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July 22, 2009

FBI — Dillinger - 75 Years Ago Today - Headline Archives 07-22-09

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THE DILLINGER MYTHS
The Year of the Gangster, Part 4		  
07/22/09  


Select "Play" to see a sequence of images taken by Bureau investigators tracing Dillinger's final steps along the street outside the Biograph Theater.

On July 22, 1934—75 years ago today—Bureau agents put an end to John Dillinger’s reign of crime when he was shot and killed near the Biograph Theater in Chicago. Dillinger’s story has been told and retold ever since—including in a recent Hollywood movie. Along the way, fact and fiction have often been blended together. Here, from our perspective, are the top ten myths surrounding Dillinger and the facts as we know them.

Myth #10: Dillinger was a “Robin Hood” type criminal, a romantic outlaw.

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Dillinger certainly had charm and charisma, but he was no champion of the poor or harmless thief—he was a hardened and vicious criminal. Dillinger stormed police stations in search of weapons and bulletproof vests. He robbed banks and stole cars. He shot at police officers (and may have killed one) and regularly used innocent bystanders as human shields to escape the law. Worse yet, he stood by as his ruthless gang members shot and killed people, including law enforcement officials. And what of his ill-gotten gains? They were used to line his own pockets and those of his partners in crime, not those of impoverished Americans in the midst of the Great Depression.

Myth #9: Dillinger was not carrying a gun the night he was killed.

Dillinger did have a gun on him—a .380 Colt automatic with the serial number scratched out. He reached for that gun when Bureau agents cornered him that fateful night. Not taking any chances, agents shot him before he had the chance to open fire.

John Dillinger timeline June 10, 1933, New Carlisle, Ohio: Dillinger robs his first bank, stealing $10,600.January 15, 1934, East Chicago, Indiana: Dillinger, John Hamilton, and the rest of his gang rob the First National Bank in East Chicago, making off with $20,000. While robbing the bank, Dillinger is confronted by Officer William O'Malley. O'Malley is shot and killed. July 4, 1934, 2420 N. Halsted Street, Chicago. Dillinger moves into apartment owned by Ana Sage.October 1933, 4541 N. Broadway, Chicago: Some reports say that Dillinger meets Evelyn “Billie” Frechette at the Barrel o’ Fun Tavern.April 22, 1934, Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin: The Dillinger gang escapes from a shoot-out with Bureau special agents at the Little Bohemia Lodge.September 1933, Dayton, Ohio: Dillinger is arrested.January 30, 1934, Main Street, Crown Point, Indiana: Dillinger arrives at the Lake County Jail. On March 3, Dillinger escapes using a wooden gun.June 22, 1903, Indianapolis: John Herbert Dillinger is born.July 25, 1934, 700 W. 38th Street, Indianapolis: Dillinger is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.April 9, 1934, 416 N. State Street, Chicago, Illinois: Frechette—Dillinger’s girlfriend—is captured by Bureau special agents at the State and Austin Tavern.July 22, 1934, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue: Dillinger is killed by Bureau agents in an ambush after leaving the Biograph Theater with Ana Sage and Polly Hamilton.Late 1924, Pendleton, Indiana: Dillinger is sentenced to the Indiana State Reformatory for robbery.May 28, 1934, 2509 N. Crawford Avenue (now Pulaski), Chicago: Dillinger and close friend and fellow gang member Homer Van Meter undergo plastic surgery at the home of bar owner Jimmy Probasco. They spend the next month at his house recovering.January 25, 1934, 311 E. Congress Street, Tucson, Arizona: The Dillinger gang is arrested at a hotel after a fire in the building.1920, Mooresville, Indiana: Dillinger’s father sells his property in Indianapolis and moves his family to a farm. On September 6, 1924, Dillinger and his friend, Edgar Singleton, rob a Mooresville grocer.July 15, 1929, Michigan City, Indiana. At his own request, Dillinger is transferred to the Indiana State Prison to be closer to his friends Pete Pierpont and Charles Makley. He is released in May 1933.October 14, 1933, Auburn, Indiana: The Dillinger gang robs a police station, taking bullet-proof vests and machine guns, pistols, and other weapons.October 12, 1933, Lima, Ohio: Pierpont, Makley, and Russell Clark free Dillinger from the Allen County jail; Pierpont kills Sheriff Jesse Sarber in the process.

