| LITTLE BOHEMIA LODGE |
In 1931, Emil Wanatka purchased land and built the Little Bohemia Lodge, located off
Highway 51, in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin. When Wanatka needed advice on legal
matters he would contact attorney Louis Piquett, who happened to also be John
Dillinger's legal counsel. There was a connection between Piquett, Wanatka and
Dillinger. Could it just be a coincidence that Louis Piquett represented both Emil
Wanatka and John Dillinger? Is it also just a coincidence that Dillinger happened to
choose the Little Bohemia Lodge for a vacation spot? No.
It seems highly improbable that Dillinger would pick this particular lodge, without prior
knowledge that Piquett and Wanatka were old acquaintances. Besides, It is no secret
that Piquett had helped Dillinger in the past. He provided Dillinger with the wooden gun
for the infamous Crown Point Break. He arranged several hideouts for the outlaw, one of
which was at the residence of Jimmy Probasco in Chicago. Piquett had known Probasco
for some twenty years and knew he could be trusted. Piquett also arranged plastic
surgery for Dillinger by Dr. Wilhelm Loeser. Dr. Loeser was a crooked underworld doctor
who had served three years in Leavenworth Penitentiary on narcotic charges. Later the
truth would surface and the Illinois Supreme Court disbarred Piquett for harboring
Dillinger gangster Homer Van Meter. Piquett lost his license to practice law; he was
ordered to serve a two-year jail term and pay a fine of $10,000.
Piquett may have made some type of prearranged agreement with Wanatka to help
Dillinger. Business had slow during the year and Wanatka was struggling to pay off his
mortgage. Dillinger paid Wanatka $500 rent for three days at Little Bohemia, which is
equal to $5600 in today’s standards. This was a great deal of money for a three-day visit,
which suggests that Wanatka probably knew Dillinger’s identity in advance. The high
dollar amount was common for criminals on the run and in need of a hideout. Piquett
may have negotiated this dollar amount, paid to Wanatka. Either way, Wanatka agreed in
advance to let the gangster’s stay at his resort for a generous fee. Wanatka would wait
until Dillinger paid him the $500, before his wife, Mrs. Wanatka contacted the FBI. The
outlaws were worth a considerably large amount of money. Dillinger's reward alone was
an astonishing $10,000. This was a lot of money in 1934, and would have helped
Wanatka considerably. Perhaps this was part of a plan conspired by Wanatka to rid
himself of any wrongdoing, and collect the reward in the process. Wanatka knew he
could have been charged with harboring a criminal, which was a serious offense. This
may have been why he had second thoughts about his guests. Wanatka knew the risks
involved, but he also knew about the rewards offered for the gang. Wanatka later
described a couple of the outlaws as unfriendly, and one of them was a really mean
looking man. This may have been the one reason why Wanatka double-crossed Dillinger
and contacted the FBI. Another reason would have undoubtedly been the money that he
stands to gain. Later, when the smoke cleared and the outlaws were long gone, Wanatka
would convey a fable to the FBI to cover all his bases. If the FBI would have thoroughly
investigated Wanatka, I'm sure the agents would have discovered several discrepancies
in his story.
It historical event began Friday, April 20,1934 with the first members of the gang arriving
at the Little Bohemia Lodge. They arrived in the afternoon and Emil Wanatka came out to
greet them. Three people got out of the car, Homer Van Meter, his girlfriend Marie
Comforti and gang associate Pat Reilly. An employee of the Lodge stated one of the
outlaws (probably Homer Van Meter) called out to Wanatka saying, "Hello Emil." Van
Meter had been sent ahead to check things out and make certain that no Federal agents
were snooping around. Van Meter approached Wanatka and asked if the Lodge was
serving lunch? Wanatka replied yes, and invited them into the Lodge. After lunch Van
Meter asked if Wanatka had room to put up ten guests for a few days. Wanatka was
delighted, and showed his outlaw guests to their rooms. George Baszo and Frank
Traube (employees of the lodge) carried the luggage into the Lodge. Baszo remarked to
Wanatka that one suitcase was so heavy that it felt like it had lead in it. Wanatka told
Baszo to mind his own business. Van Meter told Wanatka that the rest of the guests
would be arriving later that day. Wanatka’s guest played slot machines and fed the dogs,
while awaiting Dillinger and the others. Around 5:00 p.m., Dillinger arrived with the rest of
the party in two separate cars. Along with Dillinger were John Hamilton, Pat Cherrington,
Tommy Carroll and his wife Jean Delaney, Baby Face Nelson and his wife Helen Gillis.
Wanatka noticed that all of the guests were well dressed and very polite. Dillinger and
some of the other gang members took rooms on the upper portion of the lodge.
