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Baby Face Nelson Essay

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Lester Joseph Gillis (later known as “Baby Face” Nelson or George Nelson) was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 6th, 1908. His parents were both immigrants from Belgium. His dad was an average working man who was often known as being a tanner, which is person who skins animals for hides. His mother was a stay at home mom who had the responsibility of keeping up with Nelson’s rambunctious ways. His first run-in with a murderous situation was at the young age of seven. Nelson was arrested and spent one year in a state reformatory for shooting a playmate in the jaw with a firearm he had found. Nelson soon began a life of crime at the age of 13 by starting fights due to his short temper, or stealing small oddities. He spent much of his adolescence …show more content…

He was caught and arrested in 1931. He was then sentenced to one year to life in prison, but managed to escape during a prison transfer by another gang whom he was affiliated with. His wife and child of four years old went on the run with Nelson as he evaded the police. He was not caught again for a considerable amount of time and during that time he committed multiple more crimes. Nelson could not have become the notorious criminal he is without the help of John Dillinger. Dillinger was also the leader of arguably an even more notorious gang called the “Dillinger Gang.” Dillinger often aided and abetted Nelson in his crimes. Whether he actually accompanied him in his missions or just provided resources to be successful, Dillinger was a part of the illegal actions. He did not manage to live quite as long as Nelson though. While trying to escape a robbery, him and a gang partner were shot and mortally wounded that …show more content…

This sent Nelson into a rapid frenzy to get him and his wife to safety. They fled to large midwestern cities to masquerade them from the public. John Paul Chase, a member of the Dillinger gang, accompanied them to try and find a safe haven from the federal government. The locations that Nelson fled to near the end of his days are not well known and there is no real evidence to prove where he definitely hid at. The FBI though were aware of a winter hideout Nelson previously used, which they did a stakeout at in hopes of his return. Nelson and his accomplices did return during the winter and were encountered by weary agents. Though the fugitives were not captured here, their car and license plate were identified, leaving them with no chance of truly

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Nelson only standing at 5’5 had a very childish build and was often described as a “baby face” hence his nickname. At the young age of seven Nelson was arrested after accidentally shooting a friend in the jaw with a pistol he found, he served over a year. Again at the young age of 13 Nelson was arrested again for theft and joyriding he was sent to a penal school for another 18 months. Nelson grew up in an area called “The Patch” and was the seventh child of belgium immigrants and his father worked as a tanner. Nelson dropped out of school in the 8th grade to pursue the street life.

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