DILLINGER AND HIS GANG

Evening Star, Issue 21743, 11 June 1934, Page 11

DILLINGER AND HIS GANG

AMERICA'S WORST DESPERADO As previously reported in brief four men were killed and six wounded in a fight between Federal and State police and the notorious escaped criminal, John Dillinger, his pal Hamilton, and five ■ other desperadoes at a roadhouse at Bohemia Lodge, near Mercer. The criminals were surrounded by the police, and their capture seemed certain, but Dillinger and his cronies shot their way to freedom. The known casualties were among the police and innocent visitors to the tavern, but some of Dillinger’s gang, possibly the leader himself, are believed to have been seriously wounded. The scene of the conflict was laid at Bohemia Lodge, in the heart of tho thick forest country near Eagle River, Wisconsin. There, five days ago, the proprietor, the cook, and a chauffeur found themselves prisoners'in their own lodge. Dillinger and his party, with three women, arrived and readily admitted their identity. They promptly locked up the staff, except to allow the cootk, under constant watch, to prepare their meals. Taking turns at guard duty, the desperadoes, quietly ate, drank, and By Saturday the village telephone operator, suspecting that something was wrong, notified the police. Detectives quickly established the fact that Dillinger was at the roadhouse, and late on Sunday twenty-eight officers, in a cavalcade of motor cars, invaded the “ hangout.” It was after midnight. Four young men, residents of the neighbourhood, had come for drinks, but were unable to enter the house. They were just' leaving in their motor car. . The police challenged them to halt, but the men paid no attention, and the officers, thinking that the ear contained Dillinger, opened fire with their machine guns. The car was pursued down the highway, and two of the youths were killed before the ear was stopped, and the officers discovered their mistake. In the meantime, the Dillinger gang, hearing the shooting, escaped into the woods, with the exception of Dillinger and Hamilton, who' were just getting into their car when the hapless police returned.

Tho officers mistook Dillingcr’s unlighted car for one of their own and approached incautiously’. Suddenly, Dillinger swept the uniformed men with his machine gun, and in the twinkling of an eye ho and Hamilton had dashed away in their car, leaving the police far behind. Carter Baum, chief agent of the Department of Justice in Washington, was killed and another officer died shortly afterwards. Several others were wounded.

Reassembling their shattered forces, the police finally threw tear-gas bombs into the lodge. Out came four crying women, who loudly declared that they bad never heard of Dillinger. In the excitement, the proprietor and his two assistants were almost asphyxiated. Some of Dilhnger’s gang, and possibly the leader himself, were seriously wounded. '

The criminals escaped m three motor cars from the Bohemia tavern. Two cars headed south toward Chicago, and the third, believed to contain Dillinger, struck straight west for St. Paul, where the leader has many friends. Posses of police overhauled this car before noon, and a. dozen shots were exchanged as they dashed through Minnesota villages at seventy-five miles an hour.

Early in the afternoon the pursued car was found abandoned south of St. Paul. The interior was soaked with blood.