Born: May 16, 1966 BirthPlace: Unknown Additional Info: Janet Jackson is the youngest member of the incredible Jackson siblings. She was born on May 16, 1966 to Katherine and Joseph Jackson. Like her family members, she has been exposed to the entertainment world for most of her life. Started out as an opening act for her brothers, the popular Jackson 5, which includes superstar Michael Jackson, in their Las Vegas shows. She would soon be discovered by sitcom producers and would star in many hit TV shows from 1976 to 1984. Although she was only seven, her brilliant impersonations of Mae West and Cher won the hearts of many producers which started her acting career. She starred in her first sitcom, the late seventies hit "Good Times". She was cast as an abused child(Penny Gordon) along side Ja'net DuBois. Then came "A Different Kind Of Family", and a role opposite Todd Bridges in "A Different Strokes" during the early eighties. In 1982, her father prompted her to sing and pursue a recording career. Although she was not ready for this, she agreed. She recorded some demos for A&M records and got a four-album contract. Her first album, which was released at the same year, did not meet much success. The album, entitled Janet Jackson, peaked at #63 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums and sold a disappointing 250,000 copies. In 1984, she got yet another role on TV. This time, the show needed her acting, and at the same time, her singing skills. The TV series "Fame" allowed her to show her talents more. But unfortunately, she was unable to concentrate. For that same year, at the age of 18, she eloped with James Debarge, member of the 80's popular singing group Debarge. The marriage was shaky due to her parents' disapproval. And later that year, she released her second album, Dream Street, which was even less successful than its predecessor. The album reached #147 on Billboard and sold only 200,000 copies. Her career was not going the right direction and pressure from family and work made the situation even worse. Finally, she annulled her marriage with James when she realized it was not working out and her parents were not happy about it. She got out of "Fame" and started thinking seriously about her career and what she really wants. In 1985, she aligned herself with family friend A&M executive John McClain. McClain recommended Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, of the group The Time, to work with Janet. Janet was thrilled by the idea and agreed to work with them. She actually remembered watching them play in concert with her mother. She liked them a lot and was quite honored to be working with them for this third album. McClain sent Janet to a vocal coach on a daily basis. He also made Janet go to a ranch in Arizona where she worked out and followed a strict diet. For the videos, Paula Abdul was enlisted to choreograph. 1986 was the year the project was unveiled to the public. There were mixed reviews this time. But Janet, Jimmy, Terry, and John McClain knew they got something good. The release of the first single, What Have You Done For Me Lately, was a smash. The single would rise to the top 5 and become the first of her long string of Gold records. The album, on the other hand, was shifting more copies each week than any of her previous releases. Control would finally peak at #1 on both Pop and R&B charts of Billboard. The album would sell over 10 million worldwide and produce five Top 5 hits including Nasty, Let's Wait Awhile, and the #1 When I Think Of You. After the incredible success of Control, Janet decided to take her time in planning her next project. People also started saying that Janet's success is just a fluke and that she's just riding on Michael Jackson's coattails. This prompted her to even try harder and establish her place in the music world. Rumors, then started flying that Janet's next album was going to be entitled Work. But the record company wanted Janet to do an album called Scandal. Janet hated the idea. For her, this would only make her family suffer more intrigues by supposedly singing about the different "problems" of the family. Both projects didn't meet the light of day. Although she recorded a song for Scandal, which became a b-side for Miss You Much. In 1988, with a newly re-negotiated contract with A&M, Janet started working on the new project along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The record company was expecting Janet to do a Control II. But Janet didn't want to exploit the formula of her creativity. She couldn't do something she had already done. The feelings were expressed, she needed something new to give to the people. 