John Dillinger

Who Was John Dillinger?

John Dillinger, born on June 22, 1903, in Indianapolis, Indiana, became one of America’s most notorious gangsters during the Great Depression. His criminal career began with petty theft in his youth, but it escalated dramatically in the 1920s. After committing a grocery store robbery in 1924, Dillinger was apprehended and imprisoned. However, he managed to escape, subsequently joining forces with a gang that would become known for its highly organized and deadly bank robberies across the United States. Despite his criminal activities, Dillinger garnered significant media attention, becoming a public figure who eluded law enforcement for several months. His life came to a violent end in 1934 when he was shot and killed by the FBI outside a Chicago movie theater.

Early Life

John Herbert Dillinger was the youngest of two children born to John Wilson Dillinger and Mary Ellen “Molly” Lancaster. Known as “Johnnie” during his childhood, he later earned the nickname “Jackrabbit” for his agility and ability to evade capture. His rise to infamy during the Great Depression transformed him into the first individual designated as “Public Enemy No. 1” by the United States, solidifying his status as both a celebrity and one of the most feared gangsters of the 20th century.

Dillinger’s early years were marked by a blend of mischief and delinquency. As a boy, he participated in petty theft and pranks with a local gang called the Dirty Dozen. While many neighbors described him as a generally pleasant child, there were also accounts of his more mischievous behavior during his teenage years. These dual perceptions of Dillinger shaped his later life, as the stories of his early years became intertwined with his notorious exploits.

Following the death of his mother from a stroke when he was just three years old, Dillinger was raised by his older sister, Audrey, until her marriage a year later. His father, John Sr., a stern churchgoer who owned a grocery store and rental properties, often exhibited abusive tendencies toward his son. Despite this tumultuous home life, Dillinger demonstrated mechanical aptitude and became a skilled employee at an Indianapolis machine shop after dropping out of school at age 16, seeking financial independence.

In 1920, in a bid to provide a more nurturing environment for his son, John Sr. sold his grocery store and moved the family to a farm in Mooresville, Indiana. Nevertheless, Dillinger remained rebellious, opting to keep his job at the machine shop and commuting on his motorcycle. This defiance foreshadowed the path of rebellion that would define his later life.

Early Crimes and Convictions

John Dillinger’s criminal trajectory began in earnest on July 21, 1923, when he stole a sedan outside a church, possibly in response to a romantic disappointment. Shortly thereafter, two police officers found him wandering the streets of Indianapolis. After a brief interrogation revealed inconsistencies in his explanations, they arrested him. However, Dillinger managed to escape their custody and fled, opting to enlist in the United States Navy the following day.

Although he successfully completed basic training, Dillinger soon found the strict military life unappealing. While stationed on the U.S.S. Utah—later sunk during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941—he deserted after just five months, culminating in a dishonorable discharge.

Upon returning to Mooresville in April 1924, Dillinger married Beryl Ethel Hovious, a teenager from nearby Martinsville, and attempted to lead a settled life. Without stable employment, the couple moved between the Dillinger family farmhouse and Hovious’ parents’ home until Dillinger found work in an upholstery shop.

During the summer of 1924, Dillinger played shortstop for the Martinsville baseball team, where he befriended Edgar Singleton. Singleton informed Dillinger of a local grocer who would be carrying cash to the barbershop after work, suggesting they rob the elderly man. The plan involved Dillinger attacking the grocer while Singleton waited in a getaway car.

Dillinger reportedly armed himself with a .32 caliber pistol and a heavy bolt wrapped in a handkerchief. Eyewitness accounts vary regarding who initiated the attack; however, it is said that Dillinger struck the grocer from behind, but the elderly man managed to grab the gun, causing it to discharge. Believing he had shot the grocer, Dillinger fled towards the getaway car, only to find that Singleton was not there. Soon after, he was apprehended by the police.

The local prosecutor persuaded Dillinger’s father that a guilty plea would result in leniency from the court. However, Dillinger appeared without legal representation or his father, and the court sentenced him to 10 to 20 years in prison for armed robbery, despite this being his first offense. Singleton, who had a criminal record, received a lesser sentence and served less than two years.

