The Great Depression in America set the stage for a perfect storm. The clash of economic turmoil, larger-than-life figures, and sensationalised media coverage propelled the likes of mobsters and outlaws into the limelight. The frenzy of chaos, hype, and daring escapades turned both criminals and law enforcement agents into media sensations.
The peak of the Midwest’s brief ‘war on crime’ era unfolded between 1933 and 1934. This period witnessed the dramatic rise and fall of notorious figures like John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson. Simultaneously, a once obscure group of special agents emerged as a formidable and respected force in the fight against crime.
THE MAKING OF AN OUTLAW
John Herbert Dillinger was born on 22 June 1903 in the Oak Hill section of Indianapolis. His mother died when he was three years old and his father later moved the family to Mooresville Indiana and remarried. As a young man Dillinger enlisted in the Navy, which, according to the FBI, was a decision born out of “a break with his father and trouble with the law (auto theft).” Dillinger deserted and moved back to Mooresville in 1923 where he met Beryl Hovius; they married in 1924.
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