On July 22, 1934, three FBI agents shot and killed John Dillinger, a famous American bank robber and gangster who operated in the United States during the Great Depression, as he was leaving a movie theater in Chicago.
A Romanian woman, the proprietress of a brothel in the United States, also played a role in this.
This is Anna Sage, a Romanian-born madam, issues wanted list for the mafia authorities. Before that, she was threatened with deportation and, with John Dillinger's betrayal, she hoped to stay in America.
John Dillinger was born on June 22, 1903 in Indianapolis in the family of a grocer. His mother died just before his fourth birthday, and the upbringing of little John and his sister was taken up by his father, who was a strict and even cruel man. At school, little John was constantly involved in trouble - beatings, petty thefts, bullying younger students.
His father, in an attempt to distract his son from the "bad influence of the big city", moved his family to Mooresville, Indiana in 1920. Despite the peaceful provincial environment, Dillinger's behavior did not change significantly. He studied in public school until the seventh grade and left to work in a metallurgical workshop in Indianapolis.
In 1922, he was arrested for stealing a car. In an attempt to settle down and start a new life, John married Beryl Hovias in 1924, but again had difficulty holding down a job and devoting himself to his family. In 1929, the couple divorced.
The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 greatly reduced job opportunities, and the lack of money pushed Dillinger and his friend Ed Singleton to an armed robbery. The two robbed a local grocery store and stole a total of $120. They were caught the next day, and Dillinger, on the advice of his father, pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.
Dillinger served his sentence at the Indiana State Penitentiary in Michigan City.
A medical examination upon admission revealed that he had gonorrhea. The treatment he underwent was extremely painful.
Dillinger was further embittered by his unjustly long sentence and began to resent society. He often declared to his guards that "when I get out of here, I'll be the meanest bastard that ever walked the earth". He also befriended famous bank robbers, who revealed to him in detail the secrets of their trade and planned joint operations when they got out.
Dillinger was released on May 10, 1933, and immediately set about implementing his plans. On September 22, he robbed his first bank in Bluffton, Ohio. In the following months, Dillinger and his gang robbed more than a dozen banks, collecting an estimated $300,000.
The FBI declared Dillinger and his gang "Public Enemy Number One" and formed a special task force to capture them. The noose around them soon tightened, and the gang left their base in Chicago and headed south in an attempt to escape to Mexico.
In early 1934, while they were hiding in Tucson, Arizona, a fire broke out in their hotel. Forced to evacuate the building, they abandoned their luggage, which contained several assault rifles and revolvers. The firefighters reported this to the police, and on January 25, 1934, five of the gang, including Dillinger, were arrested. Since then, Tucson has hosted the annual Dillinger Days festival, culminating in a reenactment of the events at the "Congress" Hotel.
Dillinger was transferred to Crown Point, Indiana, to stand trial for his crimes, but did not stay in prison long. In the prison workshop, he made a fake gun from a piece of wood and used it to trick the guards into opening his cell door. From the prison parking lot, Dillinger stole the city sheriff's brand new car, which he used to escape to Chicago.
In his beloved city, Dillinger moved in with his new girlfriend Evelyn "Billy" Frechette. On March 30, 1934, the apartment where they were hiding with other gang members was attacked by the FBI. An FBI agent was killed in the shootout, and Dillinger himself was wounded. He and Frechette flee to the gangster's father's house in Mooresville, where they stay until he recovers.
When Frechette returns to Chicago to visit a friend, she is arrested by the FBI, but despite threats and a two-year sentence, she does not reveal the whereabouts of her lover.
In the summer of 1934, the FBI finally loses all trace of Dillinger.
He has managed to sneak into Chicago unnoticed and is leading an anonymous life in the big metropolis. He works as a clerk and has a new girlfriend - Polly Hamilton, a prostitute who is unaware of his turbulent past.
On July 21, Anna Sage, a Romanian-born madam facing deportation from immigration authorities, contacted the FBI. She claimed to know where Dillinger was hiding and asked for help from the authorities in exchange for permanent residency in the United States. After the FBI agreed, she revealed that Dillinger was dating a fellow prostitute named Polly Hamilton and that the next night she and the couple would go to a movie. A lightning operation was launched to capture Dillinger. Anna Cumpanas agreed to wear a bright red dress to make the gangster easier to identify.
On the evening of July 22, Dillinger, in the company of the two ladies, visited the "Biograph" movie theater on the north side of Chicago. As he was leaving the theater after the screening, Dillinger noticed the FBI agents and attempted to draw his gun. Three agents fired a total of five shots, hitting Dillinger in the back. One of the bullets exited his face, just below his right eye. Despite the ambulance arriving immediately, Dillinger quickly died of his wounds. He was buried in his hometown of Indianapolis, but his grave was moved several times due to vandalism.