John Dillinger
DILLINGER NOW IN C.P. JAIL
WILL BE TRIED ON CHARGE OF KILLING EAST CHICAGO POLICEMAN.
John Dillinger and three of his gang were captured at Tucson, Arizona, last Thursday, and immediately those states in which he is charged with committing crimes wanted him. Prosecutor Robert Estill and Chief Deputy Sheriff Carroll Holley went to Tucson immediately and put in a claim to extradite him to Indiana, where he could be tried on the charge of killing policeman O'Malley during the East Chicago bank robbery. Their plea for Dillinger was granted and he was turned over to the Lake county officers. They left at once by plane for Indiana and arrived at Crown Point Tuesday night. The plane bearing Dillinger and the officers landed at a Chicago airport and the officials and their prisoner were escorted to Crown Point by [the] machine gun squad of the Chicago police department. They arrived safely in Crown Point and the prisoner was placed in a heavily guarded at all times during the time he is confined there, so that any attempt to liberate him can be frustrated. On the road back to Indiana, it is said that Dillinger admitted to Estill that he had committed many crimes, but he denied having had anything to do with [the] East Chicago affair.Unless a change of venue is granted, Dillinger will be tried in the Criminal court at Crown Point at an early date.
John Dillinger has the reputation of being one of the most dangerous criminals in the United States, and it is the hope of the Lake county officials to convict [him] of the murder of the East Chicago officer.
Dillinger's escape from the Lake County Jail in Crown Point appeared on page 1, column 6, of the March 8, 1934 Lowell Tribune:
JOHN DILLINGER ESCAPES FROM COUNTY JAIL
COWES TURNKEY WITH WOODEN GUN; FLEES IN THE SHERIFF'S CAR
Saturday morning, about 9:15, John Dillinger, classed as public enemy No.1, escaped from the Lake county jail at Crown Point, in a most spectacular manner. As we get the story, Dillinger was in the bull pen of the jail with other prisoners taking the morning exercise. Sam Cahoon, the jail turnkey, went in the bull pen carrying some soap for the bath rooms, when suddenly Dillinger poked a wooden gun in his ribs and got his keys. He then proceeded to bluff several guards and deputy sheriff Blunk, who he forced to call warden Lew Baker, and before they knew it, all were locked in cells of the jail. Dillinger, in company with a negro named Youngblood, who was in jail charged with murder, made their way through the various doors of the jail, carefully locking the doors after them, so that it was impossible for anyone to follow them. They then went to the jail office where they secured machine guns, going from there to the jail kitchen where they found several guards and commanded them to stand up. Dillinger and the negro then started the march from the jail to the jail garage, and being unable to start any of the cars there, they went through the back way to the City Garage, located on Main street, just north of the Criminal court building and the jail, where they held up the place and forced Ernest Saagers , mechanic, to start the Sheriff's car and then forced him and deputy sheriff Blunk, who they had forced to accompany them from the jail, into the car and immediately drove out on the street and left town, going north.The first heard from them was a telephone message from Blunk, when he called the Sheriff's office and said that himself and Saagers had been let out of the car near Peotone, Ill.
The escape of Dillinger was the most spectacular in the history of the country. When he accosted Cahoon it was supposed that he had a gun, but it later developed that it was only a wooden "gun" whittled with a razor blade from a piece of a wash board and blackened with shoe blacking.
The only clue thus far as to the whereabouts of Dillinger is that the car in which he made his escape was located in Chicago, where it had been abandoned. It is supposed that he is in hiding in or near Chicago, and has probably met some of his pals once more.
The escape of John Dillinger was due, undoubtedly, to carelessness of someone. At the present time four or five investigations have been started to try and place the blame where it belongs. There is no doubt but what the rules of the jail were violated and this will all come out in the investigations.
Dozens of stories as to how it all happened have been told, but the actual facts of the jail break are yet to be ferreted out, and when they are, the public will know where to place the blame for the escape.
It has developed that some of the prisoners knew that Dillinger was making the wooden gun and that he was going to try and escape, but they did not know how or when.
What fooled the guards in and around the jail is that they were looking for an attempt from the outside to rescue Dillinger by his pals, and the wily John knew this and chose the other way to accomplish the job.
From what we can learn there was too much leniency to Dillinger and he took advantage of it by appearing to be a model prisoner, thus making his escape that much easier.
This March 8, 1934, Lowell Tribune article appeared on page 1, column 1:
2 JAIL GUARDS ARE ARRESTED TUESDAY P.M.
WARRENTS CHARGE THEM WITH ABETTING JOHN DILLINGER ESCAPE.
The escape of John Dillinger from the Lake county jail at Crown Point last Saturday morning has kept Lake county and the entire state in a turmoil since the bold escape happened. The climax to various rumors came to a head Tuesday when Sam Cahoon, turnkey at the jail, and Ernest Blunk, deputy sheriff and finger print expert, were placed under arrest and put in jail, charged with aiding and betting the escape of Dillinger.Cahoon is charged with violating the rules of the jail by entering the cell block without locking the prisoners in their cells.
