Original subtitles

IT'S THE MONEY OR YOUR LIVES, MUTTS.

Narrator: AT THE HEIGHT OF THE DEPRESSION,

AN UNPRECEDENTED CRIME WAVE SWEEPS THE NATION.

NOT ONE STEP CLOSER, NELSON!

Man: ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU HAD CROOKS

WHO COULD OUTGUN MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

NELSON LOVED KILLING. THE GUY WAS A TOTAL PSYCHOPATH.

THEY WERE FACING DEATH FROM A MACHINE GUN

IN THE ARMS OF MEN LIKE PRETTY BOY FLOYD,

BABY FACE NELSON, AND JOHN DILLINGER.

Narrator: THE INCREDIBLE STORY

OF HOW LAWMAN MELVIN PURVIS

TAKES ON AMERICA'S DEADLIEST OUTLAWS...

HE DID TAKE DUTY AND HONOR TO HEART.

Narrator: WE GO INSIDE THE DRAMATIC MISSION

TO BRING AMERICA'S MOST WANTED TO JUSTICE,

A TRIAL BY FIRE THAT FORGED THE MODERN FBI.

I KNOW HOW YOU CAN CATCH HIM.

THESE MEN WOULD BE HUNTED DOWN.

DILLINGER, WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED.

Narrator: AS AMERICA RISES AS A NATION...

VIOLENCE REIGNS.

A FEW BRAVE SOULS FACE THE DANGER,

FIGHTING TO CREATE JUSTICE FROM CHAOS.

THESE ARE THE STORIES OF AMERICAN LAWMEN.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Man: WHAT'S FASCINATING

ABOUT THE POST-DEPRESSION PERIOD OF THE MIDWEST

IS THE BAD GUYS, THE GANGSTERS.

THEY REALLY HAD THE UPPER HAND.

THEIR FACES WERE ON WANTED POSTERS

IN EVERY POST OFFICE AND EVERY BANK IN AMERICA.

THEY WERE SUPERSTARS OF CRIME.

MAKING A DEPOSIT TODAY, SIR?

ACTUALLY, DARLING, I'M HERE TO MAKE A WITHDRAWAL.

EVERYBODY, THIS IS A STICKUP.

PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND GET BACK AGAINST THE WALL.

NO ONE WAS READY FOR THE SUDDEN WAVE OF CRIME

THAT HIT IN THE '30s, THESE SORT OF FAST-MOVING,

BANK-ROBBING GUYS WITH MACHINE GUNS.

RED, LET'S GET TO WORK.

[ MACHINE GUN FIRE, SCREAMING ]

DARLING, YOU WANT TO FILL THIS UP FOR ME?

HERE YOU GO. JUST RIGHT HERE, FILL IT UP.

Maccabee: BANKS ARE BEING ROBBED ALL OVER AMERICA.

WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BANK ROBBERIES

RIGHT ABOUT 1932, '33, '34.

THESE CHARACTERS STARTED COMING OUT

LIKE JOHN DILLINGER, BABY FACE NELSON,

AND PRETTY BOY FLOYD.

ALL RIGHT, THERE YOU GO. HURRY UP A LITTLE BIT.

ALL RIGHT? THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU GO.

BANKS HAVE BEEN ROBBED BEFORE BUT NOT TO THIS LEVEL.

I THINK IT WAS A PERFECT STORM OF SEVERAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

[ ALARM RINGING ]

Hendley: YOU HAVE THE THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN,

WHICH IS A MACHINE GUN THAT ONE PERSON CAN HOLD.

GANGSTERS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SAW THE VALUE OF THESE WEAPONS.

THAT'S IT? THAT'S EVERYTHING?

YOU HAVE YOURSELF A GOOD DAY.

YOU HAVE A NEW BREED OF CRIMINALS,

CROOKS WHO COULD OUTGUN MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

YOU HAD 'EM BY THE '30s, YOU KNOW, VERY FAST CARS,

V-8 CARS WITH V-8 ENGINES

THAT CAN DO OVER 100 MILES AN HOUR.

AND SO THAT GAVE CRIMINALS AN INCREDIBLE

VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTATION.

BANK ROBBERY, YOU KNOW, WAS A STATE CRIME.

AND YOU COULD EASILY JUMP FROM THE BORDER

OF ONE BORDER TO THE OTHER.

SO IT WAS VERY EASY TO ESCAPE JUSTICE.

Maccabee: MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE 1920s,

THE 1930s WAS LOCAL.

THERE WASN'T A NATIONAL POLICE FORCE

LIKE WE KNOW TODAY.

**

THE FBI, AS IT'S CURRENTLY CALLED TODAY,

HAD VERY LIMITED POWER.

Hendley: THE FBI WERE NOT ARMED.

THEY WEREN'T EVEN ALLOWED TO MAKE ARRESTS.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPANY LOCAL OR STATE POLICE

AND JUST INVESTIGATE VARIOUS FEDERAL OFFENSES.