1989 was the year of the Rhythm Nation. Janet's new album, Rhythm Nation 1814 was released accompanied by a 30-minute long form video complete with songs and acting. The album was about social problems with great emphasis on illiteracy. The first single, Miss You Much quickly climbed the charts and spent four weeks at #1. The album also did the same on both Pop and R&B charts. It sold another 10 million worldwide and the singles were even more successful. The album spawned seven Top 5 hits including 4 #1's,the first and only artist to accomplished that feat. The Rhythm Nation World Tour was also the most successful premier tour by any artists. It was watched by over two million fans. It was also during that time that Janet ventured into some major involvements with charities across the nation. With her first world tour being a huge box office success, she collected 25 cents from every ticket sold and raised $450,000, which she donated to the United Negros College Fund. Aside from that, she established her own scholarship foundation called The Rhythm Nation Scholarship Fund, supported by the UNCF. She also made big contributions to Make A Wish Foundation, Starlight Foundation, and the TJ Martell Foundation for children with cancer and leukemia. She continued to expand her horizon regarding this by affiliating further with other major charities. To the present, Janet is still working with these organizations and more than half a dozen more, like the AIDS Research Institute. Truly, Janet is a caring person, free from Hollywood hype. In 1991, Janet signed a $32 million contract with Virgin Records for as few as two albums. At that time, it was the most lucrative recording contract in music history. Then in 1992, she released a duet with Luther Vandross for the movie "Mo' Money". The Best Things In Life Are Free went to become her 14th Top 10 hit. She also shot the movie "Poetic Justice" alongside Tupac Shakur with director John Singleton(Boyz 'N The Hood) that year. Her virgin debut in 1993 came as a surprise. The conservative, social conscious Janet has now grown up to become one of Hollywood's sexiest and beautiful women. Her album, janet., marked her new image. Less shy and much more confident with her skills, she unveiled a more mature Janet. The album was about the ups and downs of love. The first single of the album was That's The Way Love Goes. It was the fastest charting and rising single of the year. Reaching #1 in 3 weeks and spending a total of 8 weeks at the summit. The album's success was even powered up by the release of her feature film debut "Poetic Justice". Although the movie was not very successful(spent the first weekend at #1 but not consistent during the next few weeks of release), Janet's acting did earn good reviews from the critics. The album was now selling strong, especially with the release of the second #1 single of the album and the "Poetic Justice" theme Again, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song in 1994. The album would produce six Top 10 hits and sell over 15 million copies. She also toured behind janet. The janet.world tour was a smash, watched by fans in countries big and small. It was her most elaborate show to date and praised by critics for its extravagant flair. 1995, she duetted with brother Michael. The song Scream was Michael's first single off his greatest hits package HiStory. The single went Top 5 in many countries and was certified platinum in the US. It also won them a Grammy for Best Short Form Video. Later that year, Janet released her own greatest hits, Design of a Decade 1986/1996. She produced two new songs for the album, Runaway and Twenty Foreplay. Runaway became her 17th solo Top 5 and Gold single. Making her the female artist with the most Gold singles, surpassing the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. In 1996, Janet became a free agent for the second time. Her 1991 contract with Virgin contained a clause which states that if Virgin were to be sold to a new mother company, Janet can "escape" the contract without any liabilities. If the company were to be sold, she just needs to make one album and after that, can opt to either be free or continue with the contract. In late 1992, Virgin president did just that, he sold the company to EMI-Thorn, leaving the doors wide open for Janet. Janet already made an album for the company, 1993's multi-platinum hit janet. In 1995, Janet decided to become a free agent. This allowed her to complete a greatest hits package with A&M that same year. What happened in 1990 happened again. Record companies engaged in war bid for Janet's services. Virgin, A&M, Dreamworks, Capitol, Disney, and Sony all wanted to sign her. By early 1996, the war of the labels ended, Janet signed a new recording contract with her old company, Virgin Records, worth an estimated $80 million. This record-breaking contract became the biggest