URGENT UPDATE: On this day, July 22, we remember the shocking death of notorious gangster John Dillinger, who was gunned down by FBI agents outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago in 1934. The dramatic event unfolded during a blistering heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 101 degrees, leading to a tragic climax for the man once declared Public Enemy No. 1.
As the clock struck 10:30 PM, Dillinger left the theater after watching “Manhattan Melodrama,” accompanied by Polly Hamilton and her landlady, Anna Sage, who would later be known as the “Lady in Red.” Outside, approximately 16 federal agents were poised to apprehend him. Dillinger, realizing the danger, pulled a pistol and attempted to flee into an alley. In the chaos, a bullet struck him in the neck, fired from the revolver of East Chicago police Sgt. Martin Zarkovich.
The aftermath of Dillinger’s death drew massive crowds to the Cook County Morgue, with souvenir seekers dipping handkerchiefs in his blood. The incident marked the end of Dillinger’s infamous criminal career, which had kept him at the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted list for 11 months. Sage received a $5,000 reward for her role in the trap but was later deported to Romania, where she died in 1947.
The historical significance of Dillinger’s demise resonates even today, reminding us of the intense law enforcement efforts during the Great Depression era. The Biograph Theater remains a symbol of that tumultuous time, now known as the Victory Gardens Theater, where the echoes of Dillinger’s last moments still linger.
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