Maccabee: J. EDGAR HOOVER WANTED HIS FBI

TO BE THE NATIONAL POLICE FORCE FOR THE UNITED STATES

THE WAY SCOTLAND YARD IS FOR THE U.K.

TO CREATE THIS HUGE POLICE FORCE,

HE HAD TO CREATE AN ENEMY.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE, TO BE AHAB,

YOU HAD TO HAVE THE BIG WHALE.

Rice: BY DESIGNATING SOMEONE AS PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE,

THAT WOULD GET MORE MEDIA ATTENTION.

IT WAS ALSO HELPING IN HIS BATTLE WITH CONGRESS

TO GET MORE FUNDING

IN WHAT WAS A VERY LEAN ECONOMIC TIME.

Hendley: MELVIN PURVIS JOINED THE FBI THINKING

IT WOULD ONLY BE A SHORT-TERM CAREER.

POLICE AT THE TIME DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION.

THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, SEEN AS CORRUPT.

SO HOOVER REALLY WANTED TO FIGHT AGAINST THAT SORT OF STEREOTYPE

AND SAY MY GUYS ARE INCORRUPTIBLE,

THEY'RE STRAIGHT ARROWS.

PURVIS CAME FROM A LAW BACKGROUND.

AND HE WANTED TO SORT OF MAKE HIS MARK IN THE WORLD.

AND HE ALSO, I THINK, PERCEIVED IT

AS BEING MORE EXCITING THAN TO BE A COURTROOM LAWYER.

Rice: VERNE SANKEY WAS THE FIRST PERSON DESIGNATED

AS PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE.

HE WAS WANTED OUT OF SOUTH DAKOTA

FOR A KIDNAPPING.

**

YOU'RE DONE, SANKEY.

SANKEY WAS ARRESTED HERE IN CHICAGO.

HE WAS CONVICTED OF HIS CRIME AND EVENTUALLY DIED IN PRISON.

LET'S GET HIM UP.

Woman: MELVIN PURVIS WAS A SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN.

AND HE DID TAKE DUTY AND HONOR TO HEART.

HE WAS A COP'S COP.

HE ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR HIS FELLOW FBI AGENTS.

MY FATHER NEVER DID ANYTHING HALFWAY.

HE WAS OFFERED AGENT IN CHARGE OF CHICAGO,

AND THAT WAS AS HIGH AS YOU COULD GET.

BUT IT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS MOST HIGH PROFILE, TOO,

ALWAYS WATCHED BY NEWSPAPERS.

IT WAS, UM, ONE WHERE YOU DID NOT WANT TO FAIL.

Hendley: BABY FACE NELSON WAS AN UNPLEASANT GUY.

AS HIS NAME IMPLIES,

HE WAS SORT OF SHORT OF STATURE AND VERY SHORT-TEMPERED.

HE WAS JUST A NASTY PIECE OF WORK.

AND HE'D HAPPILY KILL CIVILIANS OR POLICEMEN

OR ANYONE WHO GOT IN HIS WAY.

[ GUNFIRE ]

Poulsen: PRETTY BOY FLOYD WAS A GENUINE OKLAHOMA OUTLAW.

AND HE CAME FROM THAT TRADITION,

BELLE STARR AND THE DALTONS AND JESSE JAMES.

HE CAME RIGHT OUT OF THAT REGION.

PRETTY BOY FLOYD HATED HIS NICKNAME.

YOU KNOW, HE REGARDED IT AS KIND OF DEROGATORY.

THE TURNING POINT FOR FLOYD WAS HIS INCARCERATION.

AND HE BECAME A VICIOUS, HARDENED CRIMINAL IN PRISON.

Maccabee: JOHN DILLINGER REALLY WAS A SMALL-TOWN CROOK.

HE ROBBED A GROCERY STORE

WHEN HE WAS A VERY YOUNG MAN

AND WAS SENT TO PRISON.

DILLINGER GETS A PhD IN CRIME IN PRISON.

AND WHEN DILLINGER GETS OUT OF PRISON,

HE'S AN EXPERT CROOK.

Hendley: AND THE FBI IS ONE OF THE FEW ORGANIZATIONS

THAT WAS SEEN AS BEING ABLE TO TAKE ON

THESE BAD GUYS, THESE DESPERADOS.

Poulsen: JOHN DILLINGER WAS APPOINTED

PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE IN THE HOOPLA

SURROUNDING THE CROWN POINT COUNTY JAIL ESCAPE.

Maccabee: HE STEALS A SHERIFF'S CAR,

TAKES IT ACROSS STATE LINES,

AND HE BECOMES THE MOST WANTED FEDERAL FUGITIVE

IN AMERICA, WHICH ENABLES THE FBI TO START HUNTING HIM.

THE WARRANT FOR THIS IS COMING DOWN TODAY, PURVIS.

