The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-23
NOTORIOUS OUTLAW
DIES OF WOUNDS IN
final GUN BATTLE
Desperate Falls Into Trap;
Meets Death Late Sunday
Reaching for Gun
WOUND IN NECK IS FATAL
Sensational Climax Ends Long
and Bloody Career Of Ace
Robber.killer

Chicago, July 23.-(R-Dillinger's
dead!
He staggered from a neighborhood
theatre Sunday night into the raking
fire of government guns. Too late
he saw the cleaning steel Of the trap
set for him.
His hand went for his gun. TOO
late. Three bullets tore into his body
One in the neck, two In the body.
He staggered, fell.
It was the end Of John Dillinger.
The hour was 1O:40 p. m, central
dwight saving time. The place
was just outside the Biograph theatre,
neighborhood movie at Fullerton
and Lincoln Avenues, on the north
west side, in territory where the blood
OF many a Chicago gangster has
flowed before.
Had the climax Of this bank rob-
ber- desperate killers career been
pre-arranged 1t could have been no
more sensational. There was even so
large an audience, lettering about the
vicinity Of the theatre, drawn by the
presence of so many department OF
JuoCACC 06C1lto, I4Adk AOI u Title SOIl1S
believed holdup was planned.
deliberately Disguised
Dillinger. his hair dyed a darker
hue, tell-tale scars on his cheeks lifted
by plastic surgery, gold-rimmed spec
tacles framing his shifty eyes. nose
straightened a carefully groomed
black moustache adjoining his leering
lip. and the whorls of Iii, fingertips
obliterated by acid, strobe through
the lobby and sauntered down the
street.
He passed. apparently without rec
ignition, Melvin Fl. Purvis, chief Of
the Chicago bureau Of the department
of justice. Purvis, seated In q park
Ell car. moved his right arm in cas-
ual signal. Several agents leaped
forward, their pistols glistening in
the garish light.
Suddenly the mask Of insolence
dropped from the phantom free-boot-
er's countenance. He darted into an
alley. reaching for q pistol for q duel
to the death. As he did 80. q five
shot fusillade cut him down. Three
Of the bullets struck him. Two miss
ed their mark and whizzed into the
terrified throngs gathered near the
theater, striking the legs Of two gap
ing women spectators.
The infamous fugitive sprawled on
the pavement in q crumpled heap
There was tense silence, then the
scores Of Mortified witnesses, the
agents. two Chicago detectives and
five officers from East Chicago, In
diana, rushed forward.
Sirens shrieked and alarm bells
changed as q patrol wagon, an am
bulance and number Of police squad
cars raced up. Mrs. Eta Natalsky
and Miss Theresa Paulus, both wound
ed in the leg, were carried to the am
bulance. Dillinger, still breathing,
was placed in the patrol car.
Dies 1t Hospital
The vehicle transporting the wound
ed Dillinger made for the Alexian
Brothers hospital. He died without
word or motion, before medical aid
could be administered, at q street
crossing enroute to the hospital.
The body was Laid on the green
lawn Of the hospital. Four govern
ment operatives stood guard. A dep
uty coroner arrived, and the dead out
law was borne to the county morgue.
Stripped. cold and Colorless as marble.
the body was put on q slab. A small
group gathered. A surgeon spoke
The slug which ended an amazing
crime career had struck in the neck
and coursed up to emerge beneath the
the right eye. The others had pierced
the left breast. one cleaving the tip
of the heart, the third striking two
inches further down.
In one of Dillinger's pockets-into
which the lions share Of the estimate
ed thousands of loot he and his brig
ands had gathered in daring raids was
reputed to have gone-was found Just
$3.50. The back Of his watch con-
tanned the picture of alluring Evelyn
Frechette, an Indian girl who OBJ
viously ranked first among the des-
perado's many women friends.
Purvis learned he planned to attend
the Biosraph theater. He selected
is crack shots-by grim coincidence
one for each victim Of murders at-
tributed to the Dillinger marauders.
The source Of the information was
unrevealed.
They arrived In time to watch him
purchase . ticket and 60 IN to see
Manhattan Melodlrama." Il was !
glnman's holiday ftr Americas NUM-
Der one gunman.
Purvis Gives versie0
Purvis gave this official version:
Il made arrangements to surround
the theater with picked men from
among my investigators. They were
armed only with pistols. No shct-
guns Or machine guns were issued Tor
! wished no general firing TINT might
endAnger passersby.
= stationed myself Ii my own auto
mobile. parked two doors south q the
theater. ny men were stationed 81
doorway. Il was shortly befos : o.
o'clock when first nottced DllIinoef.
Ne Was coatless. hit Note : hat ana
i gpldrimued spoctaclee. - hn1 pAas-
"a nv cor be1oro ! go him ~
havo studied every Avoilnh1o 1910
graph of him - earoea11r thok Il
rscoenizod IL E1ciE 6 NJ 80 r..
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