in music history. This will tie her with the company until she finishes five albums, including a greatest hits. The breakdown composed of $35 million advance just for signing the contract. Then, for each album, she will receive $5 million. Virgin will also finance her high-priced videos with the other part of $25 million. This makes her the highest paid artist of our time. In August of 1996, Janet and collaborators Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Rene Elizondo, Jr. began writing the songs for the new project. By January 1997, Janet was back in the studios recording songs for her long-awaited new album. It took Janet an unusually long time to finish the album. The whole recording process took six months to finish---the longest for any of her recording sessions. She recorded a total of 20 songs. In July of that same year, the album was finished. It was set for release in October. The first single from the set was a big departure from any of her previous recordings. The track, entitled Got 'Til It's Gone, features Joni Mitchell singing the loop of her famous tune Big Yellow Taxi and Q-Tip rapping during the breakdown. It was nothing similar to any songs ever released by any artist. Some fans were confused by the sound, while some loved it for its smooth and relaxed groove. The video was even more of a surprised. It features South Africa during the apartheid with Janet and 150 extras dressed and made-up to look like they came from that period. It was a very creative clip enjoyed by critics. In the 1998 Grammy Awards, the video won for Janet another award for Best Short Form Video. Nevertheless, Virgin decided not to release it as a single in the US, and used it instead to promote the upcoming album. However, it was a Top 10 hit around the globe. The album, on the other hand, garnered tons of accolades from critics. It was labeled as Janet's best work in years, her boldest and most creative to date. Entertainment Weekly magazine even gave it a straight A rating. The wheels seemed to be on the roll for the new album oddly entitled The Velvet Rope. Meanwhile, Janet was flying around the world promoting the album. By October 7, the album was released. The fans were not disappointed. However, early sales reports indicated that the album was somehow selling below the standard of her last studio album. The Velvet Rope debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart and at #2 on the R&B Albums Chart. This was Janet's fourth #1 album. However, in just 6 weeks, the album already dropped out of the Top 10 in the US. Outside the US, however, the album was selling very well. It sold 3 million copies internationally in one and a half months, the first Janet album to do that. The album covered grounds only the brave can tackle. It dealt with sensitive topics like homophobia, depression, loving oneself, and being special. It was quite an awkward time for her fans. They didn't know what to make of all this. The last time Janet was in the public eye, it was this confident, happy, always-smiling lady that they saw. But now, there seemed to be something more to that. Indeed, interviews and reports proved that there was something more than meets the eye. Janet confessed to the public that she had suffered depression in the past two years. Issues that she pushed aside during her childhood to her adulthood came back to haunt her. The struggle slowly ended while she was doing the album. That was the reason why it took her a long time to finish recording. She wrote about her personal issues. On the album, she symbolizes the velvet rope as the barrier that blocks others from getting to know who we are. With this album, she's letting down that velvet rope and letting the people know who she is. She confessed that writing the album was very therapeutic. Truly, the album was not only Janet's best, but also her most personal. On the song You, she blames herself for not being true to herself and trying to please other people all the time. On What About, Janet revisits an old abusive relationship. Everything on the album was twice as heavy and twice as dark as her 1989 serious and hard Rhythm Nation 1814. The second single was a happy club song Janet wrote specifically for her friends she lost to AIDS. Her singing was reminiscent of the young Diana Ross. This catchy tune would become Janet's first single in the US. It quickly climbed the charts around the world, hitting #1 in Europe and Top 5 in Canada and Australia. In Japan it hit the pole position. In the US, it spent two weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The single became Janet's best-selling ever around the world. It sold over 3 million copies worldwide. It has become Janet's 18th Gold single in the US. At around this time, Janet has already started work