NO QUARTER FOR GANGSTERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19860, 25 July 1934, Page 9

NO QUARTER FOR GANGSTERS

SEQUEL TO DEATH OF DILLINGER

POLICE ACTIVITIES INCREASED

United Press Association—By Electric Tel egraph —Copyright (Received July 24, 5.5 p.m.) CHICAGO, July 23. Federal officials expressed gratification that the search for John Dillinger had been finally successful. They declared they would continue the drive against the surviving members of the gang, particularly George (“Babyface”) Nelson, an under-sized gangster, who has now assumed Dillinger’s mantle as “Public Enemy No. 1." The Department of Justice has published confidential files showing examples of Dillinger’s audacity. He recently posed as a banker In order to gain entrance to an establishment that he hoped to rob. He discussed crime prevention so fluently that officials invited him to be a guest at a banquet, which Dillinger attended without being recognised. Other ruses to gain information included posing as a magazine writer on crime subjects, visiting police headquarters, and masquerading as an air conditioning engineer to gain exact knowledge of the interior of a bank which a few days later he robbed.

DILLINGER TRAPPED WOMAN’S PART IN THE FIRST ACT United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright CHICAGO, July 23. Mr McEvin Purvis, leader of the Federal agents, states that it was a woman who led Dillinger to the grave. Mr Purvis admits that the 20,000 dollars reward will be paid to the woman, whose name the police will never reveaL As Dillinger emerged from the theatre, accompanied by two women, he first became suspicion when one of them suddenly left him and dashed toward the 'waiting officers, whom she had informed earlier in the day concerning Dillinger’s expected movements. Although Dillinger took the lion’s share of the proceeds of his many raids, his friends admit he was practically penniless when he died. [Thousands of troops and police, assisted by aeroplanes, have been searching for Dillinger, America’s “No. 1 Public Enemy,” for months. Nine years ago he was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for robbery in a hold-up case, but was released after eight years. Since then his career has been a long series of bank hold-ups and ruthless killings. It is estimated that he was responsible for 13 murders and the theft of more than $1,000,000. He was arrested in January and taken to Brown Point Prison, but, cowing his guard with a piece of wood carved to resemble a pistol, he broke gaol and continued his infamous career.]