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Originally published on genealogyatheart.blogspot.com on 22 Jul 2015.<\/p>\n
It was the Great Depression and times were tough as my grandfather, Gramps, had his work hours reduced at the steel mill. \u00a0The family took in boarders but as their hours were also cut, money was extremely tight. \u00a0One of our family legends takes place in the midst of this difficult period.<\/p>\n
Gramps always turned his paycheck over to my grandmother, Non, to cash. \u00a0The family had an account at Gary National Bank on Broadway in Gary, Indiana. \u00a0The typical routine was Non would cash the check, put a small amount in savings and then on her way home, shop for groceries at a small family run store. \u00a0One never knows when a typical day will turn into a major event but that was what was about to happen.<\/p>\n
Non stood in line at the bank awaiting her turn with the teller. \u00a0Hearing noise, she turned and saw a group of men exiting a car parked at the curb. \u00a0What made the scene different was they were waving guns and had their hats pulled down low over their eyes. \u00a0Bursting into the bank, the ring leader ordered everyone to get down on the floor. \u00a0Non stood still, in shock, clutching Gramps’ check. \u00a0Shots were fired at the ceiling. Non continued to stand still. \u00a0As one gunman approached the tellers directing them to place money in the bag he carried, another stood guard at the door. \u00a0A third man approached Non and again ordered her to get down on the floor. \u00a0Non pleaded, “Please, sir, my husband is a cripple and I have 3 small children. \u00a0My widowed mother and my sister also live with me. \u00a0I need this money. Please don’t take it.” \u00a0The gunman replied, “Get down now or I’ll shoot.” \u00a0Non got down on the floor. “Put your hands out to the side.” he ordered. \u00a0Non complied.<\/p>\n
Minutes later the gunman was back and he dropped a stack of bills in Non’s outstretched hand. \u00a0She turned her head and saw him wink at her. \u00a0The gunmen told the customers to remain on the ground until they counted to 100 aloud. Departing, the robbery was over.<\/p>\n
When they got to 75 Non shoved the bills down the top of her dress. Amply endowed, no one would notice. \u00a0Non not only could use the money, she feared that the police would think she was an accomplice if she reported what had happened so she said nothing.<\/p>\n
After Non got home she hid the money, which amounted to several hundred dollars, fearful that if she used it she would be in trouble. \u00a0Years later, after the robbers were convicted, the money was used to partly pay for the \u00a0family home being bricked. Non swore that the gunman who gave her the money was John Dillinger, the Indiana farm boy turned bank robber.<\/p>\n
Problem is, Dillinger didn’t rob a Gary National Bank. \u00a0He robbed a 1st National Bank in East Chicago, Indiana1 but Non would not have gone that far as she would have had to rely on street cars to get there nor was that bank located on Broadway.<\/p>\n
Historians dispute some of the bank robberies at the time that were thought to be committed by Dillinger. \u00a0A friend of Dillinger’s, John “Red” Hamilton and Baby Face Nelson’s gang has now been credited with some of the robberies initially attributed to Dillinger. Today, 14 robberies are thought to have been the work of Dillinger between 1933-1934.2<\/p>\n
Non insisted that Dillinger was the man who gave her the money. \u00a0There are many reports of Dillinger’s compassion.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0“Dillinger was generous with his ill-gotten gains, leaving $100 bills behind for each member of the family whenever he visited and one time offering to finance Gallagher’s (his niece’s) dream of opening a beauty shop by giving her $5,000.\u00a0After discussion by the family, it was decided not to accept the money.”3 \u00a0Another “story told of a\u00a0farmer who had come to a bank to make a deposit while the gang was robbing the place. Standing at the teller window with his money in front of him, Dillinger asked the farmer if the\u00a0money was his or the bank\u2019s. The farmer answered it was his and Dillinger told him, \u201cKeep\u00a0it. We only want the banks\u2019.\u201d4<\/p>\n
Was Dillinger involved in the robbery Non remembered or not? \u00a0Possibly his role was that of an accomplice and not the\u00a0leader. \u00a0Perhaps Non was mistaken and the robber was not Dillinger.<\/p>\n
There were several bank robberies so I can’t pinpoint which robbery Non experienced.\u00a0\u00a0I can understand as an immigrant with a previous arrest (see The KKK Strikes post of \u00a018 July 2015) she\u00a0would fear further police involvement. \u00a0Although I can understand why Non didn’t tell authorities about the money she received it clearly was wrong. \u00a0In genealogy, separating our family’s past choices from our present lives can be difficult. \u00a0Keeping in mind that we’re all imperfect humans helps.<\/p>\n