on her new tour. It would open on April, 1998 in The Netherlands. She released another single in May of 1998, the r&b ballad I Get Lonely. It became another hit in the US, debuting at #3 on the Hot 100 Singles chart. This gave her another record. She became the artist with the most consecutive Top 10 singles in the history of Billboard. By April 1998, Janet was back in the touring circuit. She opened her third world tour, The Velvet Rope Tour, to a sold out crowd of 10,000 fans at the Ahoy in Rotterdam. She toured Europe for 6 weeks while releasing her single Go Deep in the UK and the rest of Europe. Plans for the release of Go Deep in the US were halted while Janet toured the area and the single was never released commercially. On October 11th Janet's show at Madison Square Garden was screened on HBO when millions watched.

DILLINGER

John Dillinger, Public Enemy No. 1, lived up to the title bestowed upon him by J. Edgar Hoover's Division of Investigation and cemented his national notoriety when on March 3, 1934, he broke out of the Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana. Dillinger had been in Crown Point since his extradition from Arizona in January awaiting trial for murder. On that morning, using a gun which had been carved out of wood, he took two of his keepers hostage. After locking up the warden, Lou Baker, and getting the drop on the turnkey and one of the national guardsmen there to prevent such a breakout, he commandeered two machine guns. After freeing a fellow inmate, he ultimately made his way out a side door of the "heavily fortified" jail and proceeded to make his getaway in the sheriff's V-8 Ford. Dillinger's bold escape set off a flurry of reports of sightings across the midwest in the days that followed. The escape caused a political uproar. In the escape he had made one vital mistake, in driving the stolen car across the state line toward Chicago, he had violated the one law that could involve federal agents at the time, the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act. It was an error that would set the stage for his ultimate demise outside of a Chicago theater four months later. John Herbert Dillinger's career in crime had started inauspiciously enough with the botched robbery attempt of a grocer in his hometown of Mooresville, Indiana, on September 6, 1924. He had turned 21 years of age just three months earlier. John was sent to reformatory in Pendleton, Indiana, where he was to meet future colleagues Harry Pierpont and Homer Van Meter. After serving five years without parole, an embittered Dillinger requested and received a transfer to the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana, where Pierpont and Van Meter were already in residence. By mid-1932 Dillinger had become part of a group of prisoners intent on escaping. This group included Harry Pierpont as leader, along with Charles Makley, John Hamilton, and Russell Clark, and later Walter Dietrich and James Jenkins. Since Dillinger's parole date was approaching he was selected to operate as their connection on the outside, carrying out robberies to raise funds for the escape. Subsequent to his parole on May 22, 1933, he began a series of holdups. During this period Dillinger began to call attention to himself with his flamboyant style, which included wearing a fashionable straw hat, and a knack for athletic leaps over the teller's barrier into the cashier's cage. Not long after securing sufficient funds for the necessary bribes of guards and officials, along with arranging for the smuggling of weapons into the prison, he was once again arrested in Dayton, Ohio. The arrest took place on September 22, 1933, at the boarding house room of girlfriend Mary Longnaker, with whom he had visited the Chicago World's Fair that summer. While lodged in the jail at Lima, Ohio, his companions carried out their escape on October 12. All ultimately getting away except for Joseph Jenkins, who after being thrown from the getaway car, managed to commandeer a vehicle driven by a youth who was able to escape after tricking Jenkins into checking the gas tank. Jenkins was later shot and killed by local posse members on alert in Beanblossom, Indiana. Three of the escapees, Pierpont, Clark and Makley, soon broke Dillinger out of the Lima jail after badly beating and shooting Sheriff Jesse Sarber, who died that evening. The gang then proceeded to Chicago to avoid the intense manhunt throughout Ohio. In Auburn and Peru, Indiana, they robbed police arsenals acquiring a cache of weapons including machine guns and also bulletproof vests. During the gang's stay in Chicago, several important events were to transpire. On November 15, Dillinger, with his new girlfriend, Evelyn "Billie" Frechette, narrowly escaped a police ambush set up when