JOHN DILLINGER:PUBLIC ENEMY #1

Of all the many outlaws that became household names in the 1930s, one would become idolised above all others...John Dillinger.  In a ten year career of lawlessness, Dillinger also known as "snake-eyes" would become the hero of the American press, hailed as the new Jesse James.  By the day of his death he would be the United States official public enemy number 1. John Dillinger was born in Indianapolis June 22nd 1903, his father John Dillinger senior ran a grocery store, the family lived in a modest house in a peaceful part of town. Dillingers mother died when he was 4 years old, so after her death, his father sold the  grocery store and moved the family out, into the country. The young Dillinger grew up on a farm in Mooresville, Indiana, southwest of Indianapolis.  In 1924 at the age of 21, Dillinger got married, however the marriage lasted only 2 years, and soon after the break up, Dillinger took his first step into the world of serious crime. An ex convict who managed the baseball team in which Dillinger played, recruited him as an accomplice in a robbery.  The pair held up a local grocery store but the venture misfired when the store assistant called for help.  Dillinger was arrested and charged and was advised to plead guilty by his lawyers to get a lighter sentence, he did and was rewarded (somewhat cynically) for his cooperation with a 14 year jail sentence. Dillinger's first Police "mugshots" are reproduced below. Never again will Dillinger trust anyone but himself, and never again will he allow himself to stand in a court of law.  In May 1933, Dillinger is paroled from Michigan State Penitentiary having served 9 years, he emerged into an unfamiliar world.  The United States is deep in the misery of the great depression, it is a time where young men can be sold to employers at a public auction of labor. The depression of the 1930's were tough hard times for millions of Americans, where the threat of dying through malnutrition was a stark reality. With no training and little education, Dillinger wass faced with the breadline or at best a meagre living.  But John Dillinger had no intention of going straight, or at least straight into poverty. In prison he had already learned the rudiments of his future trade...robbery and hold-ups.  Within weeks of leaving jail, Dillinger had assembled a gang, in less than 4 months they raided a string of road houses and banks across the states of Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania, raking in tens of thousands of dollars...easy money ! However, Dillinger had been clearly identified by witnesses, he had a characteristic habit of vaulting across bank counters during the course of his robberies.  Dillinger's hauls of cash was to be put to a particular purpose, he had not forgot his former convict friends still languishing in Michigan State Penitentiary.  So preparations for a jail-break were put in hand, Dillinger arranged that guns be smuggled into the prison, but on December 22nd, 1933 with the preparations being made for the jail-break of his friends, Dillinger's own luck ran out. Police raid the boarding house run by the married sister of one of the convicts, where Dillinger is holed up, and before he could reach for his gun, Dillinger was dragged from the woman's bed and arrested.  On December 28th Dillinger was transferred to Alam county jail in Lima, Ohio, by now, Dillinger's convict friends had made good their escape from Michigan State Penitentiary.  They are quick to return Dillinger's favor, which is rare as there is no honor amongst theives. Posing as police they entered the Lima jail and immediately shot the Sheriff, Jesse Sarber dead where he stood, they then released Dillinger from his cell, and made good their escape.  Realising that they were marked men, the gangs first move was to update up their inventory of weapons, they did this by attacking a police station, stealing a Thomson sub-machine gun, sawn off shotguns and several pistols. In their first bank raid together, Dillinger and his new gang robbed a total of 28,000 dollars.  Their next target is the First National Bank of East Chicago, Indiana, as the raiders ran from the bank with 20,000 dollars and 2 hostages, Dillinger shot a police officer dead.  For the first time in Dillinger's life, he is now wanted for murder. Eleven days after the East Chicago robbery, Dillinger and his gang were suddenly surprised by law enforcement officers and they were arrested without a fight in Tuscon, Arizona.  Three members of the gang were staying at a local hotel when the building caught fire, they offered a fireman $12.00 to carry out their trunks, in the room the gangsters arsenal of weapons was in plain view, the fireman saw this and the police were immediately tipped off. To circumvent local time consuming legal processes, the authorities bundled Dillinger into an aircraft and flew him directly to Indiana, as in Arizona he was only wanted for robbery but in Indiana he faced murder charges, charges which could put him in the electric chair.  