Ohio State Prison at Columbus
.
ed a guard and freed Clark from his cell nearby. Before they had gone far, Clark, who was not looking at an imminent death sentence, lost his nerve and retreated to his cell. Moments later, armed guards arrived and shot Makley and Pierpont. Makley, hit in the thorax
and abdomen
, died on the scene. Pierpont was seriously wounded, but survived and was later executed. Makley's death certificate states that internal hemorrhaging from these wounds caused his death. He is buried in the Sugar Ridge Cemetery in Leipsic
, Ohio
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
.
Early life
Makley (Pronounced Make-lee) was born in St. MarysSt. Marys, Ohio
St. Marys is a city in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,342 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio, Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to Edward Makley and Martha Sunderland Makley. Charles was the oldest of five, with two brothers, George and Fred, and two sisters, Florence and Mildred. Makley dropped out of school in the eighth grade and turned to crime in his teens, first with petty theft, then bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
and bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
in at least three Midwestern states. Makley's father worked as a stone cutter and in the 1910 Ohio census a 20 year old Charles is listed as working in his father’s profession. His parents had divorced by this time.
On his prison paperwork, Charles often listed his occupation as salesman. He also listed his wife as Edith Slife Makley, a woman previously married to his brother Fred.
Early criminal career
Makley did not begin a criminal career in earnest until his early thirties. On November 21, 1921, he was arrested for receiving stolen property in DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He was found not guilty. Over the next three years, Makley was arrested various times in Missouri.
On July 30, 1924, he was arrested in Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, for bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
, under the alias
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Charles McGray. He was sentenced to 15 years, but was paroled in May 1928. A few days later, he robbed a bank in Hammond
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He was apprehended on June 2, 1928, and sentenced to 10 to 20 years. Makley entered Indiana State Prison
Indiana State Prison
The Indiana State Prison is a maximum security Indiana Department of Corrections prison for adult males; however, minimum security housing also exists on the confines. It is located in Michigan City, Indiana, about east of Chicago. The average daily inmate population in November 2006 was 2,200. ...
in Michigan City
Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
on June 25, 1928.
Meeting John Dillinger
At the time of Makley’s incarceration, Indiana State PrisonIndiana State Prison
The Indiana State Prison is a maximum security Indiana Department of Corrections prison for adult males; however, minimum security housing also exists on the confines. It is located in Michigan City, Indiana, about east of Chicago. The average daily inmate population in November 2006 was 2,200. ...
was on the silent system. Prisoners remained silent during work hours and in the dining hall. Makley was not a model prisoner, but incurred only minor infractions during his stay at Indiana State: possessing contraband cigarette papers, having an electric stove, and wearing first grade uniform to a ball game.
It was here that Makley became friends with a number of prominent bank robbers, including Harry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont was a Prohibition era gangster. He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger....
, Homer Van Meter
Homer Van Meter
Homer "Wayne" Van Meter was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson.-Early life:...
, John Hamilton
John Hamilton (gangster)
John "Red" Hamilton was a Canadian criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger.-Prison break:...
, Russell Clark
Russell Clark (criminal)
Russell Lee "Boobie" Clark was an American thief, bank robber and prison escapee. He is best known as the "good natured" member of the John Dillinger gang and participated in armed holdups with them in a three-month crime spree across the Midwestern United States from October 1933 until his...
, and John Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
. Dillinger was paroled in May 1933, but swore to liberate his friends, and had pistols smuggled in to Makley, Pierpont, Hamilton, Clark, and several other convicts. On September 26, 1933, a total of ten armed men escaped from the main gate of Indiana State Prison
Indiana State Prison
The Indiana State Prison is a maximum security Indiana Department of Corrections prison for adult males; however, minimum security housing also exists on the confines. It is located in Michigan City, Indiana, about east of Chicago. The average daily inmate population in November 2006 was 2,200. ...
.
Crime spree
The ten escapees immediately split into two groups. Makley remained with the group headed by Harry PierpontHarry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont was a Prohibition era gangster. He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger....
. They went to the home of Pierpont's girlfriend, Mary Kinder, to change out of their prison uniforms, and then hid out at a farm owned by Pierpont's parents near Leipsic
Leipsic, Ohio
Leipsic is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2000 census.-History:Leipsic was platted in 1857....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
It was around this time that the gang learned that Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
had himself recently been arrested for bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
and was being detained at the Allen County
Allen County, Ohio
Allen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. Its population was 106,331 as of the 2010 census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Lima–Van Wert–Wapakoneta Combined Statistical Area....