an informant had notified the police that Dillinger would be seeing a dermatologist named Dr. Charles Eye. Dillinger eluded his pursuers after having his vehicle shot up in a high speed chase. The publicity mounting, on November 20, the gang carried out a daring robbery in Racine, Wisconsin. With shots being fired, they escaped behind a shield of hostages. Then on December 14, John Hamilton mortally wounded Sergeant William Shanley, when the detective tried to capture him in a garage where he had followed a lead on a gang vehicle being repaired there. With the heat on and the development by the Chicago police of a special unit called The Dillinger Squad, it was decided by the gang that they should lay low for awhile. Dillinger reportedly dyed his hair red and grew a mustache. John and Billie joined Makley, Clark, and Hamilton in Daytona Beach, Florida. On Christmas Eve, Dillinger and Billie had a violent argument which culminated with Dillinger beating her and throwing her out the following morning, providing her with a $1000 and the keys to his car as a parting gesture. Dillinger returned north two weeks later to go after Billie in her home state of Wisconsin. He and Hamilton decided to rob The First National Bank in East Chicago, Indiana, on January 15. During the getaway Patrolman William O'Malley fired shots at Dillinger only to have them bounce off the bulletproof vest the outlaw was wearing. In the exchange of fire that followed Dillinger shot and killed the officer. Hamilton was wounded by police fire and was helped by Dillinger to the getaway car. On January 23,1934, Makley and Clark were forced out of hiding at the Hotel Congress in Tucson, Arizona, by a fire that broke out in the hotel that morning. One of the firemen, having recognized them from a crime magazine photo, notified the sheriff. The same day, Dillinger and Billie Frechette arrived in town for the reunion of the gang. They did manage to meet on the 25th, but acting on a tip, the police first arrested Makley, and then Clark, at the house they had been staying in since the hotel fire. Later, following leads, the police were able to capture Pierpont. Dillinger, unaware of these events, arrived at the house where Makley and Clark had been grabbed, and was arrested by officers just as they were setting up their stakeout. Dillinger became a national news item during his incarceration in the Pima County jail. Newspapermen and photographers poured in from around the country. While Dillinger and his gang gave interviews, there was much legal wrangling behind the scenes over which state would win extradition. He was eventually extradited to Indiana to stand trial for the O'Malley killing. The other three were sent to Ohio to be tried for killing Sheriff Sarber in the Lima breakout. Billie Frechette, arrested with Dillinger, was released. On January 30, the plane carrying Dillinger and his guards arrived at Chicago Municipal Airport. Waiting at the airport was a large contingent of police, in addition to the Dillinger Squad. With sirens wailing, the car carrying the outlaw was accompanied by a caravan of vehicles and motorcycle cops. Arriving at the sheriff's office in Crown Point, Indiana, he was greeted by numerous reporters with whom he cracked jokes. Photographers convinced Dillinger and Prosecutor Estill to pose, Dillinger cheerfully leaning his arm on his prosecutor's shoulder, with the sheriff looking congenially on. The arraignment for the O'Malley killing took place on February 9, 1934. Louis Piquett, a Chicago attorney who specialized in representing underworld characters, acted as his lawyer. After some legal maneuvering, Judge William J. Murray, set the trial for March 3. During the succeeding weeks there was little concern about a jailbreak, for along with the escape-proof reputation of the county jail and the fifty guards employed there, the sheriff had added armed citizens and National Guardsmen. When Dillinger bluffed his way out with the wooden pistol on March 3, it left officials stunned and the public captivated. By March 4, Dillinger, having rejoined Billie Frechette, arrived in St. Paul to add the final members of his new gang. This was to include John Hamilton and old prison friend Homer Van Meter (paroled from the Indiana penitentiary nine days after Dillinger in May 1933). Van Meter brought in fellow criminals, Eddie Green and his partner Tommy Carroll. To this group, was added underworld character Lester Gillis, better known as Baby Face Nelson, known for his reputation as a trigger-happy killer. On March 6, the gangsters robbed The Security National Bank and Trust in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As Dillinger and Van Meter collected $49,000 in cash and bonds from the vault, alarm blaring, a large crowd of onlookers