Would the Real John Dillinger Please Stand Up?

The 1930's were a time of great depression. People that had never done without were paupers, and those who had always been poor were even poorer. Most of the country lived by the rule of law, but there was one man, John Dillinger, that inspired a nation with his gangster style.

John was born on June 22, 1903 to a middle class family in Indianapolis. His father was a hard working man, and a grocer. But, his family was anything but the typical loving middle class family. His father was both a strict disciplinarian and a very permissive man. This undoubtedly left John confused as he grew into young adulthood. His mother died when he was just three, and he was left to be raised by his father and a stepmother which he didn't like. (FBI)

As Dillinger aged his personality exhibited many signs that he would lead a life of crime. He was constantly in trouble, and stayed out late most nights. His father became concerned that John needed a better environment in which to live, so he sold his possessions and moved the family to a farm close to Mooresville, Indiana. Unfortunately, the move didn't assuage Dillinger of his criminal ways. (FBI)

It wasn't long until John became restless and left both his home and his father for the Navy. Soon it became apparent that the Navy would not be enough to hold him . He deserted from his ship in Boston, and headed back to Indiana. It was there that he met and married Beryl Hovius in 1924. She was sixteen years old. (FBI)

The couple moved to Indianapolis where Dillinger searched for employment, but he had no luck. It was there that he met Ed Singleton, and together they decided to rob a Mooresville grocery store. Dillinger and Singleton were arrested, but Singleton plead not guilty and was sentenced to two years. Dillinger on the other hand, took the advice of his father and plead guilty. He "was convicted of assault and battery with intent to rob, and conspiracy to commit a felony, and received joint sentences of 2 to 14 years and 10 to 20 years in the Indiana State Prison. Stunned by the harsh sentence, Dillinger became a tortured, bitter man in prison." (FBI)

Dillinger was paroled after serving eight and a half years. It was then that his real life of crime began. His first bank job was the bank in Bluffton, Ohio. He was arrested by police and sent to the Lima County Jail to await trial. But, three men that he had helped to escape from prison came to the jail pretending to be official prison transport, and killed the Sherriff, releasing Dillinger back into the public. (FBI)

Dillinger and his gang, which included: Harry Pierpont, Russell Clark, Charles Makley, and Harry Copeland, were ruthless. "From September, 1933, until July, 1934, he and his violent gang terrorized the Midwest, killing 10 men, wounding 7 others, robbing banks and police arsenals, and staging 3 jail breaks -- killing a sheriff during one and wounding 2 guards in another."

On Sunday July 22, 1934 Dillinger finally was brought down. The FBI cornered him outside the Biograph Theater. He was shot three times by FBI Agents, and landed on his face on the pavement. He was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m. at the Alexian Brothers Hospital, and his reign of terror was finally over. (FBI)

References:

Famous Cases, John Dillinger at: http://www.fbi.gov/libref/historic/famcases/dillinger/dillinger.htm. Retrieved from the world wide web on July 2, 2009.