YOU NEED TO BE READY.

I CAN START PUTTING A FILE TOGETHER IMMEDIATELY, SIR.

THE BUREAU NEEDS THIS.

YOU CAN COUNT ON ME, SIR.

YOU CATCH ME DILLINGER, THE WORLD IS YOURS.

THE JOHN DILLINGER CASE BECAME MY FATHER'S RESPONSIBILITY.

IT WAS A VERY HIGH-PROFILE CASE.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Rice: THE AGENTS THAT RUN WHAT WAS CALLED

THE DILLINGER SQUAD

WERE LITERALLY CHASING DOWN DOZENS OF LEADS EVERY DAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF THEM DIDN'T PAN OUT.

BUT EVERY ONE HAD TO BE CHECKED OUT.

IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE

THAT WAS WORKING ON THE DILLINGER SQUAD

BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE HAD THE SHOOT FIRST MENTALITY.

**

IT'S THE MONEY OR YOUR LIVES, MUTTS.

[ LAUGHS ]

FILL THE BAG.

HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING TODAY, HUH?

[ MACHINE GUN FIRE, SCREAMING ]

I'M DOING WONDERFUL.

[ ALARM RINGING ]

DON'T MOVE.

Rice: DILLINGER ONLY USED VIOLENCE OR FIRE

WHEN HE WAS TRAPPED.

NELSON ENJOYED FIREARMS.

HE ENJOYED DEATH.

[ MACHINE GUN FIRE ]

HOW YOU DOIN', HUH? HUH?

-WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT? -NOTHING.

DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?

BABY FACE NELSON DIDN'T START OUT AS A VICIOUS SOCIOPATH.

IT WASN'T UNTIL HE GOT BEHIND A TOMMY GUN

THAT THAT VICIOUS STREAK FOUND EXPRESSION.

SHUT UP! SHUT UP.

IS THAT REALLY ALL YOU GOT?

BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ATE A WHOLE LOT OF IT.

MY FATHER, YOU KNOW, REALLY DESPISED NELSON.

I THINK EVERYBODY DID.

I THINK EVEN JOHN DILLINGER DESPISED HIM.

HE WAS PART OF THE JOHN DILLINGER GANG FOR A WHILE.

THEN, DILLINGER DIDN'T TRUST HIM AT ALL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JUST GIVE ME THE GOODS.

ANOTHER WHISKEY.

IN TRACKING PEOPLE DOWN LIKE DILLINGER,

MY FATHER WOULD TAKE INFORMATION FROM ANY PLACE HE COULD GET IT.

VERY STRONG.

WHO WANTS TO KNOW?

YOU REMEMBER THAT GIRL?

WE USED TO DATE. WHAT'S IT TO YA?

DID YOU KNOW SHE'S NOW AN ASSOCIATE

FOR THE JOHN DILLINGER GANG?

I'M GONNA ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME,

WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?

YOU'VE BEEN AN EXCELLENT INFORMANT FOR THE BUREAU.

YOU WANT TO KEEP THAT GOING DON'T YOU?

LISTEN...

HER AND I WERE A LONG TIME AGO.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HER ANYMORE.

OKAY, NO PROBLEM.

SO WHO DO YOU KNOW?

Maccabee: THE BREAKS FOR THE FBI WERE OFTEN THE WOMEN.

THESE WERE THE GIRLFRIENDS OF THE GANG.

THE WOMEN WERE A FOUNT

OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW THEIR MEN WERE HIDING

AND HOW THEY OPERATED.

Poulsen: JOHN DILLINGER MET EVELYN FRECHETTE

IN A SPEAKEASY IN CHICAGO CALLED THE OLYMPIAN.

YOU KNOW I'M A WEALTHY MAN?

I'D TRADE IT ALL TO BE THAT GLASS.

[ CHUCKLES ] I SUPPOSE YOU THINK THAT'S CLEVER.

YOU DON'T?

IT'S TERRIBLE.

YOU'RE TERRIBLE.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

MELVIN PURVIS WAS ASTUTE ENOUGH TO SEE

THAT THERE WAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE

IN THESE WOMEN GIVEN THE RELATIONSHIP

THAT THEY HAD TO THE DESPERADOS.

HE MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE FOLLOWED EVERYWHERE

THAT THEY WENT.

ALL RIGHT, YOU WAIT HERE. I'M GONNA GO INSIDE.

OH, YOU STAY. I'LL GO IN.

LAST TIME YOU WENT, ANYWAY, YOU GOT ARRESTED.

Rice: SHE CAME TO CHICAGO IN SEARCH OF AN APARTMENT.

SHE WAS GONNA RENT IT IN HER NAME

SO THAT IT WOULDN'T DRAW ATTENTION

TO THE LANDLORD OR NEIGHBORS

THAT JOHN DILLINGER WAS MOVING IN.

THANKS.