Struggling madly and swearing continually, Dillinger was chained to a seat for the entire trip, under close armed guard. Dillinger arrived at the Chicago Municipal Airport on the night of January 3rd 1934, the atmosphere was charged with excitement, and he was besieged by reporters and cameramen.  Already the reality of Dillinger, the bank robber, jail-breaker and cold blooded murderer was over taken by Dillinger the legend, Dillinger the working mans hero, the hero of the down trodden masses. Dillinger was rushed from Chicago airport to Lake county jail at Crown Point Indiana, where he was placed in the custody of Sheriff Lillian Holly. The Sheriff boasted to newsmen that she can keep Dillinger behind bars indefinitely, Dillinger, however boasted that she couldn't.  In an extraordinary testimony to the strength of the Dillinger myth, the country prosecutor, Robert Estill and also the Sheriff, actually posed with Dillinger at the behest of photographers with the prosecutors arm resting affectionately on Dillinger's shoulder and much joviality in the air. Dillinger was a real celebrity in the eyes of the press and public, and in some cases even the police. While Dillinger awaited trail in the Lake county jail, his gang were transferred to Ohio to be tried for the murder of the Sheriff of Lima county.  On their arrival in Ohio they were met by heavily armed guards and driven in armored convoys to the Columbus, Ohio prison.  Within weeks, Dillinger's three accomplices were tried and convicted of murder, shortly afterwards two of them died, executed in the electric chair. At Lake county jail, vigilance is being gradually relaxed, armed guards no longer patroled the adjoining streets as they packed up and headed off back to their barracks.   As there are six armored doors between Dillinger  and freedom, there was not a lot of worry about any possibility that Dillinger could escape...however...   ...working secretly, Dillinger cleverly used two 'ever-ready' razor blades to carve an imitation handgun from a piece of washboard...the alleged actual carving of which, can can be seen below.   Brandishing this piece of fashioned wood, Dillinger daringly bluffed and disarmed his guards, taking one hostage with his own gun...a real one this time.  Down through a kitchen and out of a side entrance, Dillinger and a fellow prisoner Herbert Youngblood, casually strolled unquestioned, with the captured guard leading the way. Youngblood climbed the high back yard gates to check to street beyond, Dillinger and his hostage casually strolled through the police garage that was unlocked and unguarded. The  street outside is quiet, with the hostage the two outlaws turned left into an alley and made for the side door of a main street garage.  The garage owner was taken hostage, and adding insult to injury, Dillinger and Youngblood with their hostages escaped in Sheriff Lillian Holly's own police car.  Similar to the one pictured below. It all sounds like a script out of Hollywood, except that it was all true. Within days, both Sheriff Lilian Holly and the county prosecutor lost their jobs.  A postal worker had witnessed Dillinger's escape, phoning the police station he was told that he was crazy and nuts, he was forced to tell the story three times before he was finally believed and even then it was with a fair amount of scepticism. In his greatest feat of daring so far, Dillinger had made one fatal mistake, by crossing state lines in a stolen car he had now become the legitimate trade of the FBI.  By 1934 under the direction of J Edgar Hoover, pictured below, the FBI had created a new type of law enforcement officer...the Special Agent or G-Man. Hoover believed that the FBI must become the most dedicated group of lawmen in the country, incorruptible, untouchable and utterly single minded in their quest to capture or kill fugitives, gangsters and hardened criminals. FBI recruits underwenta rigorous training program of extensive weapons handling, federal law, and the intricacies forensic science.  At the agents disposal were the FBI's own sophisticated laboratories for the identification of blood samples, fibers or any evidence taken from the scene of a crime.  The FBI had also assembled the largest collection of firearms in the country for ballistic reports and investigation, virtually any bullet could be matched to the type of gun from which it was fired. Soon after Dillinger's escape from Lake County jail, a special  'Dillinger' squad was assembled specifically to focus on the capture of the outlaw, with an explicit determination to capture Dillinger, dead or alive.  Dillinger's trail from Crown Point, first tookhim to Chicago where he abandoned Sheriff Lillian Holly's car. Dillinger was actually twice spotted by detectives but escaped and by March 13th he was in Mason city.  