Public Enemy Number One

THE BALLAD OF JOHNNIE DILLINGER

Well now,
Johnnie Dillinger was a bad man
much wanted by the FBI,
Targeted by every American lawman's gun
he mocked Hoover's war on crime,

Dillinger financed the big break
out of the Indiana State Pen,
To liberate his pal's Harry Pierpont,
Makley, Clark and Hamilton,

They raided a police arsenal in Peru
they robbed the Greencastle bank too,

Dillinger raced across the Midwest
hotter than a blazing gun,
Robbing banks and bribing Politicians
on the run...Public Enemy Number One,

He was captured down in Tucson
robbery and murder was the charge,
Although he never killed a soul
the electric chair welcomed him, with open arms,
He bluffed his way out of Crown Point
with a hand carved wooden gun,
He left the Lake County Jail in chaos
he left the nation stunned,

There was no end to his humor
behind his half cocked crooked grin,
While Police searched desperately in Chicago
Dillinger was home with family and friends,
Now Melvin Purvis was a G-man
Chicago Agent for the FBI,
Bigtime gangsters, they just couldn't win
he brought in dead or alive,

The Feds claimed they got him down in Chicago
with a tip from a woman in red,
When Dillinger walked out of the Biograph
shots rang out that left him dead.
Johnnie Dillinger's dead!
He lived and died by the gun..
Public Enemy...Public Enemy...
Public Enemy Number One!

Written by Tony Stewart

One Hundred Dollar Bill, 1934 series, given to William Hovious by John Dillinger.

Above: The one hundred dollar bill was found in the family bible of William Hovious. The bill was said to have been a gift given to Hovious by John Dillinger, his brother in-law. Hovious was a dirt poor farmer and hunter who lived day by day just trying to get by. He was also a close friend of John Dillinger.

William Hovious was arrested several times by the Indiana State Police after neighbors spotted John Dillinger on his property. Hovious always denied reports that Dillinger was at his residence, until many years later. Hovious, who received a new pocket watch chain, a car which was kept in the garage and never driven, and several other gifts from his brother in-law.

These gifts were hidden away for many because Hovious did not want to arose any suspicion. He was under constant surveillance of the Indiana State Police and he knew the hundred dollar bill would be very hard to explain to authorities.

Hovious was badly in need of the money, but decided to just keep it quiet and hid the money in his family bible where it stayed until his death years later.

Dillinger's "old pal" William Hovious

The above comic is believed to have been published in a local newspaper in the thirties.

I wonder what Bonnie and Clyde thought of this newspaper photo that joked about their death's in the electric chair?

I also wonder what it felt like to know that sudden death could happen at any given moment in a hail of bullets? These thoughts had to add some pressures to their already dangerous life styles.

January 16, 1935 Newspaper describes the bloody end of the Freddy and Ma Barker.
The paper also mentions Alvin Karpis of the Barker/Karpis gang.

Newspaper photograph above and Time Magazine which displays Chicago gangster Al Capone, courtesy of Paul Rosa.

Click on the Capone picture above and pay a visit to the truly fascinating MY AL CAPONE MUSEUM, presented by Mario Gomes.