PURVIS AND THE BUREAU KNEW WHO FRECHETTE WAS.

WHISKEY.

SHE WAS CONSIDERED CULPABLE IN SOME OF THE BANK ROBBERIES

AS SOMEONE WHO AIDED AND ABETTED THEIR EFFORTS.

**

SEAT TAKEN?

Poulsen: WHEN MELVIN PURVIS CAPTURED EVELYN FRECHETTE,

HE HAD THE HOLY GRAIL.

SHE KNEW EVERYTHING.

DILLINGER WAS ABSOLUTELY IRATE.

I THINK HE WANTED TO KILL MELVIN PURVIS.

**

THEY WERE UNDER A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE.

THE MANHUNT HAD BEEN ON FOR 9 MONTHS AT THAT POINT.

HOOVER DIRECTED PURVIS TO TAKE AS MANY MEN AS HE COULD,

HEAD NORTH AS FAST AS HE CAN, AND TRY AND MAKE AN ARREST.

EVELYN FRECHETTE WAS TAKEN TO A SECRET LOCATION IN CHICAGO.

AND SHE WAS SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL DISCOMFORTS

LIKE LACK OF SLEEP AND, UH,

MORE SERIOUS METHODS OF DURESS.

BUT SHE WAS A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT FOR HIM.

AND SHE NEVER REALLY CRACKED.

Rice: PURVIS HAD RECEIVED A TIP FROM SOMEBODY

UP IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN

THAT DILLINGER AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE,

BELIEVED TO BE MEMBERS OF HIS GANG,

WERE HIDING OUT IN LITTLE BOHEMIA.

THE FBI HAD VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE

SURROUNDING A BUILDING AT NIGHT IN THE DARK.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD NEVER REALLY DONE BEFORE.

Poulsen: THE MAJOR PROBLEM OF THE AMBUSH

AT LITTLE BOHEMIA WAS TIMING.

BUT THEY GOT A CALL FROM THE PROPRIETOR

THAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO LEAVE RIGHT AWAY.

SO THEY RUSHED OVER THERE.

[ DOG BARKING ]

WILL YOU SHUT UP?

THEY'RE JUST DOGS. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

YEAH, AND I'M GONNA KILL THOSE DOGS IF THEY DON'T SHUT UP.

[ LAUGHTER ]

Maccabee: IT'S LATE AT NIGHT, PITCH BLACK.

REMEMBER, DILLINGER ESCAPED ALREADY AT LEAST TWICE.

DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE AGAIN.

THE FBI IN THE 1920s AND 1930S,

YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE THEIR COURAGE.

MANY OF THEM WERE NOT TRAINED AS COPS OR SOLDIERS.

THEY WERE TRAINED IN LAW OR ACCOUNTING.

AND THEY WERE FACING DEATH FROM A MACHINE GUN

IN THE ARMS OF MEN LIKE JOHN DILLINGER.

[ CAR ENGINE REVVING ]

HALT! HALT!

THE FBI YELLED, "FEDERAL AGENTS.

HALT."

HALT RIGHT THERE!

BUT BECAUSE THE WINDOWS WERE UP,

THESE THREE MEN DID NOT HEAR IT.

FIRE!

STOP. STOP FIRING.

STOP FIRING.

THIS ISN'T THE DILLINGER GANG.

Poulsen: THEY WERE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS WORKERS

WHO WERE JUST OUT FOR A BEER.

AND ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN WAS KILLED.

THE ONE WHO SHOT UP THE CAR WITH THE MACHINE GUN WAS CARTER BAUM.

AND CARTER BAUM FELT REALLY GUILTY ABOUT THAT

'CAUSE HE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS A VERY GENTLE GUY.

THE GUNFIRE ALERTED DILLINGER AND THOSE THAT WERE INSIDE THAT,

YOU KNOW, THE POLICE WERE COMING.

THEY LOST THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.

THAT'S WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

[ GUNFIRE ]

**

DILLINGER AND HIS MEN MAKE THE GETAWAY.

Poulsen: BABY FACE NELSON

WENT A DIFFERENT DIRECTION FROM DILLINGER.

Melvin: NELSON! STOP RIGHT THERE!

NELSON! NELSON!

AFTER PURVIS REALIZED THAT THE DILLINGER GANG MEMBERS

HAD ESCAPED, HE TRIED TO SET UP A PERIMETER FAR ENOUGH AROUND

THE LODGE TO HOPEFULLY INTERDICT THE GANG MEMBERS.

Alston: IT WAS CARTER BAUM, AND THERE WAS A --

A LOCAL POLICEMAN IN THERE WITH HIM.

THEY WERE SENT TO CHECK OUT A LEAD THAT

ONE OF THE DILLINGER GANG HAD BEEN SEEN.

I KNOW YOU TWO.

I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU HIGH AND LOW.

Maccabee: THE FBI AGENT HAD A BULLETPROOF VEST

THAT COVERED HIS STOMACH AND HIS CHEST.

