babyfacenelson22

The two bartenders at the lodge found "Jimmy" to be a likeable guy who tipped very well and always had a good joke or funny story to tell. The three young girls who worked in the kitchen thought he was boyishly cute and friendly and agreed that he and his petite wife seemed devoted to each other. Emil Wanatka, however, felt Nelson was boastful and dangerous. He would say later that despite Nelson's seemingly friendly manner, he was always watching the staff and always seemed to be aware of where everyone was and what they were doing. It was unnerving, said Wanatka.

Just before lunch Van Meter asked to be switched to a cabin near the woods. He said the main lodge was too busy and he wanted a place to "get some sleep." Nelson put in a special request for dinner. Carroll asked to have their cabin cleaned and aired.

As the day wore on, the gang began to make more and more demands on Wanatka and his staff and tensions mounted. By mid-afternoon Mrs. Wanatka was determined to get her son to safety. In the meantime, Emil Wanatka had written a letter to police about the situation, but didn't know how to get it out of the lodge.

Just before dinner, as Dillinger was talking with Wanatka, Mrs. Wanatka approached her husband and reminded him of a birthday party being held for a family member. She said her entire family would be there and wondered if anyone would mind if she went for a brief visit. Surprisingly, Dillinger told her to go. He did not send any gang member with her - so she thought.

While driving to her family's home she noticed a car following her at some distance. It was later determined that it was Nelson keeping an eye on her. Despite this, she managed to lose him long enough to make contact with her brother who in turn sent the letter. She then made her way to her family's home. Sometime during the evening she broke down and told her family what was going on at the lodge. After discussion it was decided they would contact the FBI in Chicago, but not before Emil Wanatka was told of the plan. It was agreed Nan Wanatka's brother, Lloyd La Porte, would go to the lodge in the morning. Mrs. Wanatka, leaving her son at her brother's house for the night, would return to the lodge and tell her husband about the plan. If he agreed, she would hand La Porte a pack of cigarettes with a note inside that read: "Go ahead, Lloyd." He would then contact the FBI.

The following morning, a Sunday, dawned sunny but chilly; a typical early spring day in northern Wisconsin. La Porte and his mother arrived at the lodge as the guests were finishing breakfast and the staff was cleaning up. Van Meter headed back to his room; Carroll, his wife Jean and Van Meter's girlfriend, Mary Conforti, said they were going for a walk; Hamilton went into the bar to read the paper. Dillinger and Nelson, however, remained in the area making small talk with each other and looking at newspapers, but always managing to stand close enough to hear any conversation. When La Porte asked for a cigarette, Mrs. Wanatka handed him a pack with the note. Additionally, Emil Wanatka was able to get a second note to La Porte listing the license plate numbers of the bandit's cars, as well as the names of the gang.

Within an hour, La Porte had contacted the Chicago office of the FBI. That single phone call had set wheels in motion that, before the day ended, would leave an innocent man dead, two other wounded - and the FBI with the biggest black eye in its history. Before it was over government officials would demand Hoover's resignation, while others would call for the FBI to be immediately disbanded.