Blunk is accused of losing his nerve when he called warden Lew Baker without putting up a fight.
Attorney General Lutz ordered the arrest of the two men, and Blunk was being questioned by the Prosecutor when the arrest was made. Judge Murray, who appointed Blunk as finger print expert, hurried over to the office of the Prosecutor and a bond was arranged for Blunk and he was released, but Cahoon was compelled to remain in jail.
The government is arranging to take part in the hunt for the wily John since it has learned that he violated the Lindbergh kidnapping law when he took the two guards across the state line into Illinois.
Edward Barce, who represents the Attorney General in the investigation, says he has found no evidence of collusion but that he has found plenty of evidence of negligence around the county jail.
The County Commissioners met Tuesday afternoon and Commissioner Baran read a lengthy statement demanding the resignation of Sheriff Lillian Holley. Baran also criticized Prosecutor Robert Estill, and said he, on behalf of thousands of citizens, was demanding a rigid investigation into the county affairs. Commissioner Martin opposed demanding a resignation from the Sheriff and said he thought the Commissioners should wait until reports were made on the various investigations before any action was taken, as then it would be known who the guilt for the escape was to be charged to.
Governor McNutt may ask the Sheriff to resign, but he admits he has no authority to oust her, that being a duty assigned to the Circuit Court Judge.
There will perhaps be many developments in the tangle within the next few days.
The search for Dillinger has become nation wide, but so far no trace of him has been found. Meanwhile every bank in Chicago and vicinity is being guarded for fear that Dillinger and his gang may attempt to hold them up.
This article, hand-identified as from the March 15, 1934, Lowell Tribune, was found in the Lowell Public Library's clipping files:
- Residents of Crown Point have grown somewhat accustomed to hearing their city called "Clown Point" since John Dillinger bluffed his way out of the Lake County Jail with a toy pistol. Yesterday a new nickname appeared and apparently was readily recognized by United States mailmen. A letter sent from California to "Harry Meyer, Wooden Gun, Ind." was promptly delivered to Meyer, a farmer residing near Crown Point. -- Chicago Tribune
This April 5, 1934, Lowell Tribune article appearedon page 1, column 5:
E. BLUNK AND CAHOON INDICTED
ARE CHARGED WITH AIDING AND ABETTING JOHN DILLINGER ESCAPE.
The Lake county grand jury, called for the purpose of investigating the escape of John Dillinger from the Lake county jail at Crown Point, made their report on Tuesday and indicted Ernest Blunk, finger print man, and Sam Cahoon, trusty jail turnkey. The report, which was filed with Judge Murray, of the Criminal court, was read in open court by Donald Purdy, foreman of the grand jury. Blunk and Cahoon have already been arrested on similar charges. They were ordered arrested by Prosecutor Estill after Dillinger made his spectacular escape on March 3rd. Attorney Barce, who represented Attorney General Lutz in the inquiry, says he is not satisfied, and stated that the grand jury will be asked to investigate several new angles in the case and that the new investigation will take some time to complete.Following are some of the high lights in the grand jury report on the escape of the wily John:
1. John Dillinger should have been returned to the state prison as a paroled prisoner to serve the rest of his term.
2. Sheriff Lillian Holley had no persons in her employ who were familiar with guarding prisoners of Dillinger's type, nor was she furnished with such persons.
3. Prosecutor Robert G. Estill, his chief deputy, John Underwood, and the police departments of Hammond and East Chicago insisted that Dillinger be removed to the state prison for safe keeping.
4. Judge William J. Murray, of the Lake Criminal court, and Wm. J. Schroeder, president of the county council, decided to keep Dillinger in the county jail and therefore should be held responsible for what happened.
5. The executive department of the state did not try to remove Dillinger to the state prison to serve out the remainder of his term, and therefore should also be held responsible.
6. Factors held responsible in Dillinger's escape were: The ingenuity, coolness, alertness and reputation of the prisoner; the help of Herbert Youngblood, a fellow prisoner; laxness of jail attendants in obeying rules; collusion on the part of Blunk and Cahoon; unreliability of the turnkeys; and inexperienced guards.
7. Dillinger actually used a wooden gun to cow the guards before he obtained a real gun.
8. However, the prisoner had ample opportunity to conceal either a wooden gun or a real gun.
9. Neglect and cowardice by jail employees was primarily responsible for the escape.
10. The photograph in which Prosecutor Estill posed with his arm around Dillinger's shoulder was taken at an unguarded moment when the Prosecutor had been without sleep for 48 hours and had been under a nervous strain.
The following unidentified newspaper article, hand-dated April 26, 1934, was found in a clipping file at Lowell Public Library:
- Despite the fact that hundreds of U.S. and local officers in all part of the country are trying to catch him, John Dillinger is still at large and every once in a while robs a bank or kills someone to let the officers know that he is still on the job. The search for him the past week has been centered around St. Paul, Minn. where he and a bunch of his gang shot their way out of a trap set for them at a lake resort. It is charged that carelessness of the government officers is responsible for him not being captured in the latest man hunt.
Go to "Bank Hold-up" for further information.
Return to Lowell Biographies.