The following day he had reached St Paul in Minnesota and had teamed up with his girl-friend Billie Frechette, who then accompanied him almost everywhere he went. The landlady at the boarding house at which the couple were staying, recognised Dillinger, she played dumb and later tipped off the police.  Billie and Dillinger  again make good their escape using  a back staircase but were confronted by a hail of bullets and Dillinger was shot in the leg, ignoring the pain tough guy Dillinger and Billie managed to evade the FBI.  In the meantime  in the town of Port Hewin, the FBI had cornered Dillinger's fellow jail-breaker Herbert Youngblood (seen below) and in a ferocious gun battle with police, Youngblood wounded a local Sheriff and shot dead the deputy Sheriff. Believing that Dillinger must be somewhere in the vicinity, armed agents mounted roadblocks around the town, but they were searching in vain, John Dillinger escaped to Minneapolis after having his leg wound treated.  The doctor who treated him and tried to keep quiet about if after Dillinger paid him was later arrested and spent two years in jail.  It is interesting to note that during Dillinger's reign, 27 people were arrested for helping him evade the law. To continue with the story...a few days later, Dillinger and his girlfriend were sighted in Carthage, Illinois, but they kept on running and on April 6th they abandoned their car in Mankato, Minnesota. Below is Dillinger's actual 1933 Essex Terraplane 8, it is burgundy colored 4-door sedan, and it is has been preserved and is now kept in a private collection.  A very rare and indeed unique car with an even more unique history would make it quite valuable.   They stole another car and went to Noblesville, Indiana only a short distance from Dillinger's hometown of Mooresville.  On April 8th Dillinger took Billie to meet his father on the family farm, even he was absorbed into all the hype of John Dillinger the hard pressed hero and admirable gangster, he believed indeed that his son robbed banks but he could never kill anyone. Saying John Dillinger was a little mixed up but was really quite a nice guy just trying to make ends meet.   Dillinger's family had been quick to cash in on the sensation caused by his exploits, they had travelled from state to state speaking in cinema's of Dillinger's loving and generous nature.  By April 12th Dillinger was in the town of Warsaw, Indiana, but whilst Dillinger was away, Billie Frechette had been arrested in an FBI trap.  Dillinger cursed but then acquired a new accomplice in the shape of convict 'Homer Van-Meter', the pair didn't take long to get their act together and decided to replenish their armory from the town local police station. The Thompson M1928 sub-machine gun pictured below was Dillinger's much favored all round multi-purpose gun.  It had a 50 round drum magazine and fired large caliber .45acp bullets, the same as fired in the Colt 45 semi-automatic pistol which meant that ammunition was easily available.  It was a powerful and intimidating gun, also known as " The Chicago Piano" At 2 o clock in the morning, on the Warsaw main street the pair kidnapped Jed Pedinger the only police officer on duty and forced him to hand over the keys to the police gun vault.  Inside the police station though, the sheriff  bravely grabbed the machine gun wielded by Dillinger, and while the two violently struggled, Homer Van-Meter who could not get a clear line of fire fiercely struck the officer over the back of the head with the butt of his revolver, knocking him down and out cold. FBI activity in and around Chicago had become intense, Dillinger and Van-Meter headed north, meeting on route with gangsters Tommy Caroll and Baby Faced Nelson.  What is needed is somewhere quiet and isolated, somewhere to lay low for several weeks whilst the heat died down.  On the shore of Star Lake they found just the place they had been looking for, it is the 'Little Bohemia' road house.  The proprietor becomes immediately suspicious and summoned the FBI who arrived and started to surround the house, but the barking of the proprietors two dogs alerted the gang. Immediately there was a burst of automatic gunfire, and in the ensuing battle, three local men driving by in their car were accidentally hit by a barrage of police bullets...one is killed outright whilst the other two are seriously wounded.  Dillinger and the gang fled via a rear window leaving their girls hiding in the basement, Dillinger, Van Meter and Tommy Caroll made off by the lakes shoreline.  Baby Face Nelson hung back, shooting and killing FBI special agent W Carter-Baum.  The special agent is the 14th law enforcement death to result from Dillinger's exploits, almost as many again had been wounded. In the aftermath of the 'Little Bohemia' shootout, Dillinger and his gang hijacked a car from a local couple.  The following day the car was spotted and chased by police and they opened fire on the speeding car, Tommy Caroll is fatally wounded as several bullets smack into him but the rest of the gang escaped unhurt.  