John Dillinger

John Dillinger

(1903 – 1934)

John Herbert Dillinger was the most notorious gangster of the depression era. Decades after the era, the first major book about the era was titled “The Dillinger Days”. He robbed 24 banks and 4 police stations( for the weapons). His crime spree lasted about a year and covered four states and he escaped from jail twice. He was only charged with, but never convicted of, one murder, and that was after he had returned fire when an East Chicago, Indiana, policeman shot him while he wearing a bullet proof vest. Don’t misunderstand, he was one of the bad guys, but evidently he had charisma during his short life , and his legend continues to grow 80 years later. Melvin Purvis led the hunt and ended his life at the Biograph Theater in 1934, even though J. Edgar Hoover, as always, tried to hog the credit. He is buried at in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Wyatt Earp

Wyatt Earp

(1848 – 1929)

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American legend. Much of the story is steeped in shadows, and a lot not true. There was a gunfight on 10/26/1881, 3 men were killed, Virgil, Morgan, and Doc Holiday were all wounded in varying degrees. The whole fight lasted about 30 seconds. So many stories have been created about him that the truth is hard to find, and it is a lot grayer than any movie you have seen about him. Still, fascination for his life just seems to get stronger (for me too!).

There is a great book about him called “Wyatt Earp- The Man Behind the Legend” by Casey Tefertiller, to me the definitive book on Wyatt and his brothers if you want to get closer to the truth.

He is buried at the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park, Colma, California.

Trivia:

He worked as a constable, city policeman, county sheriff, teamster, buffalo hunter, bouncer, saloon keeper, gambler, brothel owner, pimp, and miner. He definitely skirted both sides of the law.

Doc Holliday

Dr. John “Doc” Holliday

( 1851 – 1887 )

A Gambler, gunfighter, and a dentist, he skirted both sides of the law throughout his life. One of the most famous characters of the American west, no doubt. Doc is mostly remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp, and the shootout at the O K Coral. The myths are many about his life, but he is believed by many to have killed between three and seven men, and participated in nine shootouts. I put a pic of “Big Nose” Kate up just because ( she died in Prescott, Arizona in 1940 and is buried in the Arizona Pioneer Home Cemetery in Prescott, AZ.).

Holliday is buried in Linwood Cemetery in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

His original marker had the date wrong, and the records for exactly where he is buried in the cemetery are lost, but these are pics of the current marker there.

Salvatore Guliano

Salvatore Giuliano

( 1922 – 1950 )

“Turiddu” was his nickname, and he was a Sicilian bandit and folk figure. His life has a lot of mystery because of all of the misinformation, but it is still an awesome story. If you have ever read “The Godfather” novel, you’ll know what a masterpiece it is. Somehow, Mario Puzo wove the story of Salvatore Giuliano into the part where Michael Corleone hides in Sicily. It is as good a read, if not better, than the original Godfather novel.(My opinion anyway!). He is a legend in Sicily, a tragic story of idealism and desperation, even more interesting because he was betrayed and killed(Officially by Law enforcement, widely believed to have been killed by his best friend and cousin Gaspare Pisciotta, pictured with him) when he was only 27.

He is buried in the Comune di Montelepre Cimitero Comunale

Montelepre, Sicily

Robert Ford


Robert Ford (1861 – 1892) and his older brother Charlie were peripheral members of The James Gang. He shot Jesse James in the head from behind on April 3, 1882. He tried to make a living by capitalizing on his fame by billing himself as “The man who killed Jesse James”, but was largely shunned as a traitor. Ed O’Kelley  killed him with blasts from both barrels of a shotgun on June 8, 1892. He is buried in Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Missouri(fairly close to Kansas City)  His marker erroneously lists his birth as 1841. Brother Charlie is buried there too.