Dillinger For Congress

Several years ago, I happened to be visiting the Crown Hill Cemetary in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Former "Public Enemy # 1", John Dillinder is buried there. When I found HIS simple marker, there was nearly a dollar in change laying on it. I removed the money so I could take a couple of photos, which simply read "John H. Dillinger---1903-1934"

Then I put the coins back where I found them, atop his marker. (I took a shot with the coins ON it as well (if I ever get it figured out, I'll have to post some of these pictures).

I stopped by the caretaker's office on my way out, and sitting behind the desk was a very elderly lady, who was a clerk, or director of some kind. I told her about the coins on Dillinger's grave, and she said this was NORMAL and she'd have someone go out and pick them up.

"What's that all about?" I asked.

"You aren't FROM here" are you.......?"

"No Ma'am........"

"You have to understand how things were back in the 30's. I was just a little girl at the time. We were in a depression. The banks were forclosing on everyone and times were very hard. John Dillinger was an Indiana boy from the town of Mooresville, and when he started robbing banks, a lot of the common people were on his side, because it was the BANKS that were taking everyone's homes and farms. It was like John was getting EVEN with them for everybody"

"Of course" she said, "He wasn't robbing for everybody, he was robbing for himself, but whenever his gang came running out of a bank, they would throw a handful of money out on the sidewalk, and people on the street would run around picking the money up as fast as they could. Sometimes a breeze would be blowing and when the police arrived, they had a problem moving around with all the people out there picking up that money, and Dillinger would get away."

"For some people, it would only be five or ten dollars, but back then, that would keep a lot of families in food for 2 or 3 weeks."

"So" I asked......."Is that why they say nobody would turn him in, even if they knew where his gang might be?"

"Yes.....That gang really wasn't hurting anyone but the BANKS, and the BANKS were the real criminals, when I was growing up."

"Well..........what's with the money on HIS grave?"

"That's been going on for YEARS, but it's not so much anymore, as there aren't too many of us old folks left who remember him. I think that when people come to put flowers on the graves of their relatives, the ones who remember Dillinger tossing money in the streets, are probably the same ones who put money at the gravesight. They're "paying him back" for helping their families long ago. Ten dollars was a lot of money when you're hungry. Even FIVE dollars. We've found TWENTY-dollar bills out there."

"Wow......what to you folks DO with the money you find?"

"We use is for lawnseed and such....."

.................................You know, whenever I look at those pictures or think about that day, I have a certain amount of respect for John Dillinger-----certainly more than I do for anyone on Capitol Hill.

THEY steal too....a lot more than John Dillinger ever did, but Dillinger at least gave something BACK....(even if it WAS just to help block the police).

A common CROOK had more decency than most Senators do today.