gathered in the street. Nelson, spying off-duty policeman Hale Keith peering through the window, fired through the glass, wounding the man. To make their getaway, they took hostages to ride the running boards of their Packard, acting as a human shield. Once they arrived at the main highway they threw nails into the road in order to slow down any pursuing police. When the Packard overheated due to a police bullet hole in the radiator, the gang stole another car just as the police closed in. This led to a running gun battle, which nevertheless they were able to escape from, heading back to their Twin Cities hideout. At about the same time, a panic arose in Lima, Ohio, at the trial of Pierpont and Makley, as word got out that Dillinger might try to break them out. The March 13th robbery of The First National Bank in Mason City, Iowa, netted only $52,000 of an anticipated $240,000. Both Dillinger and Hamilton received shoulder wounds and a bystander was wounded when fired on by Nelson. The gang once again escaped behind a shield of hostages, all of whom were released after about 45 minutes. Back in Minneapolis, both Dillinger and Hamilton were treated for their wounds. John's plans to use his share of the $240,000 to leave the country had to be abandoned. In the weeks following Mason City, Dillinger was reported seemingly everywhere, by now having become a Robin Hood-like figure to the public. In fact, he was recovering from his wound, as he and Frechette were living as Mr. and Mrs. Cart T. Hellman at the Lincoln Court Apartments in St. Paul. When the manager of the apartments became suspicious of their behavior, she notified authorities. The FBI began surveillance on March 30. On the following morning, the agents and a local officer knocked on the door. Billie answered and identified herself as Mrs. Hellman. Upon being told that they were the police she stalled, saying that she needed to get dressed and closed the door. As the agents and officer waited, Homer Van Meter walked up the steps. Within a short time gunfire erupted between Van Meter and the officials. Dillinger opened fire with his machine pistol, shooting through the door. He next opened the door, spraying the hallway with machine gun fire before running down the back stairs. As he ran, he was hit by a police bullet in the leg. Once again he had escaped a law enforcement snare. On April 3, as a result of an intense manhunt, federal agents caught up with gang member Eddie Green. As he moved as though to draw, the agents cut him down. John and Billie next moved on to the Dillinger farm in Mooresville, staying there while he recovered from his leg wound. Authorities soon learned that they had returned to Chicago and were quickly able to track down and arrest Billie Frechette as she entered a bar. On seeing the arrest of his girlfriend, Dillinger quickly drove away. She was taken to St. Paul to stand trial on harboring charges. She was sentenced in May 1934, receiving two years in jail at Milan, Michigan. On April 13, Dillinger and Van Meter robbed the Warsaw, Indiana, police station, making off with guns and three bulletproof vests. This heist set off an intense manhunt and prompted hundreds of reports of sightings. In mid-April Dillinger and Hamilton stayed at Hamilton's sister's home in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. On April 20, having received a tip, the FBI arrived in town only to discover that the two outlaws had already moved on. By an arrangement made in Chicago, the gang decided to meet in Northern Wisconsin, at the Little Bohemia Lodge near Mercer. The criminals took up residence beginning April 20. Along with them they brought Van Meter's girlfriend Marie Comforti, Nelson's wife Helen and Tommy Carroll's wife Jean. The Nelsons moved into a cabin next to the lodge, with the rest taking rooms on the second floor of the lodge itself. They immediately began to enjoy the rest, relaxing and playing cards. Within a short time, the owner of the lodge, Emil Wanatka, had identified Dillinger from a newspaper photo. With his wife becoming increasingly nervous, and growing tired of the pushy gangsters, it was decided to find a way to contact the police. Passing the information on to Mrs. Wanatka's brother, he and her brother-in-law, Henry Voss, drove to the town of Rhinelander. That afternoon the local sheriff put him in contact with Melvin Purvis in Chicago. Purvis immediately chartered two planes to fly into the Rhinelander airport. Fifteen agents were selected, eleven of whom would fly, the other four were to drive. Once there, they joined forces with another group who had flown in from St. Paul. The leader of this group, Assistant Director Hugh Clegg, assumed overall command of the operation. Expecting to begin the raid at 4 a.m., it was learned