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Way back when: Today in history
11.27

Lester Gillis, alias George "Baby Face" Nelson

By GENE CURTIS
Published: 11/27/2009 2:19 AM
Last Modified: 11/27/2009 6:29 AM

1934

Federal agent Herman Hollis, formerly of Tulsa, who killed public enemy No. 1 John Dillinger in Chicago in July, and agent Samuel Cowley were killed in a gun battle with George "Baby Face" Nelson at Barrington, Ill. Nelson, whose real name was Lester Gillis, his wife, Helen, and John Hamilton fled in the federal agents' car after the gun battle. Nelson's nude body, riddled by 17 bullets, was found in a ditch the next day.

1970

A DC-8 jet carrying 229 people, most of them military personnel headed for Vietnam, crashed and burned at the Anchorage airport, killing 46. The four-engine plane was taking off in a freezing drizzle when the pilot attempted to abort the takoff. The plane ran off the runway into gullied terrain, caught fire and exploded.

1973

The Senate voted 92-3 to confirm Gerald R. Ford as vice president, succeeding Spiro T. Agnew, who resigned. The House confirmed the nomination a few days later. Ford became president the next Aug. 9 after President Richard Nixon resigned.

1978

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk were shot to death inside City Hall by Dan White, a former supervisor who wanted his job back. After shooting Moscone, White ran 100 yards to the supervisors' offices where he killed Milk. White was convicted of manslaughter, was paroled in 1984 and committed suicide in 1986.

To purchase "Only in Oklahoma," a book of collected columns by Gene Curtis, visit, tulsaworld.com/OnlyinOklahoma

Gene Curtis, 581-8304
gene.curtis@tulsaworld.com

By GENE CURTIS

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