Tag: John Dillinger
The National Archives is known for maintaining and preserving documents like the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. But among America’s historic documents, there are also records of bank robbers, bootleggers, and gangsters.
In this week’s “True Crime at the Archives” spotlight is America’s first public enemy—John Dillinger.
A cunning and sophisticated bank robber, Dillinger led a string of violent robberies during his short yet infamous criminal career.
So why did auto theft prove to be his most costly crime?
It all began in 1933, when Dillinger was paroled from the Indiana State Prison after serving eight and a half years for robbing a grocery store. Within months, Dillinger organized a group of his closest criminal associates and began a notorious crime spree.
From September 1933 until January 1934, Dillinger and his fellow outlaws managed to evade law enforcement. And while Americans struggled during the height of the Great Depression, the gang stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Midwestern banks.
After a robbery of the First National Bank of East Chicago turned violent, national publicity intensified. The gang then fled to Arizona, where they were caught by local police on January 23.
Dillinger was extradited to Indiana to await trial for the murder of a police officer. But while he was sequestered in … [ Read all ]
Posted by Gregory Marose on March 14, 2012, under - Great Depression, Unusual documents.
Tags: 1933, 1934, bank robbery, Biograph Theater, car theft, Chicago, Dillinger, FBI, Federal crime, Hoover, Indiana state Prison, John Dillinger