Imprisonment at Indiana State Reformatory

Dillinger was incarcerated at the Indiana State Reformatory in Pendleton, where he played on the institution’s baseball team and worked as a seamster. His adeptness with his hands allowed him to exceed his work quotas frequently, earning him respect and friendship from fellow inmates, including Harry Pierpont and Homer Van Meter, who would later join him in criminal activities.

Initially, Dillinger’s family visited him regularly, and he maintained a romantic correspondence with Beryl, expressing his longing for their reunion. Despite his affections, the separation took a toll on their marriage, leading Beryl to file for divorce just days before Dillinger’s birthday on June 20, 1929. The emotional fallout from this split left him devastated.

After being denied parole that same year, Dillinger became embittered. In a letter to his father written in October 1933, he expressed regret for disappointing his family and reflected on how his lengthy incarceration had altered his perspective: “I know I have been a big disappointment to you but I guess I did too much time, for where I went in a carefree boy, I came out bitter toward everything in general.”

Seeking a transfer to Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Dillinger claimed he wanted to join a superior baseball team. In reality, he aimed to reconnect with Pierpont and Van Meter, who had already been transferred there.

Life in Michigan City proved more restrictive, and Dillinger became increasingly despondent, choosing to immerse himself in labor rather than joining the baseball team. During this time, he learned valuable insights into criminal enterprises from seasoned bank robbers. He reestablished connections with Pierpont and Van Meter and befriended Walter Dietrich, a man who had worked with the notorious bank robber Herman Lamm. Dietrich taught Dillinger and others about the strategic planning involved in executing successful bank heists.

Jailbreaks

Despite serving longer sentences, Pierpont and Van Meter were determined to escape, devising plans for bank heists upon their release. Recognizing Dillinger’s impending freedom, they enlisted his help in their scheme.

In May 1933, after nearly four years in prison, Dillinger received notification that his stepmother was gravely ill. Although he was granted parole, she passed away shortly before he could return home. Seizing the opportunity, Dillinger joined Pierpont’s group in a series of robberies. Alongside female accomplices Pearl Elliott and Mary Kinder, he orchestrated a prison break, smuggling guns into the prison by concealing them in a box of thread meant for the shirt factory.

Planning to execute the escape in late September, Dillinger instead found himself arrested while visiting Mary Longnaker in Dayton, Ohio, as police monitored his activities. After receiving a tip from a landlady, they apprehended him, and he was transferred to Allen County Jail in Lima, Ohio. Meanwhile, Pierpont and his accomplices successfully escaped from the Indiana State Prison, retreating to a hideout in Hamilton, Ohio.

In Lima, Dillinger was under the watch of Sheriff Jess Sarber and his wife, who resided at the jail. Realizing they could spring Dillinger with cash and firearms, Pierpont and two associates robbed a local bank, then approached the jailhouse posing as state penitentiary officials in need of Dillinger. When Sarber demanded identification, they brandished their weapons. In the ensuing confrontation, Pierpont shot Sarber and struck him, leading to the sheriff’s death a few hours later and marking the gang members as accessories to murder.

Following his escape, Dillinger and his gang relocated to Chicago, where they sought to establish one of the most organized and notorious bank-robbing crews in the nation. To execute their elaborate plans, they required heavy firepower and bulletproof vests, prompting them to raid the police arsenal in Peru, Indiana. After surveying the location, Dillinger and Pierpont overpowered personnel and seized a significant cache of weapons.

The Dillinger Gang: An Overview

The Dillinger Gang, previously known as the Pierpont Gang, gained considerable notoriety following a series of audacious criminal acts, including a dramatic prison escape, a brazen bank heist, the murder of police officer Sarber, and an attack on a police arsenal. These events captured the attention of the media, leading to sensationalized accounts that depicted the gang members as enigmatic figures cloaked in dark overcoats, their hat brims pulled low to conceal their identities. Reports described their swift movements and terse commands to victims, who were portrayed as vulnerable and relieved to escape with their lives, while law enforcement was depicted as ineffectual in their attempts to apprehend the criminals.

