robbery, whether it was a getaway man, a guard, or someone that stole the money. It was obvious that it took much planning and work, as they had gotten away with nearly $52,000. Today, that would be equal to about half a million dollars. You have most likely heard about John Dillinger, but what else has he done? John Dillinger is mostly famous for being accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations.
He was killed when he tried to get out of being arrested by pulling out a weapon, but was then shot multiple times. He died at the age of 31, living from the years 1903 to 1934. he was indeed arrested, but escaped from jail twice. He was charged with the murder of a police officer during a shoot out, because the officer shot Dillinger in his bulletproof vest. He was never convicted of the murder, and it was his only homicide charge. After explaining a little bit about John Dillinger and who was involved in the the robbery, it is time to learn more about the robbery itself. The robbery took place on March 13, 1934, at around 2:40 p.m., at the First National Bank, here in Mason City, Iowa. The Dillinger Gang drove up to the bank in a car, with the back window removed. Most people say John Dillinger, Tommy Carroll, and Lester Gillis stood guard in different places, while John Hamilton and Eugene Green went inside the bank, possibly with Homer Van Meter. Red Forsythe stayed in the
car. When Hamilton, Green, and Van Meter entered the bank, all of them started shooting at the walls and ceiling. One of the bank guards, who was positioned in a bulletproof observation area, then fired a teargas cartridge, and hit Green in the back. Unfortunately, the teargas gun jammed, and he could not fire anything else. Next, one of the robbers shot at the glass with a machine gun and shattered it, and left the guard without hurting him. Then, the gang started stealing the cash from the drawers, while Hamilton brought a worker back to the vault to open it. The gang originally was going to steal 250,000 dollars, but that amount decreased very much. After the events inside the bank, the gang left with 11 hostages and nearly $52,000. They left the hostages at random points of time on the way to St. Paul, in small groups or individually. The car would stop or drive slowly to leave nails on the road. Later, while the police were searching, they found the car that the gang had been using on the side of the road. The police said there were two getaway cars waiting for them, both with drivers. Imagine that the bank where you keep your money called and said half a million dollars was stolen. When asked by who, the answer is one of the most famous criminals in the country. This is what the robbery was like for everyone in Mason City. Now, add the Great Depression on top of everything else. Because of those factors and events, the Dillinger Robbery has been a big part of Mason City history. And now, you may have learned more about who was involved in the robbery, who John Dillinger is, and what events happened in the Dillinger Robbery.