Bangor, ME (NEWS CENTER) -- Elmer McCurdy lived a difficult life. He was born illegitimate in Washington, Maine in 1880. When the people he thought were his parents died, he moved to Bangor with his biological mother. He became a dropout and an alcoholic.
"He didn't have much opportunity," lamented Elizabeth Stevens, a researcher at the Bangor Public Library.
He eventually joined the Army and actually served under young Lieutenant Douglas MacArthur. During his service, he received training as a machine gunner as well as some demolition.
Nine days after receiving an honorable discharge, he was arrested for possessing burglary tools. He convinced the jury that he was attempting to build a new type of machine gun. Acquitted, he moved on and started his career as a robber.
"This guy just wouldn't give up," mused Derry Rundlett, a Portland Attorney.
McCurdy and accomplices hit banks and trains committing robberies that were laughably incompetent. After stopping a train, Elmer used too much nitro. After the blast, he was able to take just $450 in silver coins most of which had been melted to the walls of a safe.
They had a similar problem during a bank robbery. The explosion blew the safe through the wall of the bank. It destroyed the bank, but did not open the safe. The gang grabbed $150 from a teller's till and ran.
A posse caught up with the gang. The others gave up, but Elmer shot it out and died in the shootout in 1911.
Because no one claimed the body, the undertaker set him up in his foyer and charged five cents to see "The bandit who wouldn't give up."
After five successful years, a man claiming to be a representative of Elmer's brother came to claim the body.
"Wouldn't you think the undertaker would have asked for some identification?" asked Rundlett.
It turns out the man owned a traveling carnival. Elmer was off, touring the country.
As his body degenerated, he was less of an attraction. He ended up in a Long Beach amusement park. His body was painted red and he was hanging from a noose in the back of a scarey walk-through exhibit.
That's when the crew of the TV show "The Six Million Dollar Man" came by to film an episode. A grip moved Elmer and his arm fell off. They saw bone and tissue. Once again, someone called the cops on Elmer.
Eventually, his body was identified. Some historians in Oklahoma thought it appropriate that he be returned to the scene of the crime. They buried him with great honors in 1977, 66 years after he died.