Dillinger's room was the first on the left just at the top of the stairway. Hamilton and Pat
Cherrington took a room at the end of the hall on the left side. Van Meter and Comforti
took a room on the right across from Hamilton. Baby Face Nelson, Helen Gillis, Tommy
Carroll and Jean Delaney took rooms in the cottage to the right of the lodge. An hour later
the guests were served steak for dinner. After dinner the guests unpacked and settled in
their rooms. Some of the party went out for a walk to check out the best possible escape
routes for a quick getaway. The main entrance to Little Bohemia was the only exit, which
the gang seen as a risk. Police could easily block off the road and the outlaws would be
trapped. After talking it over, everyone agreed the best escape route would be along the
shore banks of the lake. Everyone except Baby Face Nelson; he had his own ideas.
Besides, he didn't like taking orders from anyone. Later that evening some of the party
relaxed, while others played some hands of poker.
Wanatka joined in to play a few hands but soon declined because the stakes were too
high. Wanatka later recalled, when Dillinger leaned over to collect his winnings, he
noticed two forty-five automatic’s concealed beneath his coat. Wanatka must have been
mistaken, because there is undeniable evidence that Dillinger was always partial to .38
revolvers throughout his career. Furthermore, forty-five automatic’s weren't that popular
in
the early nineteen thirties. Even the FBI carried .38 revolvers. Perhaps Wanatka had
seen
the two forty-five revolvers carried by Baby Face Nelson. Wanatka also stated he soon
noticed that all of the men were packing guns. After noticing the guns, he grew
suspicious of his guests. He went into the kitchen and looked through some
newspapers where he found several pictures of Dillinger. That evening, Wanatka and his
wife couldn’t sleep. Throughout the night they heard constant sounds of feet walking up
and down the hallway, keys jiggling, and the dogs barking outside. After a restless night
Wanatka got up early to find that Tommy Carroll was already up and about.
Carroll told Wanatka that he really slept well and asked, "How bout some breakfast?"
Wanatka asked him to wake up the rest of the party, and he’ll start breakfast. Carroll went
up the stairs and woke everyone. Later when Dillinger was alone, Wanatka confronted
him and said he recognized his picture in the newspapers. Wanatka told Dillinger that
his home and his family was all he had, and he didn’t want any trouble. Wanatka said
that Dillinger responded in a calm and friendly manner assuring him that there would not
be any trouble. He went on to say that the boys needed some rest and would only be
staying a short while. Although Wanatka seemed to be a man who could be trusted, the
gang kept their eyes and ears open. In Dillinger's line of business he had to be extremely
cautious of people around him. While Dillinger always seemed to be cool and calm, the
rest of the gang members were uneasy and nervous. When the phone would ring there
was always someone close by trying to ease drop. When a guest or visitor would arrive at
the lodge Wanatka would be asked, Who's that? Do you know this person? Dillinger
knew Wanatka was worried, and he kept trying to cheer him up. Dillinger even played
Wanatka's favorite game of Pinochle. After breakfast Wanatka was asked if he owned a
gun? He replied that he had a .22 rifle and everyone went outside to target practice. A tin
can was set up on a snow bank and everyone took turns shooting the rifle until it jammed.
Dillinger asked Van Meter to get one of their rifles out of the car. Wanatka claimed that
only he and Van Meter were good enough to hit the target. Meanwhile, eight-year-old Emil
Wanatka Jr. was throwing a baseball and playing catch with Baby Face Nelson, but
eventually quit playing because Nelson was throwing the ball too hard. Mrs. Wanatka had
planned to take Emil Jr. to a cousin’s birthday party at the home of her brother, George
Laporte. The Party was also a good excuse to leave for a while and ask relatives for
advice on contacting the authorities. Mrs. Wanatka walked up to Dillinger, who was sitting
at the card table, and asked him for permission to drive Emil Jr. to the event. Dillinger put
his trust in Mrs. Wanatka and gave her the Okay. He told her to just continue her normal
routines. The women in the gang offered to do the cooking and cleaning, while she
attended the party. This act of good faith doesn't sound like a family being held hostage
and terrorized by the outlaws, as Wanatka would later tell Authorities. Although Dillinger
seemed to trust Mrs. Wanatka, she thought someone was following her during the
journey.
She was right; Baby Face Nelson had been following her. Nelson was the suspicious
one of the gang, and this time he had good reason. Mrs. Wanatka drove to Manitowish to
pick up her brother Lloyd Laporte, and then headed to Mercer to mail a letter addressed
to George Fisher, the Assistant District Attorney of Chicago. In the letter there was a
statement informing Fisher that Dillinger was at the Lodge. At the party, Mrs. Wanatka
discussed the situation with her Brother in-laws Henry Voss, Lloyd, and George Laporte.
