HISTORIC BULLET PROOF VEST PURPORTEDLY USED BY BABY FACE NELSON.

HISTORIC BULLET PROOF VEST PURPORTEDLY USED BY BABY FACE NELSON. Lester M. Gillis, AKA Baby Face Nelson, was born Dec. 6, 1908 in Chicago. From his early years onward he was a petty criminal and in 1922 was convicted of auto theft and served two years in a boy’s home. Upon his release, after only five months he was reincarcerated on a similar charge. Again, in 1931 he was sentenced to a term of one year to life for a bank robbery and in Feb. 1932, escaped. From that point onward he ranged between Indiana & California, continuously involved in a variety of criminal activities. In 1934 he was back in Chicago with his wife and another criminal named John Chase, where they joined the Dillinger gang. He was vacationing with Dillinger on April 22, 1934 in the Little Bohemian Lodge in Northern Wisconsin. The FBI, upon learning of their location, attempted to raid the lodge, but the gang was alerted and when Nelson tried to escape he shot three of the special agents, killing one by the name of W. Carter Baum. From then until Nov. 27, 1934, Nelson & his gang continued their criminal activities, robbing banks and frequently traveling to California. On Nov. 27, 1934 Inspector Samuel P. Crowley of the Chicago FBI Office learned that Nelson was in the area and he, along with Special Agent Herman Hollis, pursued Nelson, but before they could catch him Nelson swerved off the road, stopped & began shooting an automatic weapon at the FBI car, killing Hollis at the scene & mortally wounding Inspector Crowley, who died the next morning. Apparently Nelson was also critically injured in the shootout and died that evening and was found the next day near a cemetery in Niles Center, Illinois. Apparently the getaway car that Nelson was using was captured in that incident. Accompanied by two pictures of a 1934 Ford sedan with a bullet hole in right front fender, two bullet holes in windshield and another in the rear window. Information regarding Baby Face Nelson from the internet is included. This vest only surfaced in 1998 on the TV show hosted by Leslie Hindman on HGTV, The Appraisal Fair. It was stated that this vest was found in the car where Baby Face Nelson was killed in 1934 and had languished in an FBI evidence room until about 1967 when the FBI decided to dispose of it. A female former FBI employee, the consignor, rescued it from the trash. Also included is a small pillbox containing two copper bullet jackets. Written on top of box is “2 COPPER PELLETS FOUND IN DIVISION HUDSON AUTO BY AGENT J.L. MURPHY ON 11-28-34 AT WINNETKA, ILL. J.P.L.M. 26-5685”. Also accompanying are two other 8×10 photos, one of Lester Gillis, AKA Baby Face Nelson, and the other of a 1930’s delivery truck. No indication of its connection to Nelson. The most conclusive evidence is a small period manila tag, 3-3/4” x 1-7/8”, upon which is written in ink pen ink, “BULLET PROOF VEST TAKEN FROM FORD V8 SEDAN ABANDONED BY LESTER M. GILLIS”, with signature “CM Chaffetz(?)” and the date “11/29/34”. The vest is described as being of black oil cloth with a brown cloth border having sewn in hard plates with a double plate over front vital area. It is overall about 22” long x 19” wide with elastic straps and snaps for adjustment to body size. One final item accompanying this lot is a chest X-ray, probably of Nelson, showing damage in left shoulder area and what appears to be a dark mass in the right lung. Lower right corner has the X-ray ID, “SHERMAN HOSPITAL ELGIN, ILL.” and the date appears to be “11-28-34”. CONDITION: Fair. The outside 4” of the edges of the vest are dry and crackled with loss of finish; otherwise material is still soft & supple. Cloth binding shows heavy wear on bottom edge. X-Ray is almost broken in half. 4-56608 JR697 (5,000-10,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2006

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1039c	$0.00	HISTORIC BULLET PROOF VEST PURPORTEDLY USED BY BABY FACE NELSON. Lester M. Gillis, AKA Baby Face Nelson, was born Dec. 6, 1908 in Chicago. From his early years onward he was a petty criminal and in 1922 was convicted of auto theft and served two years in a boy’s home. Upon his release, after only five months he was reincarcerated on a similar charge. Again, in 1931 he was sentenced to a term of one year to life for a bank robbery and in Feb. 1932, escaped. From that point onward he ranged between Indiana & California, continuously involved in a variety of criminal activities. In 1934 he was back in Chicago with his wife and another criminal named John Chase, where they joined the Dillinger gang. He was vacationing with Dillinger on April 22, 1934 in the Little Bohemian Lodge in Northern Wisconsin. The FBI, upon learning of their location, attempted to raid the lodge, but the gang was alerted and when Nelson tried to escape he shot three of the special agents, killing one by the name of W. Carter Baum. From then until Nov. 27, 1934, Nelson & his gang continued their criminal activities, robbing banks and frequently traveling to California. On Nov. 27, 1934 Inspector Samuel P. Crowley of the Chicago FBI Office learned that Nelson was in the area and he, along with Special Agent Herman Hollis, pursued Nelson, but before they could catch him Nelson swerved off the road, stopped & began shooting an automatic weapon at the FBI car, killing Hollis at the scene & mortally wounding Inspector Crowley, who died the next morning. Apparently Nelson was also critically injured in the shootout and died that evening and was found the next day near a cemetery in Niles Center, Illinois. Apparently the getaway car that Nelson was using was captured in that incident. Accompanied by two pictures of a 1934 Ford sedan with a bullet hole in right front fender, two bullet holes in windshield and another in the rear window. Information regarding Baby Face Nelson from the internet is included. This vest only surfaced in 1998 on the TV show hosted by Leslie Hindman on HGTV, The Appraisal Fair. It was stated that this vest was found in the car where Baby Face Nelson was killed in 1934 and had languished in an FBI evidence room until about 1967 when the FBI decided to dispose of it. A female former FBI employee, the consignor, rescued it from the trash. Also included is a small pillbox containing two copper bullet jackets. Written on top of box is “2 COPPER PELLETS FOUND IN DIVISION HUDSON AUTO BY AGENT J.L. MURPHY ON 11-28-34 AT WINNETKA, ILL. J.P.L.M. 26-5685”. Also accompanying are two other 8×10 photos, one of Lester Gillis, AKA Baby Face Nelson, and the other of a 1930’s delivery truck. No indication of its connection to Nelson. The most conclusive evidence is a small period manila tag, 3-3/4” x 1-7/8”, upon which is written in ink pen ink, “BULLET PROOF VEST TAKEN FROM FORD V8 SEDAN ABANDONED BY LESTER M. GILLIS”, with signature “CM Chaffetz(?)” and the date “11/29/34”. The vest is described as being of black oil cloth with a brown cloth border having sewn in hard plates with a double plate over front vital area. It is overall about 22” long x 19” wide with elastic straps and snaps for adjustment to body size. One final item accompanying this lot is a chest X-ray, probably of Nelson, showing damage in left shoulder area and what appears to be a dark mass in the right lung. Lower right corner has the X-ray ID, “SHERMAN HOSPITAL ELGIN, ILL.” and the date appears to be “11-28-34”. CONDITION: Fair. The outside 4” of the edges of the vest are dry and crackled with loss of finish; otherwise material is still soft & supple. Cloth binding shows heavy wear on bottom edge. X-Ray is almost broken in half. 4-56608 JR697 (5,000-10,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2006 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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