BABY FACE SHOOTS HIM IN THE NECK

AND IN THE LEGS.

Alston: NELSON LOVED KILLING.

THE GUY WAS A TOTAL PSYCHOPATH.

BAUM WAS KILLED INSTANTLY.

BAUM WAS SORT OF A PROTéGé OF MY FATHER.

YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE FAILURE AT LITTLE BOHEMIA WAS ONE THING,

BUT TO HAVE CARTER BAUM KILLED, TOO,

WAS JUST -- WAS TOO MUCH.

MY FATHER WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT OPERATION AT LITTLE BOHEMIA.

AND SO HE TOOK ON ALL RESPONSIBILITY

OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.

Hendley: IT WAS SUCH A DISASTER.

THIS MARKS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES

THAT AGENTS HAD BEEN KILLED IN ACTION AGAINST ARMED BAD GUYS.

**

MY FATHER FELT THAT HIS CAREER IN FBI

HAD COME TO AN END.

IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE BUREAU, I SHOULD RESIGN.

Hoover: YOU COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY ANYWAYS.

AND THIS BUREAU NEEDS YOU TO CONTINUE DOING YOUR WORK.

I WON'T LET YOU DOWN, SIR.

SEE THAT YOU DON'T.

Poulsen: THE LITTLE BOHEMIA RAID

TURNED THE TABLES ON MELVIN PURVIS.

THAT WAS THE POINT WHERE HOOVER STARTED TO HARASS HIM

AND MADE PLANS TO BRING IN HIS REPLACEMENT.

**

AFTER LITTLE BOHEMIA, MY FATHER COULD NOT AFFORD

ANOTHER MISS ON DILLINGER.

MAX.

YOU TELLING ME YOU DIDN'T AID AND ABET JOHN DILLINGER?

YOU KNOW WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE YOUR LIFE HELL?

NICE HIT, ED. DO YOU WANT TO TALK NOW, MAX?

Rice: AT ITS HEIGHT, THERE WERE 12 AGENTS ASSIGNED

TO WHAT WAS CALLED THE DILLINGER SQUAD.

THEY WEREN'T JUST FOLLOWING LEADS

ON TRYING TO FIND ONE PERSON.

IT WAS TRYING TO LOCATE, IDENTIFY,

AND ESSENTIALLY ERADICATE THE ENTIRE GROUP.

FOR DILLINGER, THE SHOOTOUT AT LITTLE BOHEMIA

WAS A REAL SERIOUS WAKE-UP CALL.

HE REALIZED HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO BEING APPREHENDED...

OR WORSE.

DILLINGER TRIED TO HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY TO CHANGE HIS FACE.

HE HAD THREE MOLES REMOVED FROM HIS CHEEK.

HE HAD A CLEFT CHIN THAT WAS FILLED IN.

AND HE HAD A FACELIFT.

Rice: HE WASN'T USED TO DEALING WITH THESE AGENTS

THAT CAME ALL THE WAY FROM CHICAGO SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES

AND ALMOST CAPTURED HIM AND HIS GANG MEMBERS.

HE KNEW NOW THAT THE BUREAU WAS AFTER HIM.

**

[ GUNSHOTS ]

Maccabee: A LOT OF THE REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE NOSTALGIC FOR

THE JOHN DILLINGER/ BABY FACE NELSON ERA

IS THE IMPRESSION

THAT THEY DIDN'T KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE.

THEY WOULD ONLY KILL COPS OR FBI AGENTS.

THAT'S FALSE.

Rice: THERE WERE AT LEAST 13 DEATHS

ATTRIBUTED TO THE DILLINGER GROUP

DURING THE YEAR AND A HALF

THAT THEY WERE TERRORIZING THE MIDWEST.

[ GUNFIRE ]

Hendley: PURVIS REALLY REALIZED HE HAD TO UP HIS GAME.

HE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW

THAT HOOVER WAS GETTING DISPLEASED WITH HIM.

SO HE KNEW HE HAD TO GET RESULTS.

YOU SEEN THIS GUY?

HERE, TAKE A GOOD LOOK.

YOU SEEN THIS GUY?

INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO DILLINGER

AND HIS CAPTURE IS $10,000 IN YOUR POCKET.

Rice: THAT WAS A HUGE SUM OF MONEY AT THAT TIME.

AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE GENIUS,

IF YOU WILL, OF HOOVER RECOGNIZING

THAT HE CAN ENLIST COOPERATION FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE

WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE INCLINED

TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE FBI.

AT THAT PERIOD, DILLINGER NEEDED TO STAY OUT OF SIGHT

AND LAY LOW.

HIS ATTORNEY PUT HIM TOGETHER

WITH A WOMAN WHO WAS WILLING TO KEEP HIM IN HER APARTMENT.