A plan was put into action. Voss would to call the Milwaukee Police Department on
Sunday, if Emil Wanatka agreed with the plan. A pack of cigarettes with a note hidden
inside would give Lloyd the answer early Sunday morning, and Voss would make the
call. To avoid the possibility of being followed by gang members, Voss would then drive
sixty miles away to make the phone call. Milwaukee Police told Voss to also contact
Special Agent Melvin Purvis of the FBI in Chicago. Around ten o'clock in the morning, Pat
Reilly and Pat Cherrington drove to St. Paul to pickup $2,500 from a night club owner.
The
man whose identity is unknown was holding close to $10,000 for Homer Van Meter for
safekeeping. Voss spoke with Purvis, the G-man announced that he would be chartering
two airplanes full of agents to Rhinelander Airport. Purvis requested that Voss meet
agents at the airport and he agreed. The Little Bohemia Raid was beginning to take
effect. Agents in the surrounding communities were also summoned to join forces and
assist in the raid.
Hoover put Assistant Director Hugh Clegg in charge of the operation, which made Purvis
second in charge. This was Hoover's way to keep Purvis out of the public’s eye. But
regardless of what Hoover tried to do about Purvis, he was running the show at the Little
Bohemia. Snow was falling, when Purvis arrived at Rhinelander Airport; other Forces
were already waiting along with Voss and Laporte. Back at the lodge Dillinger told
Wanatka that he had a change of plans and decided to check out as soon as Pat Reilly
returned. This was a Dillinger trademark, he was known for changing his plans at the
last minute. This move would often leave police officers disarranged. Dillinger requested
an early dinner of steak and garlic to be served at 4:00 p.m. Mrs. Wanatka needed to tell
Henry Voss' wife that Dillinger had a change of plans, so she could get word to her
husband. She invited Mrs. Voss into the kitchen and told to help herself to some meat in
the freezer, because she had bought too much. In the kitchen, Mrs. Wanatka told her
Dillinger was about to leave. Mrs. Voss jumped into her car, and raced to Rhinelander
Airport without a moment to waste. Meanwhile, Purvis was busy trying to get the agents
organized for the raid. They seemed to have a big problem; the agents only had one car.
A few of the agents were sent out on a mission to find cars for rent. The raid was set for
Monday morning; Purvis had Dillinger right where he wanted him, except for some minor
details and planning to achieve a surprise attack. A short time later, Mrs. Voss arrived,
and gave her husband the news. Then she telephoned Mrs. Wanatka and persuaded her
to leave the lodge immediately. The news made Purvis worried, he knew he had to act
fast. He learned that even if agents left immediately, they wouldn't arrive until 8:00 p.m.,
and Dillinger would probably be long gone. Finally four more cars were located, bringing
the total to five. Voss drew Purvis a quick diagram of the lodge; leaving out some very
important details, such as a ditch on the left side of the lodge, and a barbwire fence on
the right. Voss also forgot to inform Purvis that Mrs. Wanatka had two very alert
watchdogs. It was a just after 7 p.m., before agents left the Rhinelander airport in route to
Little Bohemia. The roads were bad, covered with melted snow, mud, and several holes.
Two of the cars broke down along the way and were left behind. Several agents had to
ride on the running boards of the three remaining cars. Agents eventually arrived at the
Birchwood Lodge, only a couple miles from Little Bohemia. While agents were at the
Birchwood Lodge Purvis received word that Dillinger had not left yet. Agents then headed
out to Little Bohemia. As they drew closer to the entrance of the Lodge, Purvis ordered
headlights of the cars turned off and all cigarettes put out.
The night was pitch dark and the air was cool with patches of snow falling on the ground.
Two cars were used to block the entrance of the lodge to prevent any possible escape
attempt. Agents proceeded on foot, walking quietly through the woods. As they reached
the lodge, Purvis gave orders to spread out and take positions. Protected by bulletproof
vests, and armed machineguns, revolvers and tear gas, agents surrounded the
residence.
Suddenly, Mrs. Wanatka's dogs began barking hysterically at agents. Inside the Lodge,
two Civilian Conservation Corporation (CCC workers), and a salesman named John
Hoffman had just finished their Sunday dinner and were about to leave. The two CCC
workers were John Morris and Eugene Boisneau. The three men walked out carrying
rifles and got into a 1933 Chevrolet coupe. George Baszo and Frank Traube followed the
trio outside to the porch. Hoffman was driving; Boisneau sat in the middle with Morris
sitting on the passenger side. As Hoffman started the vehicle the radio blasted on loudly,
they began driving away. The men drove towards the entrance to Little Bohemia, which
was blocked by agents. Believing the trio was Dillinger and members of the gang; agents
commanded the car to "Halt!"
The occupants of the fleeing vehicle couldn't hear the order with the radio blasting and
the falling snow dimmed their vision. Agents opened fire and bullets tore through the
steel of the vehicle hitting its occupants. Later, Purvis would claim that agents meant to
shoot at the tires, but all the bullets hit the middle and upper portion of the car. Morris
climbed out the right door of the car and stumbled through the dark until he reached the
kitchen porch of the lodge. He had been shot four times by FBI bullets. Hoffman who had
also been wounded jumped from the car, and fled into the woods. Boisneau was
mortally wounded, and would die from his wounds. At the time Dillinger playing cards, he
heard the dogs barking but paid little attention. It was not until shots were fired before the
outlaws were alerted.
