Minto endorsed the Auburn system by which prisoners would be punished even if they uttered one word out of line. They were frequently shackled to walls and hung from rafters for hours, sometimes days at a time. Inmates were whipped with the terrible "cat-o-nine-tails," a brutish device that caused appalling injury to a man's back. "I swore I would never do that seven years," Panzram said, "and I defied the warden and all his officers to make me. The warden swore I would do every damned day or he would kill me."

He got into trouble almost immediately for rule violations, and punishment became routine. Panzram's record of discipline shows that on January 1, 1916, he was hung "10 hours a day for two days for hammering, rising a disturbance in cell and cursing an officer." A month later, on February 27, he was hoisted up "12 hours at door for going on another tier from where he cells and having a dangerous weapon, a billie or a sap." He was later found to be in possession of a blackjack and thrown into the "dungeons" for three weeks with only bread and water. "They stripped us naked and chained us up to a door," he said, "and then turned the fire hose on us until we were black and blue and half blind."

But still, Panzram continued his combative behavior. He started several fires and burned down three buildings at different times. He spent 61 days in solitary where he groped around in the dark and ate cockroaches for food. In early 1917, Panzram helped another inmate, named Otto Hooker, escape from the prison. Hooker later shot and killed Warden Minto when he accidentally ran into the warden in a nearby town. The killing sparked a public outcry, and conditions at the Oregon State Penitentiary became even worse.

Reward poster for Jeff Baldwin
when he escaped from Oregon
State Prison
(Mark Gado's collection)

By September 1917, Panzram's reputation was well known both inside the penitentiary and out. He had made several escape attempts by cutting through the bars in his cell. On September 18, 1917, he finally succeeded and escaped from the prison. He broke into a house in the town of Tangent stealing clothes, food, money and a loaded .38 caliber handgun. A few days later, a local cop recognized Panzram from a wanted poster and tried to arrest him. Panzram pulled out his gun and opened fire on the sheriff's deputy. "I fired and fought until my gun was empty of bullets and I was empty of courage," he later said. But he ran out of ammunition and was captured. On the way to the jail, Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire tried to grab the cop's gun and a fierce struggle took place inside the police car. The rear windows were kicked out and several shots were fired through the roof as the men battled for the officer's handgun. Panzram was beaten bloody and unconscious. He was brought back to Salem and dumped into solitary. But not for long.

Oregon State Prison, Salem, today
(Bureau of Prisons)