Infamous Indiana Quiz | Specialized History

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. As a boy he spent time in boy's schools, in Terre Haute, Indianapolis, and Plainfield. As an adult, he led his "family" to commit numerous crimes. The most infamous crime was the murder of 5 people in August of 1969 at the home of movie director Roman Polanski.

Answer: Charles Manson

Manson somehow managed to convince a small group of disenfranchised young people that he was both Jesus Christ and The Devil. He commanded so much control over his followers that when he ordered them to kill, they committed the infamous Tate-Labianca murders.

Watson was one of Manson's followers, Parent was one of his victims and Bugliosi was the attorney for the D.A. that prosecuted him.

2. He was born in South Bend but moved to New York. He grew huge in the underground party scene. He was leader of the "Club Kids" until he was convicted of the 1996 murder of Angel Melendez.

Answer: Michael Alig

Alig and an accomplice, Robert "Freeze" Riggs, killed their drug dealer, Melendez, after an argument involving drug debt. They dismembered the body and threw it in the Hudson River. Out on parole, Alig is attempting to start a recording career.

James St. James was Alig's mentor. Macaulay Culkin played Alig in "The Party Monster" - a film version of Alig's life up to the murder. Seth Green played St. James in the same movie.

3. This Depression era bank robber was born in Indianapolis, made a memorable escape from jail in Crown Point, and robbed his last bank in South Bend.

Answer: John Dillinger

Dillinger met his end when he was gunned down outside the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, Illinos. He had been dogged by FBI agent, Melvin Purvis, and betrayed by Anna Sage, the "woman in red." I guess there are disadvantages to being public enemy number one.

Nelson, Floyd, and Barrow were all noted criminals of the same era in their own right.

4. On June 23, 2001 he was executed in the federal prison in Terre Haute for the 1995 bombing of a building in Oklahoma City.

Answer: Timothy McVeigh

168 innocent people were killed when the bomb went off at 9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995. McVeigh viewed himself as a hero and defender of the people. Most people view him as a terrorist and a coward.

Fortier and Nichols were convicted of conspiracy in the attack. The building McVeigh blew up was named after Murrah.

5. She would lure men to her farm in LaPorte, take their money and murder them. She probably killed 40 people between 1884 and 1908.

Answer: Belle Gunness

Gunness was never brought to justice. Just when the law was closing in on her, a fire destroyed her farmhouse. Four skeletons were found in the ruins, but the one that might have been Belle's was missing its head. She apparently killed her stepchildren and an unknown other woman placed the bodies in the house, and burned the house down. Then she was off to parts unknown, after withdrawing her money from the bank. She was one of the few that got away with it.

Barker was the leader of her own gang. Bonnie Parker is of Bonnie and Clyde fame. Atkins was one of the flower children involved with the Manson family and the Tate-Labianca murders.

6. He was born in Crete and started preaching around Indianapolis. In November, 1978 he led over 900 of his followers to a mass suicide in the South American country of Guyana.

Answer: Jim Jones

Jones led The People's Temple to establish what he referred to as an "agriculture mission" called Jonestown in Guyana . In reality it was a place where Jones could set himself up as a king and god. After an investigation by US congressman Leo Ryan, Jones had Ryan's party ambushed. Five people were killed. Meanwhile, Jones ordered his followers to drink cyanide laced punch. Those that refused were forced to do so at gunpoint. 909 people died, including 276 children.

Koresh was the leader of the Branch Davidians. Applewhite was the leader of Heaven's Gate. Baker was leader of PTL.

7. The first peacetime train robbery in US history took place in Seymour. It was carried out by which gang?

Answer: The Reno Brothers Gang

Brothers Frank, John, Sim and Bill Reno were the core of the first brotherhood of outlaws. A fifth brother was called "Honest" Clint because he never became a criminal.

The other gangs mentioned owe their organization to the Renos.

8. He was born in Brazil, and became president of the Teamsters' Union. In 1964 he was convicted of bribery and jury tampering.

Answer: Jimmy Hoffa

Pardoned by Nixon in 1971, Hoffa was trying to regain control of the union. On July 30, 1975 Hoffa went to Machus Red Fox Restaurant in Bloomfield Township Michigan. He was scheduled to meet two fellow labor leaders, both of whom were known to be involved in organized crime. Hoffa was never seen again. Theories abound as to what happened to him.

All the other choices were Teamster presidents at time or another.

9. He is believed to have been born in Crawsfordville sometime around 1845. In Arizona he got involved in cattle rustling and murder. He was an ally in the Clantons and was probably involved in Morgan Earp's murder.

Answer: William "Curly Bill" Brocius

Brocius' early life is mostly lost to history. Even his name is probably an alias. It is well known that he was involved in several murders and other crimes. It is claimed that he died in a gunfight with Wyatt Earp.

The others were all also involved with the Clantons gang. Interestingly, Johnny Ringo was also born in Indiana at Green Forks in 1850.

10. He was the man behind the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, but he had a home in French Lick and is reputed to have owned property in Lake County.

Answer: Al Capone

Capone was the biggest of the prohibition era gangsters. He worked out of Chicago but his influence was felt nationwide. Still, his business card always read "used furniture dealer."

Luciano and Moran were also prohibition era gangsters. Corelone was a charecter from "The Godfather."

Source: Author YourLordship

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Infamous Indiana Trivia Quiz

Most people consider the most exciting things about Indiana to be corn or the 500. There have been, however, several rather nefarious people with connections to the Hoosier State. They tend to liven things up a bit.

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