Evening star., 1935-08-29
HAMILTON SLAIN,
INQUEST DECIDES
"G-Men" Think DilIinger
Aide, Found in Hole,
Wore Bullet Vest.
Nv tba Associated Press,

OSWEGO, Ill. August ga coro-
ner's jury today decided that moul-
dered corpse dug up near here by
Omen" yesterday was that Of John
CThree- fingered Jack'O Hamilton,
but did not determine who killed the
Dillinger lieutenant.
The jury's verdict was that Ham
ilton came to his death from gun
shot wounds from persons unknown,
but we believe from the evidence given
that the body is Hamiltons."
Government agents at the inquest
gave the first official version of Hamil-
tons death. -
The "G-men' who recovered his
body from a shallow grave in a gravel
pit said confidential information at
the Bureau of Investigation Of the De-
partment Of Justice was that Hamll-
ton was fatally wounded in a flight
from sheriffs at South st. Paul April
% 1884.
Ten days later the agents testified.
Hamilton died and his companions
on the flight during which he was
shot. John Dillinger and Homer Van
Meter, buried him in the lonely gravel
pit and threw I've upon his face and
hands to make Identification difficult.
"Ghost" Effectually Laid.
The agents testimony and the jury's
verdict effectually laid the Hamilton
ghost" For 18 months Hamilton had
been variously reported alive in many
parts of the country and buried IN
others, rumors bobbing up repeatedly.
Four agents exhumed Hamilton's
corpse, badly decomposed, after two
days of prospecting" They were in
charge of E. j. Connelley of the Chi
cago office of the Justice Departments
Bureau of Investigation.
Connelley testified three bullet frag-
ments and several pieces of steel were
found in the corpse, indicating, he
said, Hamilton was wearing bullet
proof" vest when wounded.
The condition of the bullet frag-
ments, he said. was such that the
caliber of the pellet could not be de-
termined.
Corpse Same Height.
The corpse answered Hamilton's de-
scription, Connelley SAID. measuring
the same height, and what few hairs
remained on the decomposed skull
were of the same color as Hamilton's
Lye thrown on the body hastened de-
composition.
Unless Hamilton's relatives claim
the corpse within three days, said DR..
F. M. Groner, Kendall County coro-
ner, it will be turned over to the
Government, destined for burial in an
ignonimious grave in potter's field.
The agents refused to disclose the
movements of Dillinger and Van Me-
ter during the 10 days they were ham
pered with the wounded Hamilton.
r. D. Brown, one Of the agents who
found the corpse, indicated the trio
had a "hideout" near Oswego. which
is So miles southwest CT Chicago, and
the Federal agents said arrests would
be forthcoming.
Tells Story Of Search.
Brown gave a comprehensive story
of the Governments long search.
Information at the Department Of
in a gravel pit on the property owned
by Mrs. Augusta 'Shoger, near here"
he said. 1.-The location was given as
in the farthest corner from riding
academy, near a Burlington Railroad
underpass.
"Our information was that Dillinger
and Van Meter buried Hamilton, and
threw on the body the contents Of a
can of lye.
1--WE dug for several hours, then my
shovel turned up some bones. We un-
covered the body 1t was lying on the
left side, doubled up. In the grave was
a can that had contained lye."
The agents were given as means of
identification a tattoo mark, contain
ing the initials ~. H." on Hamilon's
left arm. The coroner said neither the
tattoo mark nor the other identifying
feaure, Hamilton's missing fore and
middle fingers on the right hand, were
of value. The flesh was gone from
hands and arms.
Fared Better Than Nelson.
Hamilton, who would have been IS
years of age, Jared slightly better in
death than his 'comrade. George Baby
Face" Nelson.
Nelson. slain November ~. 1884, by
(See HAMILTON, Page s.