jail in Lima
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Determined to free Dillinger, the gang needed cash to fund an escape. On October 3, 1933, the gang robbed the First National Bank of St. Mary's
St. Marys, Ohio
St. Marys is a city in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,342 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio, Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Nine days later, on October 12, gang members converged on the jail where Dillinger was being held. Pierpont, Makley, and Russell Clark entered the facility, while Ed Shouse remained outside as a lookout. The three men confronted Sheriff Jesse Sarber—in the presence of Deputy Wilbur Sharp and Sarber's wife—and stated that they were from Indiana State Prison
Indiana State Prison
The Indiana State Prison is a maximum security Indiana Department of Corrections prison for adult males; however, minimum security housing also exists on the confines. It is located in Michigan City, Indiana, about east of Chicago. The average daily inmate population in November 2006 was 2,200. ...
with a transfer request for John Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
. When the sheriff asked to see their credentials, Pierpont
Harry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont was a Prohibition era gangster. He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger....
shot him in the abdomen. Makley and one other man then physically assaulted the sheriff, mortally injuring him. They locked the deputy and Sarber's wife in a cell and left Sarber for dead while they made their escape.
On October 14, Dillinger, Makley, and the gang stole guns, ammunition and bulletproof vest
Bulletproof vest
A ballistic vest, bulletproof vest or bullet-resistant vest is an item of personal armor that helps absorb the impact from firearm-fired projectiles and shrapnel from explosions, and is worn on the torso...
s from a police station in Auburn
Auburn, Indiana
Auburn is a city in DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,086 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1836 by Wesley Park , the city is the county seat of DeKalb County. Auburn is also known as Home of the Classics.-Geography:...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. On October 20, they pulled a similar heist at a police station in Peru
Peru, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile . There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. On October 23, the gang used its new arsenal to rob a bank in Greencastle
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, escaping with $74,782. By the end of the year, Makley ranked fourth on Illinois' list of "public enemies", behind Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
, Pierpont
Harry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont was a Prohibition era gangster. He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger....
, and Hamilton
John Hamilton (gangster)
John "Red" Hamilton was a Canadian criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger.-Prison break:...
.
Capture and trial for murder
On January 25, 1934, while the gang was lying low in TucsonTucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, a fire broke out in Makley and Clark's room at the Congress Hotel. Firemen responding to the blaze recognized the notorious gangsters, and reported them to the authorities. Makley was apprehended at the Crabtree Electric Company, shopping for a radio. Makley, Harry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont
Harry Pierpont was a Prohibition era gangster. He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger....
, and Russell Clark were sent back to Indiana State Prison
Indiana State Prison
The Indiana State Prison is a maximum security Indiana Department of Corrections prison for adult males; however, minimum security housing also exists on the confines. It is located in Michigan City, Indiana, about east of Chicago. The average daily inmate population in November 2006 was 2,200. ...
under the supervision of Sheriff Don Sarber, the son of the Allen County
Allen County, Ohio
Allen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. Its population was 106,331 as of the 2010 census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Lima–Van Wert–Wapakoneta Combined Statistical Area....
sheriff they had killed.
All three were later extradited to Lima
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to stand trial for the murder of Sheriff Jesse Sarber. The men were tried separately, and all three were found guilty. On March 24, 1934, the three were reunited for their sentencing. Makley and Pierpont were sentenced to die
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
, while Clark received a life sentence
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. On March 27, the three were transferred to the Ohio State Prison at Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Final escape attempt
While waiting for their turn in the electric chair, Makley and Pierpont carved a pair of revolvers from large bars of soap, and blackened them with shoe polish. On September 22, 1934, the two used these props to attempt an escape. They assaultAssault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ed a guard and freed Clark from his cell nearby. Before they had gone far, Clark, who was not looking at an imminent death sentence, lost his nerve and retreated to his cell. Moments later, armed guards arrived and shot Makley and Pierpont. Makley, hit in the thorax
Thorax
The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen.-In tetrapods:...
and abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
, died on the scene. Pierpont was seriously wounded, but survived and was later executed. Makley's death certificate states that internal hemorrhaging from these wounds caused his death. He is buried in the Sugar Ridge Cemetery in Leipsic
Leipsic, Ohio
Leipsic is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2000 census.-History:Leipsic was platted in 1857....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Temperament
While a habitual criminal, Makley cultivated the appearance and demeanor of a prosperous legitimate businessman. In between crimes he worked as a salesman and insurance agent, and could easily pass for a respectable citizen. A story often told of Makley is that some time in the mid 1920s after robbing a bank he went straight to a civic luncheon at which he was giving the keynote speech. The story itself is most likely apocryphal, but its popularity gives an insight into the man's charisma.Other media
In the 2009 film Public Enemies, Makley is played by Christian StolteChristian Stolte
Christian Stolte is an American actor. He played corrections officer Keith Stolte on the show Prison Break and Charles Makley on Public Enemies. He also plays Clarence Darby in the movie Law Abiding Citizen.-External links:...
Other sources
- 1910 United States Census Ohio
- Prison Record for Charles Makley Indiana State Prison Michigan City