The gang was acutely aware of the publicity surrounding their exploits, particularly John Dillinger, who meticulously read and collected newspaper clippings about their activities. Despite the bravado often associated with their line of work, there was little internal strife regarding leadership within the gang. The media’s reference to the “Pierpont Gang” versus the “Dillinger Gang” seemed inconsequential; each member understood their role, and the planning of heists was a collaborative effort. Outside of their criminal endeavors, the gang members led relatively unremarkable lives in upscale Chicago apartments, dressing like respectable businessmen to avoid drawing attention. Most maintained romantic relationships, although these were often transient. They adhered to a strict code against substance use during criminal planning and execution, with members being dismissed if they could not comply.

From late 1933 into the following year, the gang orchestrated several bank robberies across the Midwest, each meticulously planned with an element of theatricality. Notably, they once disguised themselves as alarm system sales representatives to gain access to a bank vault. In another instance, they purportedly posed as a film crew scouting locations for a bank robbery movie. As the gang’s notoriety grew, so did the media’s fascination, leading to stories that often emphasized the absurdity and humor of their escapades. Despite the romanticized portrayal of Dillinger as a Robin Hood figure, the FBI later characterized him and his associates as dangerous criminals primarily motivated by personal gain.

Billie Frechette and the Gang’s Downfall

In December 1933, the Dillinger Gang decided to take a holiday in Florida. Shortly before their departure, a gang member fatally shot a police officer during a car retrieval. In response, the Chicago Police Department formed an elite task force known as the “Dillinger Squad.” The gang enjoyed their time in Florida, but after the New Year, Pierpont proposed they head to Arizona. Dillinger took the opportunity to collect his girlfriend, Billie Frechette, along with another gang member, Red Hamilton. In need of quick funds for their trip, Dillinger and Hamilton attempted to rob the First National Bank in East Chicago. The robbery, however, went awry; Hamilton sustained injuries, and Dillinger was implicated in the murder of Officer William Patrick O’Malley during their escape.

Meanwhile, other gang members encountered difficulties in Tucson, where a fire at their hotel alerted authorities to their presence. Dillinger and Frechette arrived shortly after the fire and checked into a nearby motel. The Tucson police swiftly rounded up all gang members, including Dillinger and Frechette, within hours. As the legal situation unfolded, officials from the Midwest engaged in jurisdictional disputes regarding the extradition of the prisoners. Ultimately, Dillinger was slated to return to Indiana under the supervision of Police Captain Matt Leach to stand trial for the murder of Officer O’Malley.

The New Dillinger Gang

John Dillinger’s infamy took a dramatic turn when he was taken to the office of Lake County Sheriff Lillian Holley, who was serving the remainder of her late husband’s term after he had been killed in the line of duty. The sheriff’s office became a hub of media attention, filled with reporters and photographers eager to capture a glimpse of the notorious criminal. In an infamous moment, Dillinger obliged a photographer’s request to pose alongside law enforcement officials, resting his elbow on the shoulder of Indiana state prosecutor Robert Estill. This highly controversial photograph was widely circulated, leading to Estill’s eventual dismissal for appearing to associate with such a notorious figure.

While awaiting trial, Dillinger was housed in Crown Point Prison, a facility touted as inescapable. However, on March 3, 1934, Dillinger disproved this claim by escaping the prison without a single shot fired. Legend has it that he fashioned a wooden gun, darkened it with shoe polish, and used it to facilitate his escape. Other accounts suggest possible corruption within the prison, alleging that someone may have supplied him with a real firearm or that his attorney, Louis Piquett, bribed prison staff. Regardless of the method, Dillinger successfully eluded capture, commandeered Sheriff Holley’s police car, and fled back to Illinois. His actions constituted a felony, as he crossed state lines with the stolen vehicle, drawing the attention of the FBI, then led by J. Edgar Hoover.

Upon reaching Chicago, Dillinger quickly assembled a new gang. This group was less selective than his previous one, consisting of misfits and sociopaths, including Lester Gillis, known as “Baby Face Nelson.” He also reconnected with his acquaintance from the Reformatory, Homer Van Meter. The gang relocated to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they embarked on a crime spree, robbing several banks throughout March. Law enforcement was hot on their trail; Dillinger and his accomplice, Evelyn Frechette, narrowly escaped an FBI raid while staying in St. Paul. After Frechette was apprehended upon returning to Chicago, Dillinger and his gang sought refuge in a Wisconsin hideout known as Little Bohemia.