Dillinger shut out the lights, ran upstairs with Van Meter to quickly grab money and
weapons. Witnesses in the Lodge later told agents that the outlaws never fired a shot
during their escape from Little Bohemia. Van Meter and Hamilton escaped out an
upstairs window at the rear out the lodge. Forensics would argue that Hamilton could not
have possibly jumped off the roof, after injuries he received on January 15, with shot four
wounds to the groin and the loss a finger. Reports stated that Dillinger ran down the
stairs and escaped out an unguarded back or side door. Wanatka, along with three
women ran to the basement for cover. Moments later, Baszo and Traube joined Wanatka
in the basement, as agents opened fire on the lodge with a hailstorm of bullets.
The FBI surrounded the Little Bohemia Lodge on April 23, 1934, and opened fire after
learning that Dillinger was inside.
The nightmare had begun, as bullets ripped through the Lodge shattering windows and
destroying everything in its path. Pat Reilly and Pat Cherrington were just returning to the
lodge from St.Paul, when the shooting began. As Reilly approached the main entrance of
the lodge, federal agents appeared out of the dark. A fast thinking Reilly reacted by
shutting off the headlights, and jamming the car into reverse. He backed the car quickly
onto the highway and spun the wheels to freedom, followed by FBI bullets. In doing so,
he blew a rear wheel but managed to escape. After replacing the tire Reilly sped down
the road and got struck in the mud. A farmer helped Reilly get the car out of the mud and
then the outlaw headed for St. Paul. Dillinger, Van Meter, and Hamilton had slid down the
steep shore banks at the rear of the Lodge, and headed north along Little Star Lake.
They
ran through the woods in pitch darkness for about a mile, and found their way to the
highway on U.S. Route 51. The outlaws were in desperate need of a car when spotted a
Model T across the highway at Mitchell's Lodge. They knocked on the door at the home of
E.J. Mitchell and his wife. Mrs. Mitchell was very ill, and was lying on the couch when the
outlaws arrived. The elderly couple opened the door and was greeted by three men. One
of the outlaws, (Presumably Hamilton) asked if they could get a drink of water. As Mitchell
let them in, Hamilton calmly walked across the room and jerked the phone out of the wall.
Mrs. Mitchell recalled Dillinger as saying, "We don't want a drink, what we want is a car to
make our getaway, because the federal officers are after us. Now I'm John Dillinger but I
don't want you to be afraid, we're not going to hurt you any. We just came here to get a
car, and I'm not as bad as they have me pictured. Now mother don't be afraid." Mrs.
Mitchell described Dillinger as polite and the well mannered of the three men. The
couple told Dillinger that the Model T hadn't ran all winter. When they acquired about the
1930 Ford Coupe parked outside, Mitchell told them the car belonged to Robert Johnson,
who lived in a nearby cottage. Dillinger stayed with the Mitchell’s, while Van Meter and
Hamilton paid Robert Johnson a visit. They knocked on the door and told Johnson that
Mrs. Mitchell was ill and needed a ride to the hospital. Johnson quickly dressed and
raced out the door to find Van Meter pointing a gun at him. He was ordered to drive the
outlaws out of town.
Before leaving, Dillinger ordered everyone outside on the porch. Mitchell objected
because his wife was too ill, but Dillinger wrapped a blanket around Mrs. Mitchell, and
helped her to the porch, before departing. Tommy Carroll had also headed North along
the shore banks; he tried to catch up with Dillinger but soon realized he would have to
make the escape alone. He walked two miles down the highway past Mitchell's resort
until he came to the Northern Lights Resort. He spotted a Packard parked just outside
the lodge, hot-wired the car and completely disappeared. Nelson, who could not refrain
himself from battle with agents, was the last outlaw to escape the resort. The hostile
outlaw grew angry with engaging agents, and became the aggressor and displaying
extreme repugnance against his assailants. Before departing, Nelson exchanged gunfire
with Purvis and then disappeared into the woods. After agents fired hundreds of rounds
into the lodge for several hours, they heard a voice yell out from the lodge. Someone
yelled, "Quit shooting and we'll come out!" Wanatka, Baszo, and Traube came out with
their hands high in the air, followed by John Morris, the wounded CCC worker. The
gunfire stopped briefly to allow the three women to exit the building. The women, Helen
Gillis, Jean Delaney, and Marie Comforti came out shaken; surrendered without any
conflicts and were taken into custody. Dillinger and gang members had escaped the FBI
trap, but they left below an extraordinary reminder…hundreds of bullets holes remain in
the resort even today.