from Voss's wife that Dillinger and the others had moved their departure up to that evening. The agents located five vehicles and drew up plans to surround the lodge. Three agents in bulletproof vests were to come through the front door while others took up positions around the lodge. On the trip to the lodge, two of the cars broke down requiring some of the agents to ride on the running boards of the remaining cars in the extreme cold. Just before 8 p.m., they arrived at their destination and immediately blocked the driveway with two of the cars. They then began to move in on foot. As they neared the lodge, they were suddenly confronted by barking dogs, which Voss had failed to warn them of. The agents rushed into position, thinking that those inside had been alerted. At just this moment, three of the visitors to the lodge headed to their car, while two of the lodge employees came outside to check on the barking. As the three men began backing their car out, the agents opened fire believing it was gang members getting away. One of the occupants of the car was killed instantly. Hearing the gunfire outside, the gang quickly moved into place and opened fire, Nelson shooting from the cabin. Within moments, as previously planned, Dillinger, Van Meter and Hamilton, followed by Carroll went out the back of the lodge. They headed down to the adjacent lake and escaped to the north on foot. Nelson soon escaped, heading the opposite direction along the shore. While he headed south, the others soon located vehicles to steal, and got away. Forcing his way into a nearby lodge owned by a man named Koerner, Nelson was holding the occupants hostage when Emil Wanatka and his brother-in-law arrived in front with the two employees from Little Bohemia. Nelson commandeered their vehicle and prepared to leave with Emil and Koerner as hostages, unaware that Koerner had already called the FBI when he noted Nelson's suspicious arrival. At this moment, Agents Jay Newman, W. Carter Baum and a local constable named Christiansen pulled into the driveway. As they pulled next to his car, Baby Face jumped out and ordered the agents and the officer out at gunpoint. He then proceeded to open fire on all three, killing Baum on the spot. The hostages dove for cover. After unloading his weapon at everything in sight, Nelson took the Ford the agents had been using and headed south at high speed. Back at the lodge, the three gangster's women, who had been hiding in the basement, surrendered and were arrested. As Dillinger, Van Meter and Hamilton raced toward St. Paul after the battle, they were spotted by waiting lawmen, who began chasing the stolen Packard the gang was driving. As they exchanged fire one of the police bullets caught Hamilton in the back. Eventually eluding their pursuers, they hijacked another car and headed for Chicago with the wounded Hamilton. Nelson holed up at the Lac Du Flambeau Indian Reservation until a few days had passed, then made his way to Marshfield, Wisconsin, and obtained a car. The women were jailed in Madison. The entire raid came to be seen by the public as a disaster, bringing heavy criticism on the FBI and Hoover. As the controversy raged, five days later, Dillinger and Van Meter finally found medical attention for Hamilton, through Doc Barker of the equally notorious Barker gang. In the end, Hamilton died of his wound and was buried in a gravel quarry. On May 5, 1934, spurred on in part by the lawlessness of the likes of Dillinger, The House Of Representatives passed numerous laws covering crimes typical of those committed by the motorized bandits of the time. While Dillinger went into hiding in Calumet City, Illinois, Bonnie and Clyde were killed by a posse outside Gibsland, Louisiana, on May 23, 1934. In an attempt to evade the intensifying manhunt, John had his lawyer Piquett, and his investigator Arthur O'Leary, locate a plastic surgeon to alter his appearance. They arranged for a certain Dr. Loeser and his associate Dr. Harold Cassidy to operate. On May 27, at the home of James Probasco, they went to work on his face. Several days later, they worked on the tips of his fingers, attempting to remove his fingerprints. The end results of the work were highly debatable. Some friends on seeing John later, thought he looked like he had the mumps. A short time later, the women arrested at Little Bohemia were released and placed on probation. Tommy Carroll, reunited with his wife, drove to Waterloo, Iowa. Acting on a tip, police looked for and then located their car parked in an alley. Later as the Carrolls emerged from a nearby restaurant, the police approached. Carroll went for his gun but one of the officers knocked it from his hand. As he began to run he was shot four times. He would later die in the hospital. The ranks