Mobster Style Burials

Lester J. Gillis, aka "George Nelson" or "Baby Face Nelson" was born Dec 6 1908 in Chicago to Joseph and Mary (Douget) Gillis. 

Baby Face's criminal career started early in his teen years. He was arrested for theft and joyriding at 13 and was sent to the penal school several times. 

It has been said that he worked with the Capone organization.  This has been dismissed by his biographers Steven Nickel and William J. Helmer, due to lack of evidence. 

His career came to a short end in 1931 when he was arrested and sentenced to 1 year in state prison.  During transport, he overpowered his guard and escaped.

On 18 August 1933, he robbed his first bank in Grand Haven, MI with Eddie Bentz. This robbery is said to have been a near disaster though most made a clean getaway.

 Nelson was part of the newly formed gang that financed and helped Dillenger escape from jail in Crown Point, IN. 

Nelson was said to be a devoted husband and father, bringing his family with him while on the run.  According to the 1930 Federal Census, Helen and Lester had 1 son.

On 27 November 1937, the Battle of Barrington started when Nelson, his wife Gillis and John Paul Chase where driving in a car and spotted by the FBI. After a few U turns by both vehicles, Nelson wound up being the chased. During this battle, he killed two agents. 

Telling his wife to flea into an open field, she turned briefly to see her husband had been shot and would later prove to be fatal. After the fight was over, the three fled the scene in the agents Hudson. While fleaing the scene, Nelson told his wife "I'm done for," as he continued to give directions to Chase to get them to the safe house. He died later that evening in his wife's arms. 

An anonymous tip provided the whereabouts of Nelson's body on 28 November, 1937. He was wrapped in a blanket and thrown in a ditch in front of St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in Skokie, Illinois.

Nelson and his wife are both buried in St Joseph's Cemetery, River Grove, Illinois.

Nelson was responsible for the deaths of:

W. Carter Baum - during the Little Bohemia Shoot out

Herman Hollis - Barrington, IL

Samuel Cowley - Barrington, IL

Wordless Wednesday

Tombstone Tuesday

This pic was taken at Cypress Lawn in Colma, CA. I found it interesting because it reminded me of Han Solo being frozen in Star Wars. Uh oh...my nerdiness shows.

What's in a name?

These are just a few names I've found interesting while on my adventures through various cemeteries...

I was going to save this one for Wordless Wednesday but couldn't resist putting it in this post. The internet is said to have been created in 1989 (depending on who you talk to) The term LOL is now used and recognized worldwide. I believe it should have been laid to rest in 1981 like the person resting here...LOL. ;)







Who doesn't love a Sugar Cohn (Cone)














This picture would have been better if his middle initial was an S.












How would you pronounce this? Probably not what I think it says...

Happy Independence Day

A big thanks to all those who have fought for our country's independence and still continue to fight today. Although I respect what our soldiers do for our country. The price for our independence has been great. The families left without husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers is disheartening. I respect anyone who has a belief and is willing to give their life not only for themselves, but so I can also enjoy the same freedoms he or she fights for.

"When the power of love is as great as the love of power. The world will know peace" ~Jimi Hendrix

Mystery Solved...

The other day I did a post on pyramids and realized that I was missing some information as well as a decent picture of one of them. So it bothered me until today when I could get to Oakland for more information. Basically all I needed was a name. It turned out there were 2 names that I needed. Lewis Leonard Bradbury November 1823 - July 1892 and Simona Martinez Bradbury September 1845 - December 1902. Since UC Davis has an entire web exhibit (Click Here) dedicated to the Bradbury family I won't be doing a full bio on this family. Instead I'd like to talk a little about the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles which is named for Lewis Bradbury. (Photo Credit About.com)
Bradbury had a grand vision for this building and actually fired the first architect (Sumner Hunt) that he hired because he didn't see Bradbury's vision. He then proceeded to hire a man by the name of George Wyman who at first declined to do the work. It wasn't until Wyman had a talk with his dead brother Mark through the use of an Ouija board that he finally agreed. The original estimate for the building at the time was $175,000 and by the time it was finished Bradbury spent more than $500,000. Bradbury spared no expense during construction and in 1977 the city of Los Angeles deemed the Bradbury Building a historic landmark. Many movies and tv shows have been filmed in the Bradbury Building as well. It was prominently featured in the movie Blade Runner. Today the building is home to the Los Angeles Police Departments Internal Affairs among others. Tourists can visit but are limited to the first landing and not beyond. Sadly Lewis Bradbury died in 1892 before seeing the official opening of this building which was completed in 1893. (Credit photo of interior to Wiki)

Wordless Wednesday