Public Enemies_ America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI - Bryan Burrough [221]
O’Leary left Probasco’s home badly shaken. That evening at six he kept a meeting with Dillinger in the park at Kedzie and North. Dillinger was sitting on a large white rock when O’Leary drove up. He rose and walked to the car, sliding into the front seat.
“Hello, Art,” he said. “Have you seen Probasco?”
“I was up there this afternoon.”
“Did he tell you about Piquett?”
So Dillinger knew.
“Yes,” O’Leary said. “But I don’t believe any of that bunk.”
“Well,” Dillinger said. “I believe it.”
“Oh, don’t pay any attention to Probasco. You know he’s drunk practically all the time. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“Well . . . ,” Dillinger said, “Van Meter has also been warning me against him. He said he’s been talking surrender too much.”
Dillinger stared off into the distance for several moments. “Art, I want you to get out of town,” he finally said. “Take your family and go on up to the north woods or some place.”
“What do you think you’re going to do?”
“I’m going up to Piquett’s office and leave him my card.”
“You’re crazy, Johnnie,” O’Leary said. “You can’t get away with anything like that. Anyway, Lou isn’t going to double-cross you. He isn’t that kind [of person].”
“I’m telling you to get out of town for a week,” Dillinger said, “and then I’ll get in touch with you. How soon can you go?”
“I can leave tonight, I suppose.”
“That’s fine,” Dillinger said. “How are you fixed for money?”
“I’ve got enough.”
Dillinger flipped open his billfold. He handed O’Leary $500.
“That’ll take care of you for a while.”
And then Dillinger got out of the car and disappeared into the park. Afterward O’Leary drove back to his house, gathered his family, and drove to northern Wisconsin. Later he claimed Dillinger had telephoned Piquett in his absence. According to O’Leary, Dillinger told Piquett he wanted to discuss a surrender. The two men set a date, Monday, July 23, to discuss it.7 It was a meeting Dillinger would never make. There was a third conspiracy afoot, and this one was real.
Saturday, July 21
It was another hectic Saturday on the nineteenth floor of the Bankers Building. Cowley and a group of agents were busy running down tips the old yegg Eddie Bentz’s brother had given them on Dillinger; none led anywhere. Matt Leach, meanwhile, had dredged up an informant who said Dillinger was in Culver, Indiana, preparing to rob a bank there. Reporters picked up on it and were pelting everyone with calls.
Purvis was in his office a few minutes after four o’clock when a call came in from Captain Timothy O’Neil of the East Chicago police. Purvis knew O’Neil, but not well. The sergeant said he and one of his men, a detective named Martin Zarkovich, had “real” information on Dillinger’s whereabouts. He wanted to meet right away.
Purvis met them outside the Bankers Building a little after six. Together the three men drove to the Great Northern Hotel, taking the elevator up to Room 712, where Cowley was staying. In Cowley’s room, Zarkovich did most of the talking. He said he had an informant, a woman he had known for years, whose girlfriend was dating Dillinger. The three were going to a movie on the North Side the next night, Sunday. The informant was prepared to tell the FBI which theater they would be attending. The Bureau, Zarkovich said, could handle it from there. All O’Neil and Zarkovich wanted, they said, was the $15,000 reward.
Before he cut any deals, Cowley said he wanted to meet the informant. Zarkovich said it had already been arranged; Sage had agreed to meet them that night. A bit later the four men left the room and walked downstairs. Outside, Purvis and Zarkovich got into one car, Cowley and O’Neil into a second. With Zarkovich leading they drove into the North Side, and a half hour later parked across from the Children’s Memorial Hospital at 707 West Fullerton Street.
It was