Samuel Green (1796 – April 25, 1822) was a United States serial killer and robber. He was one of the first to be called "Public enemy", in the United States, as a dangerous criminal at-large. Early life Samuel Green was born in Meredith, New Hampshire in 1796. At an early age, his parents believed him to be possessed by a demon because of his frequent school skipping and would whip him. As a teenager, he became a blacksmith's apprentice where he was whipped for stealing. He was whipped for destroying the blacksmith's garden but did not admit it. He was then sent home and whipped again. In retaliation, Green threw the family dog down a well, contaminating the water, and caused great expense to the family. He was beaten severely for this. He retaliated by slashing the neck of the family pig and was again whipped. The family gave up and sent Samuel to live with family friend Albert Dunne in New Hampton, New Hampshire. Green attended school for a while but began skipping again. He then stole a Jew's harp from a shop and Dunne beat him as punishment. Green fled home and his parents, having heard of the theft, beat him unconscious. Green was sent to Dunne and then whipped until the flesh was flayed off his back. For the last beating, Green set up a trap to kill Dunne. He put an axe, that would fall on his head, and a pitchfork, that would strike him, in the barn door. When Dunne entered the barn, the axe sliced his coat and the pitchfork gave him a slight foot injury. Dunne then tied Green against a barn door, severely whipping and bloodying him for the attempted murder. Afterwards, Green destroyed a hogshead of cider, stole bushels of corn, and tried to burn down Dunne's barn. As usual, he was whipped and beat by Dunne. After a few months, Green became too strong for Dunne, who let him be. Later, Green met another youth named William Ash. Criminal career Green and Ash went to New Hampton where they met a traveling salesman named Franklin Loomis. He became their mentor, teaching them how to forge bank notes and burglarize homes of the rich, businesses, and banks. One day they came by a schoolhouse and Green hurled a large piece of timber underneath a sleigh full of children, putting them in