7 Bizarre Facts About Charles Manson And The Manson Family

Manson Had Very Specific Rules

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On the Spahn Ranch, books were not allowed. Neither were watches, clocks, or calendars. The oddest thing that Manson Family members were not allowed to do was wear glasses if they required them. Why? Charlie wanted them to “see the world around them” with their natural vision. As someone with a pretty high prescription, I can tell you some of them weren’t “seeing” anything at all… which was probably just how Manson wanted it.

The Family Had A Celebrity Hit List

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It’s a good thing they were caught when they were, because the Family had big plans for the coming years. They were determined to become absolutely infamous, with a carefully-chosen group of celebrities they planned to murder, including Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Elizabeth Taylor, and Steve McQueen.

Manson Never Actually Killed Anyone

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Because when you have a cult full of people willing to do anything you say, why WOULD you bother getting your hands dirty? Manson would either send Family members to do his bidding or leave just prior to the murders. However, that makes him no less guilty in the eyes of the law.

…But There May Be As Many As 35 Victims

Officially, the Family has only been held responsible for the eight deaths that occurred during the 1960s, but experts speculate that they may have actually carried out even more murders. They weren’t pursued in court because the Family members involved in the murders had already been found guilty.

He Was Inspired By A Very Famous Book

So we all know how Manson took cues from Hitler, but guess who else taught him how to manipulate members of the Family? Famous author Dale Carnegie and his legendary book “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” During his early time in prison Manson studied the book religiously, specifically the part about influencing others to “take ownership” of an idea.

The Family Members Were Also Big Beatles Fans

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While Manson’s affinity for the Beatles is fairly well known — Helter Skelter and all that — but the Family were also obsessed with the British band. In fact, they were so obsessed that it was a big shock to them when Charlie was arrested and none of the Fab Four ever bothered to call. In an interview with Rolling Stone, female members of the Family demanded that the magazine “tell them to call.”

They Were Fiercely Loyal To The End

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During the legal proceedings, a young lawyer named Ronald Hughes chose to represent Manson and Family member Leslie Van Houten — then dropped Manson in favor of Van Houten. In 1970 he went missing during a camping trip. Months later, his body was found in the woods. While it’s still a mystery what truly happened to Hughes, it’s highly believed that the remaining members of the Manson Family murdered him in return for betraying their leader. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Horror writer for Creepy Catalog, ESFP, Kylo Ren advocate, Slytherin, sassbasket.

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