Joe Czanek is a fictional character created by the late American author H. P. Lovecraft for his 1921 short story "The Terrible Old Man". He was a literary representation of the animosity felt by Lovecraft towards the non-English immigrants of the time, who he believed were polluting the genetic pool of the United States.
Overview[]
In Lovecraft's story Czanek, along with fellow criminals Angelo Ricci and Manuel Silva, intended to rob the titular Terrible Old Man of Kingsport, an elderly recluse reputed to be extremely wealthy. What they did not bargain on was the man's true nature, and the gang's corpses were found washed ashore, horribly mutilated, shortly afterwards.
Czanek was depicted as the least-violent of the three, having asked his associates to use only the means necessary to get the Old Man to reveal the location of his riches, and not to resort to violence if unnecessary. This is further supported by the fact that he acted as the getaway driver, rather than joining the other two in entering the Old Man's home. However, this minor compassion served him no good, as his torn carcass was discovered alongside those of Ricci and Silva.