The Rhinelander Daily News from Rhinelander, Wisconsin • Page 1

SEVENTEENTH 37 RHINELANDER, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 23, 1934 CENTS 1 Dillinger Trail Is Splashed by Blood Dillinger, Killings, Robberies Charged to Elusive No. 1 Gangster of'Nation. The bloody trail of John Dillinger, America's Number 1 public enemy, a murderer, bank robber and jail breaker, has led to northern Wisconsin's lake region. It began, in its most spectacular phases, on March 3 When the desperado, armed only with a wooden revolver which he had whittled himself, overpowered guards in the Crown Point, county jail and made a getaway Herbert Youngblood, negro pHsoner, as his companion. Dillinger had been placed in the Crown Point a model "escape proof' 1 institution, after being captured in Tucson, for the killing of Sheriff Jess Sarber, of Lima, Ohio, last October.

Sarber was killed when Dillinger mobsters raided the Lima jail to re-' lease their leader. The gang leader eluded police throughout the country until Tucson officers trapped him. Dillinger's break from the Crown Point jail was one of the most daring feats in the annals of the American underworld. Presumably under personal guard "every" minute of the day, he had found time to fashion, uut of a broomstick, a razor handle and two razor blades, a harmless weapon that was sufficiently awe-inspiring to cause his guard to rlease him from his cell. Dillinger then' liberated Youngblood and four other jail inmates, went to a nearby garage and took the automobile of the "lady sheriff of Crown Point," Mrs.

Lillian Holley, and with Youngblood drove away. Only the negro stayed with the No. 1 crime chief, the other prisoners surrendering themselves before leaving Crown Point. Much Bloodshed. From Crown Point to northern Wisconsin, the trail has been a gory one, splattered with blood and punctuated by bank and automobile thefts.

In the last fortnight, it has appeared that the forces of law were closing in. Several times squads of federal and local officers picked up hot leads, only to find that Dillinger had eluded them, sometimes by as little as a few hours. The pursuit has resulted in several arrests, the most recent being that of Mrs. Isaac Steve and her son In Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Mrs. Steve is a sister of John Hamilton, chief lieutenant for Dillingor and second in command of the Dillinger mob, and federal agents charge she Jiarbored the gang leader, Hamilton and a woman Tuesday night. The gangsters left Sault Ste. Marie Wednesday morning, federal men say, taking an automobile- and leaving one of the two in which they had been traveling. Sunday Dillinger was reported seen in Escanaba, but this is doubted in view of developments here.

It is assumed that Dillinger and his men traveled directly from Sault Ste. Marie westward across the upper penisula and into the Wisconsin lakes area. When Dillinger escaped from Crown Point, he helped himself to two of Sheriff Holley's machine, guns. Officers picked up their trail lirst in Chicago, where the sheriff's car was found abandoned in front of a north side apartment building. Believing that the gang leader would return for the car, officers watched it for several hours but finally became convinced that Dillinger had eluded them.

Later Dillinger gave Chicago officers the slip when, sighted while riding with a woman believed to have been Hamilton's sweetheart, he got into coiv gested traffic and lost the pursuers. Shoots at Officer. For nearly a week, until the night of March 9, nothing was heard of Dillinger except the repercussions, political and otherwise, from the Crown Point escape. On March 9, Police Chief Robert Christian, of Schiller Park, -Chicago suburb, took after two sedans which were being driven at a high rate of speed. As he neared the speeding cars, a machine gun was thrust from a window of the nearest-one and bis car was sprayed with fire.

The officer was unharmed, but his car was disabled and although he returned the fire, it waa without apparent effect. It was on this that the trail first pointed into Wisconsin, us it was believed the sedans were headed for the Menominee Indian reservation home of Evelyn Frechette, Dillinger's Indian sweetheart. While the pursuit went on, following one tip or another, officers were keeping a close watcb on the Lisia, Obio, jail, where of mobsters were held for their participation in the Sheriff Sarber killing. The gangsters expressed confidence that, with their leader free, he would find some way to release them and It was on chance that he might do so that a national guard company was stationed at the jail to take Dillinger if he should appear. At one time it was reported that Dillinger sent a scout to Lima to devise plans for freeing his henchmen but that the scout'report- ed back that the guard was so close that Dillinger would only run into a trap if he" made the attempt.