Highway 51, in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin. When Wanatka needed advice on legal
matters he would contact attorney Louis Piquett, who happened to also be John
Dillinger's legal counsel. There was a connection between Piquett, Wanatka and
Dillinger. Could it just be a coincidence that Louis Piquett represented both Emil
Wanatka and John Dillinger? Is it also just a coincidence that Dillinger happened to
choose the Little Bohemia Lodge for a vacation spot? No.
It seems highly improbable that Dillinger would pick this particular lodge, without prior
knowledge that Piquett and Wanatka were old acquaintances. Besides, It is no secret
that Piquett had helped Dillinger in the past. He provided Dillinger with the wooden gun
for the infamous Crown Point Break. He arranged several hideouts for the outlaw, one of
which was at the residence of Jimmy Probasco in Chicago. Piquett had known Probasco
for some twenty years and knew he could be trusted. Piquett also arranged plastic
surgery for Dillinger by Dr. Wilhelm Loeser. Dr. Loeser was a crooked underworld doctor
who had served three years in Leavenworth Penitentiary on narcotic charges. Later the
truth would surface and the Illinois Supreme Court disbarred Piquett for harboring
Dillinger gangster Homer Van Meter. Piquett lost his license to practice law; he was
ordered to serve a two-year jail term and pay a fine of $10,000.
Piquett may have made some type of prearranged agreement with Wanatka to help
Dillinger. Business had slow during the year and Wanatka was struggling to pay off his
mortgage. Dillinger paid Wanatka $500 rent for three days at Little Bohemia, which is
equal to $5600 in today’s standards. This was a great deal of money for a three-day visit,
which suggests that Wanatka probably knew Dillinger’s identity in advance. The high
dollar amount was common for criminals on the run and in need of a hideout. Piquett
may have negotiated this dollar amount, paid to Wanatka. Either way, Wanatka agreed in
advance to let the gangster’s stay at his resort for a generous fee. Wanatka would wait
until Dillinger paid him the $500, before his wife, Mrs. Wanatka contacted the FBI. The
outlaws were worth a considerably large amount of money. Dillinger's reward alone was
an astonishing $10,000. This was a lot of money in 1934, and would have helped
Wanatka considerably. Perhaps this was part of a plan conspired by Wanatka to rid
himself of any wrongdoing, and collect the reward in the process. Wanatka knew he
could have been charged with harboring a criminal, which was a serious offense. This
may have been why he had second thoughts about his guests. Wanatka knew the risks
involved, but he also knew about the rewards offered for the gang. Wanatka later
described a couple of the outlaws as unfriendly, and one of them was a really mean
looking man. This may have been the one reason why Wanatka double-crossed Dillinger
and contacted the FBI. Another reason would have undoubtedly been the money that he
stands to gain. Later, when the smoke cleared and the outlaws were long gone, Wanatka
would convey a fable to the FBI to cover all his bases. If the FBI would have thoroughly
investigated Wanatka, I'm sure the agents would have discovered several discrepancies
in his story.
It historical event began Friday, April 20,1934 with the first members of the gang arriving
at the Little Bohemia Lodge. They arrived in the afternoon and Emil Wanatka came out to
greet them. Three people got out of the car, Homer Van Meter, his girlfriend Marie
Comforti and gang associate Pat Reilly. An employee of the Lodge stated one of the
outlaws (probably Homer Van Meter) called out to Wanatka saying, "Hello Emil." Van
Meter had been sent ahead to check things out and make certain that no Federal agents
were snooping around. Van Meter approached Wanatka and asked if the Lodge was
serving lunch? Wanatka replied yes, and invited them into the Lodge. After lunch Van
Meter asked if Wanatka had room to put up ten guests for a few days. Wanatka was
delighted, and showed his outlaw guests to their rooms. George Baszo and Frank
Traube (employees of the lodge) carried the luggage into the Lodge. Baszo remarked to
Wanatka that one suitcase was so heavy that it felt like it had lead in it. Wanatka told
Baszo to mind his own business. Van Meter told Wanatka that the rest of the guests
would be arriving later that day. Wanatka’s guest played slot machines and fed the dogs,
while awaiting Dillinger and the others. Around 5:00 p.m., Dillinger arrived with the rest of
the party in two separate cars. Along with Dillinger were John Hamilton, Pat Cherrington,
Tommy Carroll and his wife Jean Delaney, Baby Face Nelson and his wife Helen Gillis.
Wanatka noticed that all of the guests were well dressed and very polite. Dillinger and
some of the other gang members took rooms on the upper portion of the lodge.