Dillinger realised that his face is far too recognizable so for safety and security his solution was to have plastic surgery, it was  a crude and dangerous process in the 1930s and after much trauma and discomfort his appearance is not really altered at all.  Also no plastic surgeon could disguise the narrow eyes that initially gave Dillinger his derogative nick-name. " Ol snake-eyes" At midday on Saturday June 30th 1934, John Dillinger staged his last bank robbery,  with the streets of Southbend, Indiana crowded with Saturday shoppers, Dillinger and Homer Van-Meter walked casually into the Merchants National Bank.  Dillinger announced his presence by firing a burst from his Thompson Sub-machine gun into the ceiling.  Outside the bank, the gang killed a policeman with a Thompson sub machine gun burst and escaped with 30,000 dollars.  They forced the hostages to ride the running boards of their getaway car but police who were desperate now to kill Dillinger opened fire regardless, wounding two of the hostages. In spite of the lengthening trail of dead and wounded the exploits of John Dillinger continued to arouse the admiration of the American public who were thoroughly enthralled with all the capers of this modern day Jesse James.  But the federal authorities are determined that the scourge must end, J Edgar Hoover, then chief of the FBI took the unprecedented step off making this offer:  WANTED: John Dillinger REWARD $10,000 for his capture, or $5,000 for information leading to his capture by the feds.  The reward later increased to $20,000  which was a whole lot of cash in the 1930s. It was a friend of Dillinger's, a brothel owner called Anna Sage who took the bait and prepared to betray Dillinger.  Dillinger had planned to visit the Biograph cinema in Chicago with  Sage and some friends to see the movie 'Manhattan Melodrama'.  Hardened criminal as he was, Dillinger still liked to have a night out and watch a flick.  FBI agents who were previously tipped off by Sage were ready and waiting, it was 10:30pm July 2nd 1934, when the movie was over, Dillinger and his companions leaved the cinema.  Suddenly sensing that he was in danger when he caught the steady stare of a special agent looking in his direction, he took a Colt .380 automatic pistol (actual gun seen below) out of his trouser pocket and began to run..but it was too late. Without warning the agents opened fire, Dillinger reached a nearby alley before falling to the ground with three bullets in his body. Two bullets had slammed into his chest whilst the third a .38 fired by G-man Melvin Purvis smacked into the back of his neck at close range and exited through his face, just under his right eye, killing him almost straight away.  Americas public enemy number 1, who had a reign of terror of the likes America had not seen since the days of the old west was dead. Below, Dillinger lying in the morgue, a place which became a media circus as photographers and members of the general public queued up for hours to get a glimpse of Dillinger's lifeless body. Anna Sage received $5,000  of the Dillinger reward money but was deported back to her home country of Romania in 1936. She lived there until she died of illness in 1947. There is a strange addendum to the story of John Dillinger, several witnesses to the shooting outside the Biograph cinema claim that the man who was shot had brown eyes, Dillinger's eyes were distinctive steely grey.  For years it was widely believed that the dead man was not John Dillinger but a stooge set up by Anna Sage, many said the body did not look like Dillinger either it was a powerful testimony to the enduring strength of the legend of John Dillinger. Melvin Purvis 1903 -1960 Also it has been suggested that Dillinger didn't die when the first two bullets struck his body and that FBI agent Melvin Purvis actually executed him by shooting him in the back of the head as he lay wounded in the alley, but this is only circumspect and there is no actual proof or testimony, just the odd shaky eyewitness reports. Below is a photo of one of the actual revolvers that one the FBI agents used to shoot Dillinger, its the renowned, robust and dependable  Colt Army. From 1945 and onwards there have been quite a few movies about the life and times of John Dillinger with the latest offering of Dillinger portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 2009 movie 'Public Enemies' which I have recently seen and it isn't too bad. There is also an official John Dillinger web site for further reading... Visit the official John Dillinger website by clicking on this text. This web page has been transcribed and edited  from the original 1940s documentary which was written & directed by David Flitton.  My own Extra factually researched material is also included. There is some further information about John Dillinger on my ' 38 Super ' page in the fire-arms section of this website. To History Links          To Main Links