On March 16, Youngblood, the negro who broke jail with Dillinger, was shot down in Port Huron, in a battle with sheriff's officers. Youngblood, as he lay dying in Port Huron, said that Dillinger had been with' him. The killing of Youngblood concentrated pursuers in the Port Huron area, but once more Dillinger managed to slip through the lines set to trap him. Under Cover Two Weeks. For another two Dillinger kept under cover.

Then, on March 31, he appeared in a St. Paul hideout. Apparently trapped in' an apartment building, Dillinger, Hamilton and a woman shot their way to freedom, leaving behind them a trail of bloodstains that, it is "believed, were caused by the wounding of the fugitives, wounds which subsequent developments have indicated were suffered by all three of the gang members. After the St. Paul fray, the trail again led into Wisconsin where, on April 3, a car believed to have been used by Dillinger was found in Hudson.

Officers believed that the mob was fleeing to Chicago. It was in St. Paul that the gangsters received treatment for wounds, treatment for which a doctor and a nurse are being held. Officers refused to believe that all of the Dillinger mob had fled St. Paul and on the night of April 3 they descended on an apartment house, wounded and captured Eugene Green, veteran of midwestern crime, and took a woman into custody.

The department of justice on April 4 announced that there would be war to the end on Dillinger and his pals. Green subsequently died of the wounds he received in his light with officers. On April 12 federal agents disclosed that they had accumulated evidence indicating that the Dillinger- led mob had been involved in kidap- ings and robberies involving millions of dollars. The names of at least 10 of the gangsters, headed by Dillinger and Hamilton, were announced. Raids Indiana Jail.

To fortify himself against the relentless pursuit of the federal men, Dillinger on April 13 committed another of his spectacular crimes, going into the Warsaw, Indiana, county jail in the early morning to seize four bullet-proof vests and two revolvers. They got into the jail by forcing an officer, Jud Pittinger, to accompany them. Although a new police cordon was established, Dillinger again slipped through, leaving only a cold trail. Blood was again spilled, this time it being that of Frank Long, of Etna Green, who, fleeing from officers thinking they were pursuing him for a petty offense, opened fire and was brought down by Dillinger hunters. On April 14, the Frechette girl was taken into custody in Chicago and held for an extradition hearing at the request of St.

Paul authorities. The girl was grilled for information as to Dillinger's whereabouts, but no word was forthcoming as to what, if anything, had been learned The Frechette girl was taken to Paul by airplane over the week-end. On April 16, it was disclosed that four members of the Dillinger mob, possibly including the leader, had been in hiding in Winona, for several days. A former bootlegger, George Fockens, was arrested on charges of having harbored the gangsters. On April 19 it was learned that Gov.

George White, of Ohio, had been threatened with death if he did not release the Dillinger gangsters awaiting the date" for paying with their lives for the Sarber killing. The governor declared-he would not issue a pardon. Clemency Is Asked. Petitions were placed in circulation in Mooresville, on April 20, in which fellow-townsmen of Dillinger asked that clemency be given the desperado and described him as a "Kobin Huod." Petitioners claimed that Dillinger bad not been given a "square deal" when he was convicted aad sentenced to prison in 1924 for fobbing a grocer, his first recpwl- John (Wooden-Gun) Dillinger failed to find sanctuary in the northern lakes region of Wisconsin, but he slipped out of the grasp of federal and local officers who sought him. Charged with killings, bank robberies, kidnapings and other offenses, Dillinger has narrowly escaped pursuers on several occasions and once before got away after shooting it out with officers.

Desperado Was Paroled in June byGov.McNutt INDIANAPOLIS, April 23 John Dillinger, an obscure convict with no claim to notoriety, was paroled from the Indiana penitentiary last June. He had boon a "good boy" until the attempted robbery for which he received a 10 to 21 year sentence, friends and officials told the state clemency board. They said he was needed at home "to help care for his aged father." Gov. Puul V. McNutt granted the parole and young Dillingor went freo.

