Evening star., 1934-07-27
PURVS RELATES.
D|LL|NGER Staying.
Justice Department Chief
In Chicago Says He
"Invited" Death.

aO,K plan vas 10 take him alive
but he wouldn't let us.
In even. Aoft-spoken tones. voting
South Carolina college graduate told
r<uorsrss yesterday hoW he gave an
s-disciosed agnal that led Federal
agents &c ciese in on John Dillinger
and how the No I fsDgBter invited
death in preference 70 being taken
alive Sunday night in Chicago.
The story was related by 3o-year-
old Melvin II. Purvik. agent In charge
OF the Chicago field Office Of the Jus
tice Departments Division OF Invest-
CATION. who is here for conferences
with Euperiors on further plans for
"rnopplng up" the remainder Of the
DIllinger gang.
Women Not Being Sought
Al the press conference Acting At
torney General william Stanley an
nounced the Government does not
plan 70 arrest THE woman in red"
or her RiTl companion. who are re-
ported to have accompanied Dillinger
10 the theater where he met his end.
He ssid no search is being made for
them. but he declined TO discuss the
women further.
introduced by Stanley Purvts, at
the request of newspaper men, re-
pesttd a detailed account OF the cap
ture aad shooting Of the gangster.
He said the information that Dillinger
would 20 10 the Biogrsph Theater
was not positive. and, therefore, only
Purvk and one other agent went
there at first.
TeIephoned for Reserves.
"I was seated in an automobile
nearby and saw Dillinger go In
about $40 pm. with a group of men
and women" Purvis said. II didn't
know who was with him and who
wasn't. The agent with me went TO
telephone for reserves and went in
the tneater to see II I could spot
Dillinger. 1t was too dark. however.
THE agents arrived shortly and were
stationed outside at all exits and in
other convenient places. was in
front of the theater most Of the two
came out he looked straight at me,
but don't know whether he knew me
or not, gave the signal to close in
and just then Dillinger looked back
ward. He turned his head TO the
left and then suddenly darted to
the right toward an alley. AS he did
so he drew his gun out Of his trou-
sers pocket and. Of course, we had
to shoot him. He may have sensed
that something was wrong, although
none of us had made a move when
he looked back"
Had Never Seen Him.
Puryis said he had never seen Dill.
linger, but had studied his pictures
and was familiar with his appearance
Il knew him the instant I saw
him." Purvis said. His peculiar eyes
aided me to identity him. There was
no doubt in my mind about 1t"
The Federal officer said he went
into the theater not to attempt a one
man capture of the arch-criminsl. but
to attempt to make sure he had not
become aware he was being watched
and to see whether he had taken a
seat or slipped out an exit which was
not vet guarded. 1t was too dark
and there we're too many patrons in
the theater to see whether Dillinger
vas there. however. .et
& Purvis said he btcame worried as
The vifil heightened, because Of the
scrutiny 10 which a large woman in
an upstairs room across the street
subjected the agents.
Manager Feared Hold-up.
''She watched us the whole time"
the agent related. Later the man
ager OF the theater, aoticing the gath
ering OF our men about the theater,
thought a hold-up was being planned
and phoned the police. They arrived
Just as the capture was being ef-
fected."
Under an agreement exacted by
Stanley the reporters asked no Ques-
tions about the two woman compan-
ions Of Dillinger or the identity of
the agents who shot the gangster.
Purvis also declined to reveal the
nature of the signal he gave for the
closingin process to begin, explaining
his men might use the same signal
again some time. he denied reports
he had dropped his arm alongside
q car.
Never Returned to Car.
ct never returned to the car after
arriving at the theater," Purvis as
serted. II signaled Just as Dillinger
came abreast of me. I am pretty sure
he didn't notice the signal or, II he
saw 1t, he didn't suspect its import. +"
Purvis said he was about three feet
from the outlaw when the shooting
began.
He fell INTO the alley and didn't
say a word" Purvis said. He would
have shot US II we hadn't shot first"
j. Edgar Hoover, director Of the
Division OF Investigation. sat beside
Purvis during the interview, but made
no comment.