John Dillinger
The Crown Point jail was considered to be one of the finest in Indiana and
thought to be escape-proof. However, on March 3, 1934, a young gangster named
John Dillinger proved it to be otherwise when he made his daring escape.
Dillinger was arrested in Tucson, Arizona in January of that year for a bank robbery in East Chicago that resulted in the death of Detective William Patrick O'Malley. He was extradited to Indiana on January 28th and placed in the Lake County Jail in Crown Point.
Legend has it that Dillinger carved a gun from a piece of wooden washboard others say he acquired
a real gun (the story varies) and forced a trustee and others to lock up 14 jailers including the Warden and a fingerprint expert. With a fellow prisoner and two hostages, he made his escape over the state line into Illinois in the sheriff’s car that was being serviced in a garage north of the jail. The hostages were released unharmed. On July 22nd of that same year, Dillinger was shot and killed by FBI agents outside the Biograph Theatre in Chicago.
thought to be escape-proof. However, on March 3, 1934, a young gangster named
John Dillinger proved it to be otherwise when he made his daring escape.
Dillinger was arrested in Tucson, Arizona in January of that year for a bank robbery in East Chicago that resulted in the death of Detective William Patrick O'Malley. He was extradited to Indiana on January 28th and placed in the Lake County Jail in Crown Point.
Legend has it that Dillinger carved a gun from a piece of wooden washboard others say he acquired
a real gun (the story varies) and forced a trustee and others to lock up 14 jailers including the Warden and a fingerprint expert. With a fellow prisoner and two hostages, he made his escape over the state line into Illinois in the sheriff’s car that was being serviced in a garage north of the jail. The hostages were released unharmed. On July 22nd of that same year, Dillinger was shot and killed by FBI agents outside the Biograph Theatre in Chicago.
James "Fur" Sammons
James "Fur" Sammons (alleged to be a notorious hit man for Al Capone) was known throughout gangland circles as a psychopath. He was a career criminal from the age of 16 until he was arrested for the last time on November 6th 1933 while intoxicated in Cedar Lake Indiana. He became a 'resident' of the Old Lake County Jail on November 6th 1933 until his conviction on November 31st of that same year.
