The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-10-15


advised that she, Polly and Dill
inger would attend either the Mar
bro or Biograph theater, on Chicago
north side, about 8 p. m.
Plans were made to "cover" both
theaters. Two agents were assigned
to the Marbro and two to the Bio
graph to watch all persons enter
ing them and to flash the word to
headquarters as soon as Dillinger
was spotted. At $3.50 p. m. the
agents at the Biograph phoned that
Dillinger had just entered the movie
house with Mrs. Sage and Polly.
Polly, it should be explained, was
wholly unaware of the approaching
trap.
Cowley modified a force of six
teen agents and five policemen of
the East Chicago department. A
careful study had been made pre-
viously of the LAYOUT" of the
theater. Seven agents were assigned
to guard emergency exits in the
rear of the theater, while the others
were stationed along the block in
front, hidden in vestibules, area
ways and other points of vantage.
Among the four assigned to "seize
Dillinger bodily" was Special Agent
H. E. Hollis, who later was killed
alongside Cowley by "Baby Face"
Nelson. Names of all other agents
are withheld. Hollis was standing
at the curb, a few feet south of
the theater entrance. Agent D was
In the vestibule a little further
south. If Dillinger walked to the
south, it was the job of this pair
to grab him as he passed between
them. At the curb, about the same
distance to the north of the theater,
were two policemen in plain clothes.
Agent A, lettering in a vestibule
opposite the point where Hollis was
standing, was to light a cigar as a
signal that Dillinger was emerging.
Agent B sat in an automobile
parked near Hollis.
Agent c was beside Agent D in
a vestibule, about midway between
the theater and an alley. At the
curb, near the mouth of the alley,
were Agents G and H, with instruc-
tons to watch for the cigar signal
and then close in from the south.
At the other side of the theater,
near Policemen and 4, were
Agents E and F, who were to close
in from the north. Across the street
was the remainder of the detail.
Inspector Cowley kept moving
back and forth along the block,
surveying the situation. At the mo-
ment Dillinger appeared, Cowley
was across the street, but he
crossed quickly as his men closed
in.
When Dillinger and the two wom-
en- came out, they turned to the
south. Agent A lighted his cigar.
The files show that Agent D said
to C: ''That is Dillinger with the
straw hat and the glasses" AS
Dillinger passed, Agent D stepped
quickly across the sidewalk to a
position on the right of Dillinger,
while Agent c approached him from
the left. Agent Hollis, by prear-
rangement, moved in behind Dill
linger.
AS this maneuvering started, Dill
linger became aware of the fact
he was being surrounded. Affidavits
of eyewitnesses agree that he
reached quickly into his right trou-
sers pocket-he was wearing no
coat-and whipped out his pistol.
Immediately he began to crouch
and dodge and was bringing the
gun into firing position when Hollis
and two other agents, in self-de-
tense, drew their own pistols and
fired. Dillinger fell without uttering
a word and was dead when he
reached a hospital. AS the firing
began, the two women ran.
Cowley met Mrs. Sage in Los
Angeles on October IL, 1884, paid
her the promised $4,000 and OBJ
tanned her signature and finger
prints on a statement reading, in
part:
''The U. S. Department of Justice
did employ me to secure informa-
ton leading to apprehension of John
Dillinger, alias Frank Sullivan. I,
Anna Sage, did secure and deliver
personally to an official of the divi-
sion of investigation, Department of |
Justice, information as to the
whereabouts of the said John Dill
linger at particular time.
ST, Anna Sage, for and in con-
sideration of the sum of $1,000 law
full money of the United States to
me in hand paid by S. P. Cowley,
known to me as an official of the
u. S. Dept. of Justice do
hereby release the Department of
Justice from all debts, dues,
sums, reckonings, covenants, con-
tracts, agreements, promises, DAM
ages, judgments, claims and de-
mands whatsoever in law or in
equity -