44 -Baby Face Nelson-
– Lester Joseph Gillis –
Known by the alias George Nelson, better known
as Baby Face Nelson,
Born: December 6, 1908, Chicago, IL
Died: November 27, 1934, Wilmette, IL
Cause of death: Gunshot wound.
By the age of 14, he was an accomplished car thief and had been dubbed “Baby Face” by members of his gang due to his juvenile appearance. Nelson’s early criminal career included stealing tires, running stills, bootlegging, and armed robbery.
Nelson was sentenced to a prison term of one year to life for his January, 1931, bank robbery in Chicago, Illinois. After a year’s confinement, Nelson was removed from the Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet, Illinois, to stand trial on another bank robbery charge in Wheaton, Illinois. On February 17, 1932, Nelson escaped prison guards while being returned to Joliet. After a brief stay in Reno, Nevada, he fled to Sausalito, California.