Dillinger's room was the first on the left just at the top of the stairway. Hamilton and Pat
Cherrington took a room at the end of the hall on the left side. Van Meter and Comforti
took a room on the right across from Hamilton. Baby Face Nelson, Helen Gillis, Tommy
Carroll and Jean Delaney took rooms in the cottage to the right of the lodge. An hour later
the guests were served steak for dinner. After dinner the guests unpacked and settled in
their rooms. Some of the party went out for a walk to check out the best possible escape
routes for a quick getaway. The main entrance to Little Bohemia was the only exit, which
the gang seen as a risk. Police could easily block off the road and the outlaws would be
trapped. After talking it over, everyone agreed the best escape route would be along the
shore banks of the lake. Everyone except Baby Face Nelson; he had his own ideas.
Besides, he didn't like taking orders from anyone. Later that evening some of the party
relaxed, while others played some hands of poker.
Wanatka joined in to play a few hands but soon declined because the stakes were too
high. Wanatka later recalled, when Dillinger leaned over to collect his winnings, he
noticed two forty-five automatic’s concealed beneath his coat. Wanatka must have been
mistaken, because there is undeniable evidence that Dillinger was always partial to .38
revolvers throughout his career. Furthermore, forty-five automatic’s weren't that popular
in
the early nineteen thirties. Even the FBI carried .38 revolvers. Perhaps Wanatka had
seen
the two forty-five revolvers carried by Baby Face Nelson. Wanatka also stated he soon
noticed that all of the men were packing guns. After noticing the guns, he grew
suspicious of his guests. He went into the kitchen and looked through some
newspapers where he found several pictures of Dillinger. That evening, Wanatka and his
wife couldn’t sleep. Throughout the night they heard constant sounds of feet walking up
and down the hallway, keys jiggling, and the dogs barking outside. After a restless night
Wanatka got up early to find that Tommy Carroll was already up and about.
Carroll told Wanatka that he really slept well and asked, "How bout some breakfast?"
Wanatka asked him to wake up the rest of the party, and he’ll start breakfast. Carroll went
up the stairs and woke everyone. Later when Dillinger was alone, Wanatka confronted
him and said he recognized his picture in the newspapers. Wanatka told Dillinger that
his home and his family was all he had, and he didn’t want any trouble. Wanatka said
that Dillinger responded in a calm and friendly manner assuring him that there would not
be any trouble. He went on to say that the boys needed some rest and would only be
staying a short while. Although Wanatka seemed to be a man who could be trusted, the
gang kept their eyes and ears open. In Dillinger's line of business he had to be extremely
cautious of people around him. While Dillinger always seemed to be cool and calm, the
rest of the gang members were uneasy and nervous. When the phone would ring there
was always someone close by trying to ease drop. When a guest or visitor would arrive at
the lodge Wanatka would be asked, Who's that? Do you know this person? Dillinger
knew Wanatka was worried, and he kept trying to cheer him up. Dillinger even played
Wanatka's favorite game of Pinochle. After breakfast Wanatka was asked if he owned a
gun? He replied that he had a .22 rifle and everyone went outside to target practice. A tin
can was set up on a snow bank and everyone took turns shooting the rifle until it jammed.
Dillinger asked Van Meter to get one of their rifles out of the car. Wanatka claimed that
only he and Van Meter were good enough to hit the target. Meanwhile, eight-year-old Emil
Wanatka Jr. was throwing a baseball and playing catch with Baby Face Nelson, but
eventually quit playing because Nelson was throwing the ball too hard. Mrs. Wanatka had
planned to take Emil Jr. to a cousin’s birthday party at the home of her brother, George
Laporte. The Party was also a good excuse to leave for a while and ask relatives for
advice on contacting the authorities. Mrs. Wanatka walked up to Dillinger, who was sitting
at the card table, and asked him for permission to drive Emil Jr. to the event. Dillinger put
his trust in Mrs. Wanatka and gave her the Okay. He told her to just continue her normal
routines. The women in the gang offered to do the cooking and cleaning, while she
attended the party. This act of good faith doesn't sound like a family being held hostage
and terrorized by the outlaws, as Wanatka would later tell Authorities. Although Dillinger
seemed to trust Mrs. Wanatka, she thought someone was following her during the
journey.
She was right; Baby Face Nelson had been following her. Nelson was the suspicious
one of the gang, and this time he had good reason. Mrs. Wanatka drove to Manitowish to
pick up her brother Lloyd Laporte, and then headed to Mercer to mail a letter addressed
to George Fisher, the Assistant District Attorney of Chicago. In the letter there was a
statement informing Fisher that Dillinger was at the Lodge. At the party, Mrs. Wanatka
discussed the situation with her Brother in-laws Henry Voss, Lloyd, and George Laporte.
A plan was put into action. Voss would to call the Milwaukee Police Department on
Sunday, if Emil Wanatka agreed with the plan. A pack of cigarettes with a note hidden
inside would give Lloyd the answer early Sunday morning, and Voss would make the
call. To avoid the possibility of being followed by gang members, Voss would then drive
sixty miles away to make the phone call. Milwaukee Police told Voss to also contact
Special Agent Melvin Purvis of the FBI in Chicago. Around ten o'clock in the morning, Pat
Reilly and Pat Cherrington drove to St. Paul to pickup $2,500 from a night club owner.
