Kathleen Quilligan, John Dillinger and Detective O'Malley

When Kathleen Quilligan left the News-Sentinel a few months ago to cover south Lake County for The Times of Northwest Indiana she probably didn't expect to be covering the movie industry.

However, her new duties include covering actor Johnny Depp and the filming of a new movie about John Dilllinger at the site of Dillinger's escape in Crown Point, Indiana.

This Sunday, she put the glorification of John Dillinger in perspective when she interviewed the granddaughter of the police officer gunned down by Dillinger and his men in an East Chicago bank robbery in 1934.

The policeman's name was Detective William Patrick O'Malley of East Chicago. Ms. Quilligan interviewed granddaughter Carol Kasper:

It's excruciating for Carol Kasper to see her grandfather's alleged killer glamorized -- to see a family member becoming nothing more than a sentence in the seductive story of the FBI's Public Enemy No. 1.

"We are not stupid," said Kasper, of St. John. "We know it's a part of history, but it's frustrating when articles say 'an East Chicago police officer was killed,' like he's a statistic."

[ ... ]

When Dillinger was captured, he was brought to the Lake County Jail in Crown Point because of O'Malley's death. Dillinger was never convicted of the slaying -- he escaped from the jail and was later killed in Chicago.

In the family, O'Malley's death seemed an ever-present elephant in the room. Kasper said her grandfather was rarely discussed, although she spent seven years being raised by her grandmother, Leticia O'Malley, who never remarried.

Kasper said much of what happened the day O'Malley was shot is unknown expect for a few specifics. Kasper said her grandmother always said there were 18 bullet holes in O'Malley's body.

"I don't think I could stand there with a .38 and shoot at a man with a machine gun," Kasper said.

[ ... ]

For the most part, the family learned to deal with the Dillinger fascination, but it never made the mention of O'Malley's death easier. One night, her grandmother was babysitting Kasper's cousin, Debbie Martin, when a documentary about Dillinger came on television.

Leticia O'Malley broke down into sobs, but when Martin made a move to turn off the TV, her grandmother shooed her away, Kasper said.

"I want to see what they say about your grandfather," Kasper recalls the elderly woman saying.

Comments

[Nancy Nall]

Biopic ≠ glamorized.
Story in newspaper ≠ glorification.

Ed. note:

Perhaps not. However, I think the granddaughter is referring to the entire sweep of the making and shaping of Dillinger's public image over the last 70 year.

[Jon Crane]

I was moved by this story and want to thank you for sharing it. These people are justified in their feelings...glamourizing a cold-blooded killer at the expense of a law enforcer gunned down in the line of duty must been painful when it is your family.

[Justin O'Malley]

My name is Justin O'Malley I was wondering if I had any relation to William O'Malley since me and my whole family live in neighboring Calumet City Illinois and surrounding areas. My Great grandfather is Michael Joseph O'Malley and lived in the south side of Chicago in 1934. If anyone can help please feel free to contact me even if you think it wont help. justin_omalley@yahoo.com Thank You