John Hamilton (gangster)

John "Red" Hamilton (1899 – April 26, 1934) was a Canadian criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as an associate of John Dillinger. He is best known for his lingering death and secret burial after being mortally wounded during a robbery.

Prison break

Little is known of John Hamilton's life prior to his criminal career. He was born to a Canadian father from Essex County, Ontario and an American woman from New York. He was of German and Irish descent. Hamilton was nicknamed "Three-Finger Jack," having lost two of his right fingers in a sledding accident when he was young. On March 16, 1927, he was convicted of the robbery of a gas station in St. Joseph, Indiana, and sentenced to 25 years. While incarcerated in Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Hamilton befriended a number of prominent bank robbers, such as John Dillinger, Russell Clark, Charles Makley, Harry Pierpont and Homer Van Meter.

Dillinger was paroled in May 1933, but swore to liberate his friends, and had handguns smuggled into Hamilton, Makley, Pierpont, Clark and several other convicts. On September 26, 1933, a total of ten armed men, including Hamilton, escaped from the main gate of Indiana State Prison.