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W.
CARTER BAUM
1904 - 1934
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On
April 22, 1934, Special Agent W. Carter Baum
was killed
by "Baby Face" Nelson, who
would later claim the lives of two other FBI Agents.
Information was received that John Dillinger and
members of his gang were hiding at Little Bohemia
Lodge, about 50 miles north of Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Agents from the St. Paul and Chicago Offices hurried
to the area in an effort to apprehend the gangsters,
who proceeded to escape under cover of machine
gun fire before the Agents could completely cover
the building. SA Baum and another Agent, accompanied
by a local constable, proceeded to a spot about
two miles from the Lodge to investigate a reported
disturbance. As they neared the area, the constable
recognized an automobile belonging to a local resident.
When the Agents drove up beside this parked car,
the driver, later identified as Lester J. Gillis,
better known as "Baby Face" Nelson, asked
who they were. The officers identified themselves,
and Gillis drew an automatic pistol and ordered
them to get out of the car. As one of the Agents
complied, Gillis fired at him, grazing the Agent's
head and rendering him unconscious. Gillis continued
firing, killing SA Baum and seriously wounding
the constable. Gillis ultimately died from wounds
received in a gun battle with FBI Agents on November
27, 1934, during which two Agents were slain.
SA Baum was born in July of 1904 in Washington,
D.C. After attending George Washington University,
in 1930 SA Baum entered on duty with the FBI, then
the Bureau of Investigation, and was assigned to
the New York field office. He later transferred
to the Chicago field office.
Read more about the day's tragic events in the
FBI History section: John
Paul Chase & Lester M. Gillis (Baby Face Nelson).