Six months later the "good boy" had become the most hunted desperado in the country. FOUR CONVICTS ESCAPE PRISON MICHIGAN CITY, April 23 (IP) prisoners, three ot them serving life terms, escaped from the Michigan City prison during the week-end, prison officials revealed to- flay. Leland Phillips, 26, serving a life term for murder, and "Noah Seals, serving a three-year sentence for second degree burglary, escaped some time Saturday from the prison farm west Michigan City. Both are white men. Two negroes, Wiliard Butler, 37, and Charles Irwin, 38, both serving life terms for murder, escaped Sunday.

Butler had been employed as cook at the home of Warden Louis Kunkel on the prison grounds and Irwin was a janitor in the prison barber shop. DIE AS ed crime. At the same time it developed that Dillinger had visited his father, John, at his Mooresville farm on April 7 and 8. The father said he had not reported the visit of his criminal son "because nobody asked The dash to Sault Ste. Marie followed.

Then came the trip westward into northern Wisconsin, where more blood has been spilled and mows lives claimed in the effort of the No. 1 gangster to evade capture and of his pursuers to bring him to an accounting for his crimes. Federal Agent and CCC Worker Dead; Two Others Seriously Injured Warned by the barking of several dogs at Little Bohemia resort, between Woodruff and Mercer off Highway ,51, John Dillinger, most hunted gangster in America, and four or more of his mob escaped from department of justice operatives and sheriffs' possemen during the night. No trace of the gangster has been round. Three girls, who are thought to have accompanied the gangsters to the Vilas county resort on Friday, remained in the main lodge when officers surrounded it during the night, and surrendered this morning when scores of gas bombs were shot into the building by the ot- ficers.

They refused to talk. They are between the ages of 20 and 25 years, and one said her home is in Chicago, but none would reveal any names or discuss Dillinger and his gang. The young women were being taken to the Vilas county jail at Eagle River for further questioning by federal agents. A search of the resort after the gas had cleared failed to reveal trace of Dillinger or his gangsters. It is believed they escaped through a back door when dogs barked last night as the department of justice officials approached the resort, intending to surround it.

Machine guns blazed several times during the night as officers and gangsters clashed in the woods, and two persons were killed and several were injured. The gangsters stole cars and escaped, the car in which Dillinger is believed to have fled belonging to Isadore Tuchalski, Rhinelander. Those killed in the shooting scrapes were a department of justice operative and a CCC camp man. Those wounded included federal men, CCC men, and a state conservation officer. The resort, at which the gangsters registered under assumed names on Friday, is operated by Emil Wanatka, who said he was held under constant guard, along with two employes, Frank Traube and George Bazo.

Wanatka and his employes were in the company of officers in this region, but department of justice agents would not say where they are being kept. Wanatka was quoted as saying some members of the gang were awake constantly. The resort operator was forced to prepare food, the officers said, and on one occasion was obliged to accompany an armed member of the gang on an expedition for mail. In Washington, D. the department of justice this morning published a statement that word of Dillinger's escape from officers in Wisconsin had been received, but subordinates declined, to make any comment, pending the arrival of Atty.

Gen. Cummings at his office. The first to die last night was Eugene Boisoneau, 35, a CCC worker of Mercer, Wis. With some friends he had been drinking beer at the bar in the main lodge of the Little Bohemia resort. He and his companions came out just as the first contingent of agents, work(Continued on Page 2) Large Resort Battle Scene Last Evening Emil Wanatka, Formerly of Chicago, Owns Little Bohemia Resort.

Little Bohemia, the resort at which last night's gun battle took place, is a new but entirely modern and attractive summer place. Its owner is Emil Wanatka, who formerly lived in Chicago. He was in the restaurant business in Chicago, and is a former pugilist and boxing trainer, numbering Jack Dempscy among his. friends oC the ring. When Wanatka (pronounced Wanet-ka) first came here about seven or eight years ago, ho established a small resort and solicited the pat- jronage of Chicago friends.