Mouse over the numbers for details about Dillinger's reign of crime.

Myth #8: John Dillinger was not killed at the Biograph Theater, a stand-in was.

If this sounds like a conspiracy theory, that’s because it is. Claims that a man resembling Dillinger was actually killed have been advanced with only circumstantial evidence. On the other hand, a wealth of information supports Dillinger’s demise. Special Agents M. Chaffetz and Earle Richmond, for example, took two sets of fingerprints from the body outside the Biograph Theater, and both were a positive match. Another set taken during the autopsy were also a match.

Myth #7: The FBI beat up Evelyn Frechette after her arrest.

Not so. Evelyn “Billie” Frechette—Dillinger’s one time girlfriend—was captured on April 9, 1934 and detained in our Chicago Field Office. She was interrogated about Dillinger around the clock for two days under hot lights. She refused to cooperate and was transferred to St. Paul to stand trail for harboring Dillinger. While her interrogation wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, at no time did agents attack or strike her. Frechette and her lawyer claimed we did during the trail—most likely to win sympathy.

Lester Gillis “Baby Face Nelson”—A hot-headed psychopath, Nelson teamed up with Dillinger and his gang to make some money and break the law. While technically Dillinger and Van Meter joined Nelson’s gang, the press refused to give Nelson credit as the leader. Nelson was all too happy to shoot someone and did so on many occasions. Dillinger never fully trusted Nelson, recognizing that he could get them all killed. Nelson later died in a shootout with FBI agents.Tommy Carroll—A handsome man, Carroll joined Nelson during a bank robbery and later met Dillinger and his gang at Little Bohemia, where they narrowly escaped FBI agents on their trail. While on vacation with his girlfriend, Carroll was tracked down by officers and shot while attempting to pull his gun.John “Red” Hamilton—Hamilton—who once killed a police detective in Chicago—met Dillinger in prison and was part of the group that was constantly attempting to break out. He was described as somewhat absent-minded, but stayed with Dillinger throughout most of his crimes. He lost two fingers on his right hand during his childhood.Harry “Pete” Pierpont—Pierpont met Dillinger in jail and was constantly trying to escape; he eventually came up with the idea of smuggling weapons into the prison and attempting a mass breakout. He succeeded, but Dillinger was captured, so Pierpont came back to rescue him. In the process, Pierpont killed a sheriff. Pierpont was described by many eyewitnesses as the true leader of the gang, but the Indiana State Police dubbed the group “Dillinger Gang,” hoping to draw a wedge between the two men. Pierpont simply laughed it off, remaining loyal to his colleagues until his capture and subsequent execution.John Paul Chase—One of Nelson’s most trusted associates, Chase was a simpleton but remained loyal to Nelson to the end. He was eventually paroled and became a janitor.Homer Van Meter—A longtime criminal, Van Meter met Dillinger in prison and was with him off and on for nearly his entire career. He lived with Dillinger in a truck on the run for several weeks and robbed banks with him. He was a stereotypical cool criminal, and he never bashed an eye at killing when he necessary.Ed Shouse—Somewhat of a loner, Shouse often got on the wrong side of Dillinger. Dillinger thought he was trying to seduce Billie Frechette, and Shouse ended up getting kicked out of the gang for wanting to rob a bank alone or perhaps with the aid of John Hamilton.Charles Makley—An older man with round features, Makley counseled Pierpont in many of his plans and always preached caution. He was killed while attempting to break out of prison with Pierpont.Russell Clark—A handsome, garrulous bank robber from Detroit, Clark met Dillinger and his gang in prison. As with most of the gangsters of that era, Clark was more than willing to do what he needed to do to get the job done. If it paid, he’d do it.
Dillinger's Partners in Crime: These are some of the men who worked with Dillinger at various points in his criminal career. Scroll over their pictures to learn more.
 