ANNA SAGE WAS A PRETTY FAMILIAR POLICE FIGURE

WHOSE NAME WAS IN THE PAPERS QUITE OFTEN

FOR HAVING BEEN ARRESTED ON PROSTITUTION CHARGES.

SHE HAD A THREAT FACING HER

THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE DEPORTED TO HER NATIVE ROMANIA.

**

Melvin: YOU ALONE?

WHAT DO YOU GOT?

THE REWARD MONEY?

YOU'LL GET A SUBSTANTIAL SUM.

MOST IMPORTANT, I NEED TO STAY IN AMERICA.

NO DEPORTATION.

THAT'S BEYOND MY AUTHORITY.

UH...

I'LL BRING YOUR SITUATION TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE

IN WASHINGTON.

WHAT DO YOU GOT?

I KNOW HOW YOU CAN CATCH HIM.

TELL ME EVERYTHING.

Rice: SHE WAS OFFERING TO ESSENTIALLY SET UP DILLINGER.

SHE KNEW WHERE AND WHEN HE WOULD BE AT VARIOUS TIMES.

IN JULY OF 1934,

SHE CALLED PURVIS AND SAID THAT SHE

AND ANOTHER GIRL, POLLY HAMILTON,

THE LADY THAT DILLINGER WAS DATING AT THAT TIME,

WERE GONNA ACCOMPANY DILLINGER TO A MOVIE LATER THAT EVENING.

IT WAS A VERY HOT SUMMER NIGHT. THE THEATER WAS AIR-CONDITIONED.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD ROUTINELY GO

TO A MOVIE IN THE EVENING,

NOT NECESSARILY TO WATCH THE MOVIE

BUT TO GET IN OUT OF THE HEAT AND THE HUMIDITY.

PURVIS WAS EXTREMELY EXCITED.

HE ASSEMBLED THE MEN IN THE OFFICE.

THEY WERE ALL ARMED. HE GAVE 'EM A BRIEFING.

WE'RE LOOKIN' FOR AN ORANGE SKIRT, HOLLIS.

OKAY.

HEY, ORANGE SKIRT.

PURVIS ACTUALLY SAW DILLINGER ARRIVE AT THE THEATER,

PURCHASE TICKETS, AND GO INSIDE.

HE KNEW DILLINGER. HE HAD SEEN HIM BEFORE.

MY FATHER FOLLOWED HIM INTO THE THEATER.

MY FATHER, HE FELT THAT MAYBE

THEY COULD GO UP BEHIND HIM AND PIN HIM DOWN AT THE THEATER.

BUT IT WAS JUST TOO CROWDED.

[ LAUGHTER ]

SO THEY ALL WAITED OUTSIDE.

ALL RIGHT, GUYS.

MOVIE GETS OUT AT 10:35. SO LET'S ALL TAKE OUR POSITIONS.

YOU GUYS OVER THERE. HOLLIS, OVER THERE.

WHEN I SEE DILLINGER, I'M GONNA LIGHT MY CIGAR.

THAT'S YOUR QUEUE TO MOVE IN.

LET'S BE MINDFUL OF THE BYSTANDERS.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE BOHEMIA ON MY HANDS.

OKAY?

I'M SURE THE PRESSURE AND THE ANTICIPATION

THAT HE WAS FEELING WAS INTENSE.

HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS CASE TO A CLOSE,

TO APPREHEND PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE.

HE HAD NO IDEA

WHEN DILLINGER WAS GONNA COME OUT,

IF HE WAS ARMED, IF HE WAS GONNA FIGHT

OR TRY AND FLEE.

THE AGENTS WERE TRYING TO BE INCONSPICUOUS.

BUT THEY WERE ALL DRESSED IN SUITS, UH,

WHICH WAS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL.

WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?

HEY, HEY, PUT THAT GUN DOWN. PURVIS!

THE THEATER MANAGER CALLED THE POLICE

AND SAID, "THERE'S SOME SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE

HANGING OUT AROUND MY THEATER. I THINK THEY'RE GONNA ROB IT."

PUT THE GUN DOWN.

HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?

Man: SHOW ME YOUR IDENTIFICATION.

HE'S A FEDERAL AGENT. HE'S WITH ME.

Rice: PURVIS HAD THIS PLAN IN PLACE.

AND NOW HE THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS IN JEOPARDY

OF BLOWING UP IN MY FACE AGAIN BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING PUTTING ARMED MEN ON THE STREET?

YOU AND YOUR MEN HAVE TO LEAVE.

NOT UNTIL I KNOW JUST WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON.

GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

PURVIS DIDN'T WANT LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS TO BE PRESENT,

AS IT WOULD BE A TIP-OFF TO DILLINGER.

**

DILLINGER, HAMILTON, AND SAGE WERE SOME OF THE FIRST PEOPLE

TO COME OUT OF THE THEATER.

DILLINGER IS STANDING OUT THERE

IN FRONT OF THE BIOGRAPH THEATER.

HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT HE'S SURROUNDED BY FBI AGENTS.

**

Rice: PURVIS, BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE

THAT HAD ACTUALLY SEEN DILLINGER

AND KNEW FIRSTHAND WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE,

HE POSITIONED HIMSELF IN A DOORWAY,

JUST SOUTH OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE THEATER.

AND THE PLAN WAS THAT HE WAS GONNA LIGHT A CIGAR

WHEN HE WAS POSITIVE IT WAS HIM.

AND THEN HE WALKED OUT BETWEEN ANNA SAGE AND POLLY HAMILTON.

**

MY FATHER LOOKED HIM IN THE EYE.

MAYBE HE WAS MAYBE 4 OR 5 FEET FROM HIM.

AND HE SAID, "STICK 'EM UP JOHNNY,

WE'VE GOT YOU SURROUNDED."

**

[ GUN COCKS ]

WHEN JOHN DILLINGER WAS SHOT, IT WAS VERY SADDENING

FOR MY FATHER, IN A WAY.

MY FATHER NEVER HATED JOHN DILLINGER.

AND DILLINGER NEVER HATED MY FATHER.

MY FATHER NEVER REALLY SAID THIS,

BUT I SENSED THERE WAS SORT OF A KIND OF A MUTUAL RESPECT

BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

AFTER JOHN DILLINGER WAS SHOT, A WOMAN

CAME AND DIPPED HER HANDKERCHIEF IN HIS BLOOD AS A SOUVENIR.

MY FATHER WENT IN THE ALLEY AND THREW UP.

I THINK IT JUST MADE HIM SICK.

HE NEVER REALLY GLORIED IN HIS DEATH.

MY FATHER WANTED TO TAKE HIM ALIVE, IF POSSIBLE.

Maccabee: WHEN MELVIN WAS ON HAND FOR THE KILLING

OF JOHN DILLINGER IN FRONT OF THE BIOGRAPH MOVIE THEATER,

MELVIN WAS TURNED INTO A NATIONAL FOLK HERO.

AND J. EDGAR HOOVER DID NOT LIKE THAT.

Poulsen: HOOVER WAS VERY JEALOUS OF MELVIN PURVIS.

FOR ONE AGENT TO BE GETTING SO MUCH PUBLICITY WAS UNTHINKABLE.

AFTER DILLINGER, PRETTY BOY FLOYD

BECAME PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE.

Poulsen: PRETTY BOY FLOYD DID NOT FIT THE PROFILE NECESSARILY

OF SOME OF THESE OTHER INNER-CITY GANGSTERS.

ALTHOUGH HIS BANK ROBBERIES WERE NONDESCRIPT,

HE WAS TRUSTED BY THE FARMERS AND PEOPLE

WHO WERE DESPERATELY POOR IN THE DEPRESSION.

Alston: MY FATHER SORT OF FELL UPON FLOYD BY ACCIDENT.

THEY WERE ON ANOTHER CASE IN CINCINNATI.

AND THEN WORD CAME THAT FLOYD HAD BEEN SEEN.

**

HALT, PRETTY BOY!

HALT!

Alston: OF COURSE, MY FATHER SAID, "HALT."

HAD HE HALTED THEN, HE WOULD'VE BEEN TAKEN ALIVE.

FLOYD WAS SHOOTING AT THEM. THEY WERE SHOOTING BACK.

HALT, PRETTY BOY!

HALT!

**

DIDN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS, PRETTY BOY.

DAMN YOU.

MY NAME IS CHARLES ARTHUR FLOYD.

I THINK MY FATHER KIND OF

FELT SORRY FOR FLOYD WHEN HE WAS DYING.

IT WAS NOT A PLEASANT THING AT ALL.

AFTER FLOYD WAS KILLED, UH,

OF COURSE, THE PRESS WERE EATING THAT UP,

EVERY NEWSPAPER IN THE COUNTRY ALMOST.

Hoover: PURVIS! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES

ARE YOU TO ENGAGE ON ANY MATTERS RELATING TO PUBLIC ENEMIES.

DO YOU HEAR ME?

MELVIN PURVIS HAD BECOME TOO POPULAR FOR THE FBI.

AND HIS CELEBRITY WAS SOMETHING

THAT HOOVER WANTED TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

JUST STAY OUT OF IT!

HE WAS NOW BEING HUNTED

BY A VASTLY DIMINISHED MELVIN PURVIS,

WHO WAS BEING KEPT BEHIND THE SCENES

BY J. EDGAR HOOVER.

Man: NELSON, STOP RIGHT THERE!

WHEN THE WORD CAME INTO THE CHICAGO FIELD OFFICE

THAT NELSON HAD BEEN SPOTTED,

PURVIS WAS TOLD HE COULD NOT COME ALONG.

Nelson: I KNOW YOU TWO.

I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU HIGH AND LOW.