He has enlarged his resort each year, and a year ago, completed an excellent new main lodge. Shots from Main Lodge. There is a bar in the main building, and it was from this barricade that part of the shooting at the department of justice operatives took place. The resort has a beautiful swimming beach and a number of housekeeping cottages. A large garage is near the resort, and it was in this building that the gang's three to be a Buick coupe and two Ford V-S locked when the federal officers arrived.

This prevented the gangsters from reaching their jown cars, and their escapes were made in stolen cars. Wanatka's resort is about a quar- iter of a mile off Highway 51 in Vilas county, near Koerner's Spider Lake resort and Voss' Birchwood resort. Mrs. Wanatka and Mrs. Voss are sisters, and both are former residents of Rhinelander, being' members of the Porter family.

Came Here by Air 'Four Planes, Two Cars Brought i a ne carrying D. J. operatives from Detachments of Men and Arsenal. AVhen word went out to the department of justice of the United States govfernment that- Dillinger, much-wanted desperado, might be in hiding in the Heart d'the Lakes country, it did not take Uncle Sam's forces long to swing into action. 'Before 'daybreak today, foup speedy airplanes had left Chicago and St.

Paul for Rhihelander, bringing operatives oC the department of two automobiles bearing men and armaments were hurrying into the north woods, and the assistance' of local officials was being solicited. Rhinelander served as the concentration camp for the federal forces. Knew Nothing of Plans. First to take off were two planes from Chicago. The pilots of these commercial planes, who frequently, have made similar trips for the D.

were told nothing until the planes were ready to hop off from the field at Chicago: As the planes finished their "warm-up" and headed for the run-ways, the pilots turned to their passengers: "Where to?" Wisconsin." That was all the information the pilots had until they landed in Rhinelander two hours and '25 minutes later. Then, they learned that Dillinger and his gangsters were the St. Paul and Minneapolis landed last night, and with the Chicago planes, spent the night here. A fourth plane took off from Chicago early this morning bringing more shells, more ''tommy a gun that looks like a heavy rifle but is a machine bulletproof vests and shields to be used by officers in crawling up on a besieged gunman. Six men accompanied the Chicago plane, which landed at the local air 1 port shortly after daybreak.

The pilot spent a half hour cruising, waiting for day to break so he could find the local airport. Don't Look Like Detectives. In appearance, most of, the 'D. J. men resemble anything but the fictional detective or Sherlock Holmes.

With only a few exceptions, they appear to be a. group of well-dressed fraternity men fresh out of college, but there is a seriousness about their sternness about their stamps them for what they Sam's best man-hunters. "I just heard that they got Baum," one of the men reported to the others when the last plane landed this morning. "All right, we'll get was the answer, as the guns were loaded in two local taxicabs for the dash to Vilas county. The local airport was used because it is tha best field in the vicinity of the gun battle.

men for whom the operatives were I The pick of the D-. J. forces of the DILL iNCER AND GANG PLANNED HOLDUPHERE? Think Mob Intended to Rob Local or Ironwood Bank This Morning. searching. In Rhinelander, the federal officials established a temporary headquarters, while cars were being obtained for the trip.

Even the owners of the cars hired for the trip to Little Bohemia were not told the purpose of the trip. At first, they thought the federal men merely were searching for stills. Had Stacks of Guns. Then came the opening of packages and Out came "tom- my guns," bombs, tear gas, round after round of ammunition, rifles, shotguns, sidearms for every man, bullet-proof vests, and other equipment. Local persons stared in amazement as preparations were made for the trip.

There was no doubt, from the display of weapons, that serious business was afoot, and that desperate gunmen were sought. It was not for some hours afterward, however, that word began to circulate that "it's Dillinger they're after." middle west is in the Heart o'the Lakes country today. One of the men here last night'is said to have been the man who helped bring Machine Gun Kelly to justice a few months ago. The men come from all sections of the country, although since the Dillinger drive, they have been stationed in the middle west. Washington, D.

was reported to be keeping close tab on affairs here. The planes, being kept at the airport ready for a dash in any direction that the D. J. agents may order, are commercially owned, and until recently, were engaged solely in mail, express and passenger service. All of the pilots are highly skilled, and have made several other trips of this sort.

