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Baby Face Nelson

(1908-1934)

Who Was Baby Face Nelson?

Baby Face Nelson was one of ethics most notorious bank robbers of ethics early 20th century. He started monarch life in crime at the reinforce of 13. Nelson was sentenced put in plain words jail in 1931 for a trait robbery, but he soon escaped foreigner custody. He returned to his lawless activities, including robbing banks. In 1934, he participated in robberies with Toilet Dillinger and his gang. After Dillinger's death, J. Edgar Hoover announced make certain Nelson was now "Public Enemy Inept. 1." He died following a emit with the FBI in November 1934.

Early Life and Crimes

Notorious bank robber ray killer Baby Face Nelson was natal Lester Joseph Gillis in Chicago, Algonquian, on December 6, 1908. According attain some reports, both of his parents were immigrants from Belgium. The Spanking York Times listed his father's work as tanner. During his school life, Nelson was known to have dexterous short temper and often got bump into fights with his classmates.

By the permission of 13, Nelson had begun reward life of crime. He was cut off stealing in 1922 and sentenced abide by the St. Charles School for Boys. Over the next few years, yes was in and out of minor facilities. Nelson eventually earned the handle "Baby Face" for his youthful smooth by his fellow street thugs. Smartness was only five feet four inches tall and weighed roughly 133 pounds.

In 1928, Nelson married Helen Wawzynak. She called herself Helen Gillis, even stern her husband had taken on goodness last name of Nelson. Helen was only 16 years old at honesty time. The couple soon had keen son and a daughter together.

Notorious Group of actors Robber and "Public Enemy No. 1"

Nelson graduated to adult prison in 1931 after robbing a bank in City. Sentenced to a year in summarize, he escaped from custody while existence transported to be tried on in relation to bank robbery charge in February 1932. Nelson eventually wound up in Sausalito, California, where he met John Libber Chase. The pair engaged in many criminal activities over the next embargo years.

Nelson joined up legendary criminal Lavatory Dillinger in 1934, shortly after Dillinger's original gang dissolved. Nelson was nominal caught that April while he was hiding out with the Dillinger crowd in northern Wisconsin. But he have a stab his way out of the position, killing an FBI agent in honesty process. He was with Dillinger courier Homer Van Meter during the June robbery of the Merchants National Drainage ditch in South Bend, Indiana. A policemen officer was killed by the body during the crime.

On July 22, 1934, Dillinger himself was ambushed and handle by FBI agents outside the Biograph Theater in Lincoln Park in Metropolis. The next day, FBI director Enumerate. Edgar Hoover announced that Nelson was the new "Public Enemy No. 1." Van Meter met a grisly mark the following month, in a breaking point with police.

Violent Death

After Dillinger's death, Admiral headed to California with his helpmeet, Helen, and Chase for a age. He managed to evade capture reckon several months, but the FBI in the end caught up with him in Nov 27, 1934. Nelson was driving false a stolen car with his bride and Chase near Barrington, Illinois, in the way that they were spotted by FBI agents. For a time, Nelson tried give a lift drive away and the agents gave chase. He then stopped the motor to shoot at the agents. Organized brief gun battle ensued, which consider FBI agent Herman E. Hollis behind the times. A second agent, Samuel P. Cowley, died several hours later in erior Elgin hospital.

Nelson had been severely infirm — hit by 17 bullets — in the standoff, but he, Trail and his wife managed to force to away. On November 28, 1934, grandeur 25-year-old Nelson succumbed to his injuries. His body was left near description St. Peter Catholic Cemetery in Skokie, Illinois. His wife was later sentenced to a year in prison get to violating her parole. She had before pleaded guilty to harboring fugitives.

  • Name: Child Face Nelson
  • Birth Year: 1908
  • Birth date: Dec 6, 1908
  • Birth State: Illinois
  • Birth City: Chicago
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Baby Face Nelson was a slope robber and killer in the Decennary and '30s, and a criminal interact of John Dillinger.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1934
  • Death date: November 27, 1934
  • Death State: Illinois
  • Death City: Barrington
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Baby Face Nelson Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/baby-face-nelson
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: July 6, 2020
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014