Myth #6: The FBI took physical specimens from Dillinger’s corpse.

There is no evidence suggesting that the Bureau kept “souvenirs” from Dillinger’s body or in any way desecrated his remains. According to media reports, however, the local coroner later admitted taking pieces of Dillinger’s brain to examine.

Myth #5: East Chicago, Indiana Police killed Dillinger, not FBI agents.

While East Chicago Police officers were instrumental in helping the Bureau track down Dillinger the night he died, they were not in a position to shoot him. According to the drawn-up plans of the takedown and individual testimony, all of these officers were too far away to have an unobstructed shot. The closest—Captain Timothy O’Neil—was stationed across the street; his line of fire would have been blocked by special agents and civilians. In the end, it was Bureau agents who shot and killed Dillinger. Claims that someone else pulled the trigger came much later.

The Year of the Gangster
  Part 1: Dillinger Crosses a Line
  Part 2: Lessons at Little Bohemia (Video)
  Part 3: Bonnie & Clyde Redux
Myth #4: J. Edgar Hoover hired a bunch of killers to go after Dillinger.

Capturing John Dillinger was certainly the Bureau’s top priority in the summer of 1934, but we did not take a “dead or alive” approach as evidenced in our records and in later agent recollections. After the failed raid at Little Bohemia, we did hire several exceptional lawmen with firearms experience and steady gun-hands during times of danger, but only one ended up firing on Dillinger. The idea was to bring in professionals to help mentor less experienced agents, not to get Dillinger at all costs.

Myth #3: Chicago Special Agent in Charge Melvin Purvis single-handedly brought down Dillinger.

Purvis was a key figure, but he definitely did not shoot Dillinger (as some press accounts claimed) and his role in the final days of the case has often been overstated. After the Little Bohemia incident, Director J. Edgar Hoover appointed Inspector and Special Agent Samuel Cowley to oversee what had become a multi-state search. Cowley operated independently, but largely out of our Chicago office. FBI records suggest that he and Purvis worked together on the Dillinger investigation, but Cowley was clearly in charge until the end.

Myth #2: A “lady in a red dress” betrayed Dillinger.

Actually, it was a lady in an orange skirt and white blouse named Ana Sage. Sage—a Romanian who was friends with Dillinger’s girlfriend at the time, Polly Hamilton—came up with the idea of turning in the fugitive after she was invited to go to the movies with the couple. She contacted the East Chicago, Indiana Police Department, who passed her on to Purvis. While Sage hoped that the FBI might help her avoid deportation, she also wanted the $5,000 reward. She told Purvis she would be attending a movie with Dillinger and Hamilton at the Biograph and would wear an orange skirt to set her apart from the crowd. (The red dress was an invention of the media—red tends to be a more alluring color and apparently sounded better in a headline.) After Dillinger’s death, Sage was paid the reward, but the FBI was not able to influence her deportation proceedings, and she was sent back to Romania.

Myth #1: Dillinger died expressing his love for Billie Frechette.

Popular culture likes to play up the “eternal romance” between Dillinger and Frechette, but evidence shows that they were in love only a short time. After Frechette was captured, Dillinger looked elsewhere for romance. He found it with Polly Hamilton—the woman he took to the movies the night he was killed. When he was shot, Dillinger had on him a gold ring inscribed with the words, “With all my love, Polly,” as well as a pocket watch that contained a picture of her. Dillinger is thought by some to have whispered something about Billie Frechette as he lay on the sidewalk dying. Several eyewitnesses said they saw Dillinger’s lips moving moments before he died, but no one was close enough to hear if he was whispering or simply exhaling for the last time.

FBI — Dillinger - Press Room - Headline Archives 07-22-09
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