BY KEEPING HIM BEHIND A DESK

IN A KIND OF INCOMMUNICADO SITUATION,

PUT OTHER AGENTS AT RISK.

TWO OF THE AGENTS THAT WERE DISPATCHED FROM CHICAGO

WERE SAM COWLEY AND HERMAN HOLLIS.

COWLEY AND HOLLIS LITERALLY WALKED INTO A TRAP.

NOT ONE STEP CLOSER, NELSON!

**

PURVIS WOULD'VE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THE FACT

THAT HE WAS KEPT OUT OF IT.

PURVIS WAS A MORE PRACTICED PARTICIPANT IN GUNFIGHTS.

SAMUEL COWLEY NEVER WENT TO THE FIRING RANGE.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PRACTICAL BALLISTICS EXPERIENCE.

THEY DID NOT ANTICIPATE THAT NELSON WAS READY

AND POISED FOR BATTLE.

**

Maccabee: BABY FACE IS ALMOST

LIKE SOME HIDEOUS TERMINATOR-LIKE VILLAIN,

BECAUSE BABY FACE IS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS,

AND HE'S STILL SHOOTING.

Poulsen: BABY FACE NELSON,

WITH 17 SLUGS IN HIS BODY,

KEPT FIRING AT THEM AND ADVANCING ON THEM.

NELSON WAS WOUNDED DURING THE SHOOTOUT.

BUT HE WAS STILL ABLE TO ESCAPE.

Poulsen: HOLLIS DIED INSTANTLY. HE WAS SHOT THROUGH THE HEAD.

COWLEY HAD INTERNAL INJURIES.

BUT HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE

AND TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL.

COWLEY.

I THINK WE GOT HIM.

YOU KNOW, TO SEE THIS GUY YOU WORK WITH

WITH HIS STOMACH BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT

WAS QUITE A SHOCK FOR HIM, AND MY FATHER REACTED.

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.

AND HE WAS TALKING TO A REPORTER AT THE HOSPITAL.

AND HE SAID, "I'LL GET NELSON DEAD OR ALIVE,

AND I DON'T CARE WHICH ONE IT IS."

Melvin: GENTLEMEN. ANYBODY TOUCH ANYTHING?

NO. NOPE.

Alston: MY FATHER FELT BOTH SAD AND RELIEVED

IN THAT IT WAS THE END OF A LONG JOURNEY.

LET'S PACK HIM UP.

HOOVER KNEW THAT HE COULDN'T FIRE MY FATHER.

MY FATHER WAS TOO FAMOUS.

BUT HE STARTED PUTTING MY FATHER

ON THESE INSIGNIFICANT CASES, STUFF THAT WAS --

YOU WOULD NEVER GIVE TO SOMEONE OF MY FATHER'S STATURE.

HE SENSED THAT HOOVER DIDN'T WANT HIM ANYMORE,

THAT HOOVER WAS JEALOUS.

AND HE ESSENTIALLY DROVE HIM FROM THE BUREAU.

THERE'S A QUESTION MARK OVER WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED

IN PURVIS' LAST HOURS ON THE EARTH.

WAS IT A DELIBERATE SUICIDE OR JUST A MISTAKE?

Alston: IT'S NEVER BEEN PROVEN

WHETHER MY FATHER'S DEATH WAS SUICIDE OR AN ACCIDENT.

I TEND TO THINK IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

NOT THAT I THINK THAT SUICIDE IS ANYTHING DISHONORABLE.

I THINK ANYBODY HAS A RIGHT

TO TAKE THEIR OWN LIFE IF HE WANTS TO.

BUT I DON'T THINK HE DID.

THERE WAS TOO MANY THINGS THAT POINTED AGAINST THAT.

AT HIS FUNERAL, THERE WERE A LOT OF FORMER AGENTS WHO CAME.

BUT THERE WAS LETTER OF CONDOLENCE

FROM HOOVER, NOTHING OFFICIAL FROM THE FBI AT ALL.

HOOVER TRIED TO WRITE PURVIS OUT OF THE HISTORY.

[ WOMAN SCREAMS ]

HE WAS THERE FOR THE DILLINGER DEATH.

HALT, PRETTY BOY!

HE WAS THERE FOR PRETTY BOY FLOYD'S DEATH.

AND HE'S THE NAME THAT STANDS OUT

IN SPITE OF ALL THE EFFORTS

AT CENSORING HIM OUT OF THE HISTORY.

MELVIN PURVIS WAS AN INSTRUMENTAL FIGURE

IN HELPING TO MOLD AND SHAPE THE FBI

INTO WHAT IT BECAME TODAY, JUST AS MUCH

AS J. EDGAR HOOVER, QUITE FRANKLY.

THAT WAS A TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY

OF THE BUREAU AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE PUBLIC NEEDED ANOTHER KIND OF HERO.

MY FATHER PROVIDED THAT IMAGE.