Their arrival did not go unnoticed. Emil Wanatka, the lodge owner, recognized Dillinger and, fearing for his family’s safety due to the gang’s notoriety, penned a letter to U.S. Attorney George Fisher, revealing the identity of his guests. Wanatka’s wife, Nan, persuaded Dillinger to allow her to attend her nephew’s birthday party, successfully eluding Baby Face Nelson’s watch and mailing the letter. Soon after, local FBI agent Melvin Purvis was informed. On April 22, 1934, Purvis and his team approached Little Bohemia. As they neared the lodge, they were met with gunfire, resulting in a chaotic shootout that left an FBI agent and a civilian dead, although the gang managed to escape once again.

‘Public Enemy No. 1’

By the summer of 1934, Dillinger had become increasingly elusive. On his birthday, the FBI officially designated him as America’s first “Public Enemy No. 1” and placed a $10,000 bounty on his head. To evade detection, Dillinger and Van Meter underwent a crude facelift in May at the residence of mob affiliate Jimmy Probasco. For the subsequent month, Dillinger recuperated at Probasco’s Chicago home, adopting the alias Jimmy Lawrence, which belonged to a petty thief who had previously dated Frechette.

On June 30, 1934, Dillinger executed his last bank heist, accompanied by Van Meter, Nelson, and an unidentified individual. The gang targeted the Merchant’s National Bank in South Bend, Indiana, resulting in a violent encounter where police officer Howard Wagner was killed. During the robbery, Nelson sustained a gunshot wound from a shop owner, though his bulletproof vest protected him. The crew made off with approximately $30,000.

Dillinger’s connection with Anna Sage, also known as Ana Cumpanas, remains somewhat unclear. While some accounts suggest they had known each other for years, others indicate they met in 1934 through Dillinger’s girlfriend, Polly Hamilton, who worked for Sage. Sage, a Romanian immigrant, settled in East Chicago, Indiana, after her marriage ended. Following the death of mobster “Big Bill” Subotich, she took over his business and established her own brothels.

Sage faced deportation due to an investigation by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and sought assistance from local detective Martin Zarkovich, who arranged a meeting with FBI agent Melvin Purvis. On July 19, 1934, Sage expressed her willingness to cooperate with the FBI in exchange for help with her deportation case.

Final Moments and Death

On July 22, 1934, at 5 p.m., Sage informed the FBI agents that she and Dillinger intended to see a film at either the Biograph or Marboro theaters. Purvis decided to monitor the Biograph while other agents watched the Marboro. As Dillinger exited the theater after a showing of Manhattan Melodrama, he locked eyes with Purvis, yet showed no signs of recognition. Following a prearranged signal, Purvis lit a cigar, at which point he confronted Dillinger, exclaiming, “Stick ’em up, Johnnie, we have you surrounded!”

In response, Dillinger attempted to flee, reaching for his weapon. As he entered an alley, a barrage of gunfire erupted. The fatal shot struck Dillinger at the base of his neck, traversing upward and exiting below his right eye. A crowd soon gathered around his lifeless body, with onlookers collecting bloodied handkerchiefs as grisly souvenirs. Authorities had to intervene to clear the scene, allowing federal agents to secure the area and transport Dillinger’s body.

Following his death, Dillinger was taken to Alexian Brothers Hospital, where he was pronounced dead before being transported to the Cook County Morgue. The body drew considerable attention; hundreds of spectators awaited outside, eager for a glimpse of the notorious outlaw. The following day, thousands viewed his body before it was taken to McCready Funeral Home. Dillinger was subsequently given a police escort to Indiana, where his sister, Audrey, identified the body. He was buried on July 25, 1934, at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Personal Life

In April 1924, Dillinger married Beryl Ethel Hovious in Martinsville, Indiana. However, after his incarceration, Hovious divorced him in 1929.

John Dillinger in Film

Dillinger’s life has been the subject of numerous films over the years, including Dillinger (1945), starring Lawrence Tierney, Dillinger and Capone (1995), produced by Roger Corman and featuring Martin Sheen, and Public Enemies (2009), directed by Michael Mann and starring Johnny Depp as Dillinger.