Baby Face Nelson Research Paper

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George “Baby Face” Nelson was a notorious gangster raining from Chicago. Baby Face Nelson was born under the government name “Lester Joseph Gillis” but took up the nickname “Baby Face” Nelson due to his looks and small stature. Nelson is a person that would most likely be put under the title “infamous” istead of “famous” due to his gruesome crimes and many bank robbings. Nelson’s long rap sheet consisted of accidental shooting; theft; robbery; murder; kidnapping; and assault with intent to kill. By the time he met Helen(Nelson’s wife), Nelson was working at a Standard oil station in his neighborhood which doubled as the headquarters for a group of young tire thieves, known normally as "strippers". Nelson fell into association with the strippers, and also acquainted himself with a number of local criminals, including one who employed him to drive bootleg alcohol throughout the Chicago suburbs. Nelson then became associated with …show more content…

Nelson only standing at 5’5 had a very childish build and was often described as a “baby face” hence his nickname. At the young age of seven Nelson was arrested after accidentally shooting a friend in the jaw with a pistol he found, he served over a year. Again at the young age of 13 Nelson was arrested again for theft and joyriding he was sent to a penal school for another 18 months. Nelson grew up in an area called “The Patch” and was the seventh child of belgium immigrants and his father worked as a tanner. Nelson dropped out of school in the 8th grade to pursue the street life. By the age of 12 Nelson was an accomplished car thief but as stated earlier was sentenced to jail time. While in jail Nelson’s father killed himself, blaming his father's suicide on himself he would save a portion of the money he stole to help support the family. At one point in Nelson’s life he was labeled by the FBI “Public enemy

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