The
man whose identity is unknown was holding close to $10,000 for Homer Van Meter for
safekeeping. Voss spoke with Purvis, the G-man announced that he would be chartering
two airplanes full of agents to Rhinelander Airport. Purvis requested that Voss meet
agents at the airport and he agreed. The Little Bohemia Raid was beginning to take
effect. Agents in the surrounding communities were also summoned to join forces and
assist in the raid.
Hoover put Assistant Director Hugh Clegg in charge of the operation, which made Purvis
second in charge. This was Hoover's way to keep Purvis out of the public’s eye. But
regardless of what Hoover tried to do about Purvis, he was running the show at the Little
Bohemia. Snow was falling, when Purvis arrived at Rhinelander Airport; other Forces
were already waiting along with Voss and Laporte. Back at the lodge Dillinger told
Wanatka that he had a change of plans and decided to check out as soon as Pat Reilly
returned. This was a Dillinger trademark, he was known for changing his plans at the
last minute. This move would often leave police officers disarranged. Dillinger requested
an early dinner of steak and garlic to be served at 4:00 p.m. Mrs. Wanatka needed to tell
Henry Voss' wife that Dillinger had a change of plans, so she could get word to her
husband. She invited Mrs. Voss into the kitchen and told to help herself to some meat in
the freezer, because she had bought too much. In the kitchen, Mrs. Wanatka told her
Dillinger was about to leave. Mrs. Voss jumped into her car, and raced to Rhinelander
Airport without a moment to waste. Meanwhile, Purvis was busy trying to get the agents
organized for the raid. They seemed to have a big problem; the agents only had one car.
A few of the agents were sent out on a mission to find cars for rent. The raid was set for
Monday morning; Purvis had Dillinger right where he wanted him, except for some minor
details and planning to achieve a surprise attack. A short time later, Mrs. Voss arrived,
and gave her husband the news. Then she telephoned Mrs. Wanatka and persuaded her
to leave the lodge immediately. The news made Purvis worried, he knew he had to act
fast. He learned that even if agents left immediately, they wouldn't arrive until 8:00 p.m.,
and Dillinger would probably be long gone. Finally four more cars were located, bringing
the total to five. Voss drew Purvis a quick diagram of the lodge; leaving out some very
important details, such as a ditch on the left side of the lodge, and a barbwire fence on
the right. Voss also forgot to inform Purvis that Mrs. Wanatka had two very alert
watchdogs. It was a just after 7 p.m., before agents left the Rhinelander airport in route to
Little Bohemia. The roads were bad, covered with melted snow, mud, and several holes.
Two of the cars broke down along the way and were left behind. Several agents had to
ride on the running boards of the three remaining cars. Agents eventually arrived at the
Birchwood Lodge, only a couple miles from Little Bohemia. While agents were at the
Birchwood Lodge Purvis received word that Dillinger had not left yet. Agents then headed
out to Little Bohemia. As they drew closer to the entrance of the Lodge, Purvis ordered
headlights of the cars turned off and all cigarettes put out.
The night was pitch dark and the air was cool with patches of snow falling on the ground.
Two cars were used to block the entrance of the lodge to prevent any possible escape
attempt. Agents proceeded on foot, walking quietly through the woods. As they reached
the lodge, Purvis gave orders to spread out and take positions. Protected by bulletproof
vests, and armed machineguns, revolvers and tear gas, agents surrounded the
residence.
Suddenly, Mrs. Wanatka's dogs began barking hysterically at agents. Inside the Lodge,
two Civilian Conservation Corporation (CCC workers), and a salesman named John
Hoffman had just finished their Sunday dinner and were about to leave. The two CCC
workers were John Morris and Eugene Boisneau. The three men walked out carrying
rifles and got into a 1933 Chevrolet coupe. George Baszo and Frank Traube followed the
trio outside to the porch. Hoffman was driving; Boisneau sat in the middle with Morris
sitting on the passenger side. As Hoffman started the vehicle the radio blasted on loudly,
they began driving away. The men drove towards the entrance to Little Bohemia, which
was blocked by agents. Believing the trio was Dillinger and members of the gang; agents
commanded the car to "Halt!"
The occupants of the fleeing vehicle couldn't hear the order with the radio blasting and
the falling snow dimmed their vision. Agents opened fire and bullets tore through the
steel of the vehicle hitting its occupants. Later, Purvis would claim that agents meant to
shoot at the tires, but all the bullets hit the middle and upper portion of the car. Morris
climbed out the right door of the car and stumbled through the dark until he reached the
kitchen porch of the lodge. He had been shot four times by FBI bullets. Hoffman who had
also been wounded jumped from the car, and fled into the woods. Boisneau was
mortally wounded, and would die from his wounds. At the time Dillinger playing cards, he
heard the dogs barking but paid little attention. It was not until shots were fired before the
outlaws were alerted.
