The Death of Jack Hamilton

Last updated
"The Death of Jack Hamilton"
Short story by Stephen King
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s) Crime
Publication
Published in Everything's Eventual
Publisher Scribner
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Publication date 2002
Series Stephen King

"The Death of Jack Hamilton" is a short story by American writer Stephen King. It was originally published in the December 24/31, 2001 issue of The New Yorker magazine. In 2002, it was published in King's collection Everything's Eventual . This true crime story is based on the death of Jack Hamilton, a member of John Dillinger's first gang. [1]

Contents

Plot summary

The story is written from the first-person view of Homer Van Meter, a member of John Dillinger's gang, who says he wants to tell the story of how Dillinger got the scar on his upper lip. Following a gun battle with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at Little Bohemia Lodge, Van Meter, Dillinger and Jack Hamilton escape in a vehicle, though exchange gunfire with police from their vehicle some time later. The three men escape again, though Hamilton is shot. After ditching their damaged vehicle and stealing another from a passing motorist, the men take refuge in a rented room behind a bar, where they stay for the next five days. Hamilton's condition deteriorates, with it becoming apparent the bullet is lodged in his lung and the wound is turning gangrenous. Hamilton goes through periods of delirium. In a period of lucidity, he asks Dillinger and Van Meter to entertain him, by walking on his hands and doing "the trick with the flies" respectively, though Dillinger says he will do it later and Van Meter points out there are no flies around.

Dillinger attempts to get Dr. Joseph Moran to treat Hamilton, though returns insisting to Van Meter that Moran "was a crybaby" and he doesn't want such a man to treat Hamilton. He tells Van Meter he threatened Moran into giving him the contact details of someone else, and Moran contacted Volney Davis, a member of Ma Barker's gang. Dillinger and Van Meter take Hamilton to stay with Davis, his girlfriend "Rabbits" and Ma's son Doc, in Aurora, Illinois. Rabbits performs surgery on Hamilton and removes the bullet, though as expected the surgery is too late and his condition worsens. News that Moran has been arrested leads both Dillinger and Barker's gangs to believe he will inform the FBI of their whereabouts, though they all elect to not abandon the dying Hamilton. They agree to instead make a final stand, though the authorities never arrive.

When Hamilton's death appears imminent, Van Meter goes and catches flies with strands of thread, a skill he developed to pass the time when he was in prison. He catches several and shows them to an impressed Hamilton. Dillinger then entertains Hamilton by walking on his hands. While Hamilton is laughing at his antics, Dillinger's revolver falls out of his pants, discharging and injuring himself. The occupants realize Dillinger has only grazed his upper lip, shortly before noticing that Hamilton has died. Dillinger and Van Meter bury their friend, and Dillinger says he thinks his notorious run of good luck has ended and that he will be caught soon.

Film adaptation

Stephen King allowed an adaptation of the story to be made in 2012 as part of his "Dollar Baby" deal. [2] An official teaser trailer for the short film was released in September 2012, [3] though the film itself was never released.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dillinger</span> American bank robber (1903–1934)

John Herbert Dillinger was an American gangster during the Great Depression. He commanded the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing twenty-four banks and four police stations. Dillinger was imprisoned several times and escaped twice. He was charged with but not convicted of the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana, police officer, who shot Dillinger in his bullet-proof vest during a shootout; it was the only time Dillinger was charged with homicide.

<i>Everythings Eventual</i> 2002 story collection by Stephen King

Everything's Eventual is a 2002 collection of 11 short stories and 3 novellas by American writer Stephen King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Face Nelson</span> American bank robber

Lester Joseph Gillis, also known as George Nelson and Baby Face Nelson, was an American bank robber who became a criminal partner of John Dillinger, when he helped Dillinger escape from prison, in Crown Point, Indiana. Later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that Nelson and the remaining gang of bank robbers were collectively "Public Enemy Number One".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ma Barker</span> American mother of several criminals and Barker Gang leader (1873–1935)

Kate Barker, better known as Ma Barker, was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker–Karpis Gang during the "public enemy era" when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwestern United States gripped the American people and press. She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Karpis</span> American criminal (1907–1979)

Alvin Francis Karpis, was a Canadian–American criminal of Lithuanian descent known for being a leader of the Barker–Karpis gang in the 1930s. Nicknamed "Creepy" for his sinister smile and called "Ray" by his gang members, Karpis led the gang along with Fred Barker and Arthur "Doc" Barker. There were only four "public enemies" ever given the title of "Public Enemy #1" by the FBI and he was the only one to be taken alive. The other three, John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson, were all killed before being captured. He also spent the longest time as a federal prisoner at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, serving twenty-six years.