of the Dillinger gang were thinning. On June 30, still hoping to raise money to leave the country, Dillinger with Van Meter and another man who may have been Pretty Boy Floyd, robbed the Merchant's National Bank in South Bend, Indiana. During the robbery and it's aftermath, there was much gunfire with Van Meter shooting an officer, who later died. Van Meter himself suffered a severe head wound. The resultant take was a mere $4,800 between them. The day after the robbery a man known as Jimmy Lawrence met his girlfriend, Polly Hamilton, for a date. He had been seeing her for two weeks. She was renting out a room from a Romanian immigrant named Anna Sage. Sage was currently facing deportation proceedings, stemming from her convictions resulting from charges related to her running brothels in Gary, Indiana, and East Chicago. Only Sage knew that Jimmy Lawrence, was in fact, John Dillinger. While living quietly in his new identity, the manhunt was continuing. Hoover had appointed Samuel Cowley to head up the investigation in Chicago. On July 20, 1934, Anna Sage contacted acquaintance Martin Zarkovich, an East Chicago police sergeant, and offered to reveal the whereabouts of John Dillinger in return for both the reward money and help in blocking her deportation. Zarkovich contacted Melvin Purvis. At subsequent secret meeting with Purvis and Cowley she outlined her offer and received assurance that they would help with her deportation problem. She told them that she would be going with John and Polly to the movies at the Marbro the following evening. On July 22, all available agents were briefed on the setup. At 5:30 p.m., Sage called and confirmed that they would attend a movie that night at either the Marbro, or the Biograph theater. Secondary plans were quickly made to have Purvis and Agent Ralph Brown stake out the Biograph. Spotting Dillinger and the women arrive at the Biograph, where Manhattan Melodrama featuring Clark Gable was showing, Agent Brown immediately called Cowley. Agents quickly surrounded the theater. Purvis was stationed left of the entrance. At 10:30 p.m., Dillinger and his companions exited the theater. Purvis having identified him, lit his cigar, the prearranged signal. Purvis and Agent Herman E. Hollis closed in from behind with guns drawn. As he neared the alleyway down from the theater, glancing over his shoulder, he began to run into the alley. Agents Hollis, Charles Winstead, and C. Hurt fired five times. Three bullets hit Dillinger and he fell face down. One shot, probably fired by Winstead, had entered his neck and exited under his right eye, killing him. Taken to the Alexian Bros. Hospital, he was pronounced dead at 10:30 p.m. From there his body was transported to the Cook County Morgue, where a huge crowd gathered and a number of photos were taken. The FBI checked his fingerprints, and in spite of his attempts to have them obliterated, were able to make a positive identification. An autopsy was then performed. The next day the body was put on display at the morgue and thousands came to look at the infamous John Dillinger. Newspapers were filled with stories of his betrayal by a "woman in red", soon identified by the press as Anna Sage. The body was next transferred to McCready Mortuary. On July 24, the remains were taken to the E.F. Harvey Funeral Parlor in Mooresville. The casket was soon moved from there to his sister's home in Maywood. A crowd of thousands gathered outside the Crown Hill Cemetery, as the twenty car funeral procession arrived. Dillinger's body was then buried. Due to countless rumors that would go on for years, that it wasn't Dillinger's body in the ground, John Dillinger Sr. soon made arrangements to have 3 ft. of reinforced concrete poured into the ground above the grave, lest anyone attempt to dig up the coffin. Of his surviving companions, Van Meter was trapped and killed a month later in St. Paul. Shortly thereafter, Makley was killed and Harry Pierpont wounded in a failed jailbreak. Pierpont would soon go to the electric chair. Russell Clark received a life sentence for his part in the Sarber killing. On November 27, 1934, Baby Face Nelson, while traveling with Helen Gillis and armed companion John Paul Chase, were spotted by Federal Agents Samuel Cowley and H.E. Hollis. During the gun battle that followed, Nelson killed Cowley and Hollis, but was himself mortally wounded. His body, having been dumped not far away, was discovered the next morning. The passing of John Dillinger and his gang marked the beginning of the end of an era of lawlessness in American history. His short life had ended violently, but his legend would continue to grow with the passage of time. Little would he have imagined that, in the end, he would be remembered as the most notorious outlaw of his time.