North Carolina’s Most Notorious Prison Escapee – Otto Wood (1894-1930)
Life History of Otto Wood
Involved in criminal activity from an early age, Wood learned to gamble, fight, and make bootleg whiskey from his famed McCoy-Hatfield relations in West Virginia. In 1923, he entered Central Prison in Raleigh for the murder of A.W. Kaplan, a Greensboro pawnbroker. He made four escapes while at Central, during the last of which he met his death in a shootout on December 31st, 1930. He is particularly remembered for an autobiography he penned while in prison titled, Life History of Otto Wood: Inmate, State Prison 1926 (NoCar Rare HV 9468.W66 1930z). Shortly after his death, he was also memorialized in a song recorded for Columbia Records. A stage play recounting his life is currently produced each year in North Wilkesboro, N.C.
For further reading, check out the North Carolina Periodical Index, produced here in Joyner Library for select articles on all facets dealing with the Old North State. Depending upon availability, articles may be accessed digitally, by visiting the North Carolina Collection or email request.
Life History of Otto Wood – Author’s Note
See relevant sources:
“Otto Wood the Bandit”: A North Carolina Ballad
Patrick Sky
North Carolina Folklore Journal (NoCar GR 110 N8 N6),
Vol. 41 Issue 1, Winter-Spring 1994, p35-43, il
The Slipperiest Jailbird
Billy Arthur
The State (NoCar F 251 S77), Vol. 55 Issue 10, Mar 1988, p30-31
http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p16062coll18/id/62890