<i>Dillinger</i> (1973 film) 1973 film by John Milius

Dillinger is a 1973 American biographical gangster film, dramatizing the life and criminal exploits of notorious bank robber John Dillinger. It is written and directed by John Milius in his feature directorial debut, and stars Warren Oates as Dillinger, Ben Johnson as FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, and Michelle Phillips in her first film performance as Dillinger's moll Billie Frechette. Other actors in the film include Cloris Leachman, Harry Dean Stanton, and Richard Dreyfuss.

<i>Guns Dont Argue</i> 1957 American film

Guns Don't Argue is a 1957 low-budget feature film about the early achievements of the FBI in defeating the most notorious criminals of the 1930s. The film involves dramatizations of the crimes and eventual demise of various gangsters, along with a moralistic narrative. It was edited together from a composite of three episodes from the 1952 TV series Gangbusters.

<i>Public Enemies</i> (2009 film) 2009 American film directed by Michael Mann

Public Enemies is a 2009 American biographical crime drama film directed by Michael Mann, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman. It is an adaptation of Bryan Burrough's 2004 non-fiction book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34. Set during the Great Depression, the film chronicles the final years of the notorious bank robber John Dillinger as he is pursued by FBI agent Melvin Purvis, Dillinger's relationship with Billie Frechette, as well as Purvis' pursuit of Dillinger's associates and fellow criminals John "Red" Hamilton, Homer Van Meter, Harry Pierpont, and Baby Face Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homer Van Meter</span> American criminal and bank robber

Homer Virgil Van Meter was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hamilton (gangster)</span> Canadian criminal and bank robber (1898–1934)

John "Red" Hamilton was a Canadian criminal and bank robber active in the 1920s–1930s, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph P. Moran</span> American surgeon

Joseph P. Moran (1895–1934) was an American physician known for catering to the Depression-era criminal underworld in the early 20th century. He was also a peripheral member of the Barker-Karpis gang, and was possibly the last physician to see the mortally wounded John Hamilton, a member of the John Dillinger gang, whom Moran refused to treat.

Edna "Rabbit" Murray (1898–1966) was an American criminal associated with several high-profile gangs in the Depression-era of the early 1930s. Although popularly known to the press as the "Kissing Bandit" for kissing a male robbery victim, she was known in the underworld as "Rabbit" for her skills in breaking out of the penitentiary.

Little Bohemia Lodge is a rural vacation lodge and restaurant located off US Highway 51 in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin. The lodge was built in 1929 by Emil Wanatka on land he acquired that same year. Little Bohemia gained fame and infamy as the setting of a botched raid by the FBI, then called the Bureau of Investigation, against the John Dillinger Gang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dillinger Gang</span> Gang group of robbers

The Dillinger Gang was a group of American Depression-era bank robbers led by John Dillinger. The gang gained notoriety for a successful string of bank robberies, using modern tools and tactics, in the Midwestern United States from September 1933 to July 1934. During this crime spree, the gang killed 10 and wounded 7. They managed to pull off three jail breaks which wounded two guards and killed a sheriff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Paul Chase</span> American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw

John Paul Chase was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. He was a longtime criminal associate of the Karpis-Barker Gang and most notably Baby Face Nelson who later brought him into the John Dillinger gang. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover once referred to Chase as "a rat with a patriotic-sounding name". Chase and Nelson continued to rob banks with John Dillinger until Dillinger's death in July 1934. After the death of Nelson in November 1934, Chase fled back to California where he was arrested a month later on December 27, 1934. Chase was sent to Alcatraz where he became one of the longest-serving inmates;.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Carroll (criminal)</span> American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw

Thomas Leonard Carroll was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. A boxer-turned-criminal, he committed numerous robberies during the 1920s and 1930s as well as being a longtime member of the Dillinger gang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volney Davis</span> American bank robber and Great Depression-era outlaw

Volney Everett "Curley" Davis was an American bank robber and Great Depression-era outlaw. A longtime Oklahoma bandit, he was the boyfriend of Edna Murray and an associate of both the John Dillinger and Alvin Karpis-Barker gangs during the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Green (criminal)</span> American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw

Harold Eugene "Eddie" Green was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw during the 1930s, best known as a member of the John Dillinger gang. He was also associated with Frank "Jelly" Nash, Volney Davis and the Barker-Karpis Gang in his early career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Barker</span> American criminal (1901–1935)

Frederick George Barker was an American criminal who, along with Alvin Karpis, co-founded the Barker-Karpis gang, which committed numerous robberies, murders and kidnappings during the 1930s. Barker was the youngest son of Ma Barker, all of whose children were criminals. He was killed in a lengthy gunfight with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Brown (police officer)</span> Corrupt American police chief (1889–1959)

Thomas Archibald Brown, also known as Big Tom, was an American law enforcement official who served as chief of the Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD) during the Great Depression and became notorious for flagrant police corruption.

References

  1. Stephen King. ""The Death Of Jack Hamilton"" . Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  2. "'The Death of Jack Hamilton' official movie website". Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. "'The Death of Jack Hamilton' official teaser trailer" . Retrieved 16 September 2012.