Dillinger shut out the lights, ran upstairs with Van Meter to quickly grab money and
weapons. Witnesses in the Lodge later told agents that the outlaws never fired a shot
during their escape from Little Bohemia. Van Meter and Hamilton escaped out an
upstairs window at the rear out the lodge. Forensics would argue that Hamilton could not
have possibly jumped off the roof, after injuries he received on January 15, with shot four
wounds to the groin and the loss a finger. Reports stated that Dillinger ran down the
stairs and escaped out an unguarded back or side door. Wanatka, along with three
women ran to the basement for cover. Moments later, Baszo and Traube joined Wanatka
in the basement, as agents opened fire on the lodge with a hailstorm of bullets.
The FBI surrounded the Little Bohemia Lodge on April 23, 1934, and opened fire after
learning that Dillinger was inside.
The nightmare had begun, as bullets ripped through the Lodge shattering windows and
destroying everything in its path. Pat Reilly and Pat Cherrington were just returning to the
lodge from St.Paul, when the shooting began. As Reilly approached the main entrance of
the lodge, federal agents appeared out of the dark. A fast thinking Reilly reacted by
shutting off the headlights, and jamming the car into reverse. He backed the car quickly
onto the highway and spun the wheels to freedom, followed by FBI bullets. In doing so,
he blew a rear wheel but managed to escape. After replacing the tire Reilly sped down
the road and got struck in the mud. A farmer helped Reilly get the car out of the mud and
then the outlaw headed for St. Paul. Dillinger, Van Meter, and Hamilton had slid down the
steep shore banks at the rear of the Lodge, and headed north along Little Star Lake.
They
ran through the woods in pitch darkness for about a mile, and found their way to the
highway on U.S. Route 51. The outlaws were in desperate need of a car when spotted a
Model T across the highway at Mitchell's Lodge. They knocked on the door at the home of
E.J. Mitchell and his wife. Mrs. Mitchell was very ill, and was lying on the couch when the
outlaws arrived. The elderly couple opened the door and was greeted by three men. One
of the outlaws, (Presumably Hamilton) asked if they could get a drink of water. As Mitchell
let them in, Hamilton calmly walked across the room and jerked the phone out of the wall.
Mrs. Mitchell recalled Dillinger as saying, "We don't want a drink, what we want is a car to
make our getaway, because the federal officers are after us. Now I'm John Dillinger but I
don't want you to be afraid, we're not going to hurt you any. We just came here to get a
car, and I'm not as bad as they have me pictured. Now mother don't be afraid." Mrs.
Mitchell described Dillinger as polite and the well mannered of the three men. The
couple told Dillinger that the Model T hadn't ran all winter. When they acquired about the
1930 Ford Coupe parked outside, Mitchell told them the car belonged to Robert Johnson,
who lived in a nearby cottage. Dillinger stayed with the Mitchell’s, while Van Meter and
Hamilton paid Robert Johnson a visit. They knocked on the door and told Johnson that
Mrs. Mitchell was ill and needed a ride to the hospital. Johnson quickly dressed and
raced out the door to find Van Meter pointing a gun at him. He was ordered to drive the
outlaws out of town.
Before leaving, Dillinger ordered everyone outside on the porch. Mitchell objected
because his wife was too ill, but Dillinger wrapped a blanket around Mrs. Mitchell, and
helped her to the porch, before departing. Tommy Carroll had also headed North along
the shore banks; he tried to catch up with Dillinger but soon realized he would have to
make the escape alone. He walked two miles down the highway past Mitchell's resort
until he came to the Northern Lights Resort. He spotted a Packard parked just outside
the lodge, hot-wired the car and completely disappeared. Nelson, who could not refrain
himself from battle with agents, was the last outlaw to escape the resort. The hostile
outlaw grew angry with engaging agents, and became the aggressor and displaying
extreme repugnance against his assailants. Before departing, Nelson exchanged gunfire
with Purvis and then disappeared into the woods. After agents fired hundreds of rounds
into the lodge for several hours, they heard a voice yell out from the lodge. Someone
yelled, "Quit shooting and we'll come out!" Wanatka, Baszo, and Traube came out with
their hands high in the air, followed by John Morris, the wounded CCC worker. The
gunfire stopped briefly to allow the three women to exit the building. The women, Helen
Gillis, Jean Delaney, and Marie Comforti came out shaken; surrendered without any
conflicts and were taken into custody. Dillinger and gang members had escaped the FBI
trap, but they left below an extraordinary reminder…hundreds of bullets holes remain in
the resort even today.
est. 1929 Manitowish Waters, WI JD was here.
| copyright little bohemia lodge, inc. 2009 no use without permission photos used with permission of fbi and rightsholders |
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