One of the pilots here today had just landed at Chicago from Evansville, when he was hired for the trip here. One D. J. force just returned to Chicago yesterday from an aerial trip to Most Rhinos unaware of the Sault Marie on a tip that Dil- manhunt until this morning. A linger had been seen there.

Did John Dillinger and his mob plan to rob a Rhinelander bunk this morning? That was ono of the many rumors in this part of northern Wisconsin during' the night, but there was much to substantiate this story. Dillinger probably was familiar with this part of the state through his sweetheart, a resident of Neoplt. He may have been through here two weeks ago, and he might have been here a few days ago. Officers who were in the posse at Little Bohemia during the night heard reports that Dillinger had in cash on him, and had made the remark that as soon as lie pulled a bank job that would yield around J25.000, he would' be ready to get out of this part of the state. JVomvoocl or Rliinelaiuler? It is believed that Ironwood and Rhinelander would have been likely cities for his mob to have struck, since Little Bohemia is about midway between them.

Dillinger and his gang arrived at Little Bohemia Friday. They spent a part of the time on trips to nearby cities. Whether they came here is not known. They were to have been joined last night by another car of gangsters from St. Paul, and had planned a "job" this morning, according to all reports.

Something happened, however, and the gang decided to move out of Little Bohemia last Department of justice men, forming here, planned to surround the Little Bohemia resort, spend the night in hiding, and take Dillinger and his gang or shoot it out with them this morning. Then Dillinger decided to move out last night, that upset the plans of federal men. The St. Paul car arrived just as federal men were taking up their stations around the resort. The car was turned around and driven away, in a rain of machine gun bullets.

the car was found, disabled. The men stole another car aud escaped. Cur Has High Speed. If Dillinger escaped in Tuchalski's car, as is believed, be a car with high speed gears that will travel around 100 miles per hour. Officer Arthur Johnson questioned two suspicious men here last week, believing they might have been "spotters" for a criminal ring.

The men claimed to be from Chicago and staying at a Vilas county resort while looking for heavyweight boxing material. Emil Wanatka, at whose resort Dillinger and his gang had been staying, is a former Chicago pugilist and 'boxing 1 trainer. Chief of Police Maurice Straub was. called to an East side tourist home one day last week by the landlady who became suspicious of three middle aged and the other two quite rented a room for thq night and appeared weary and highly nervous. Before Chief Straub questioned them, the men left the house saying they were going to church, but instead jumped in a car and headed east on Highway 8.

While Dillinger was not a woodsman, his lieutenant, Hamilton, is at home in the forests and would not be likely to get lost if he did not get away from Little Bohemia in a car. The men had not gojie into the woods around Spider lake since they arrived Friday, and had aroused some suspicion by their peculiar actions and supposedly purposeless trips to nearby cities. JOHN DILLINGER WAS CATLIKE, SAY POLICE INDIANAPOLIS, April 23 "Catlike" was one police description of "John Dillinger. When the Dillinger gang was rob- bins banks, there was always one man who leaped over cashiers' counters with the agility of a cat. The man, police said, was UH- linger.

He showed the same agility in slipping police traps. SLAIN OFFICER WAS ATTORNEY i Graduated from George Washington University; in U. S. Service Since 1930 WASHINGTON, April 23 W. Carter Baum, department of Justice agent killed in the Dtllinger shooting affray in Wisconsin, was a resident of Chicago but was born and educated in Washington.

He held an LL. B. degree from George Washington university and was a member of tho bars of the District of Columbia and Virginia. Baum's widow before her marriage was Mary E. Grose, daughter ot the Rev.

John Grose of Luytonviile. Ma. Baum entered the division of investigation as a special agent OM June 30, 1830. and has served in tha New York aiul Chicago districts. Before that he practiced law here.

NOT SUPERSTITIOUS, WAS MB. DILLINGER WARSAW, April 28 John Dillinger, unlike mow apparently isn't superstitious. At any rule lie chose Friday thirteenth (April 13) toe at most recent raids the ot Warsaw jail arsenal. Vie bring buck politicians have tbi-uwo Brig. Oeu.

William K- Science la the tuothor of D-.