Aussie Elliott (1914 – February 3, 1934) was a Depression-era outlaw and associate of bank robbers

George Birdwell George William Birdwell (February 19, 1894 - November 23, 1932) was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. He was one of Pretty Boy Floyd's closest known associates and also teamed with a number of fellow Oklahoma-based bandits, most ...

and Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd. Born in

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

, Elliott was convicted of

bank robbery Bank robbery is the criminal act of stealing from a bank, specifically while bank employees and customers are subjected to force, violence, or a threat of violence. This refers to robbery of a bank Branch (banking), branch or Bank teller, tel ...

in 1932 and sentenced to the

Oklahoma State Penitentiary The Oklahoma State Penitentiary, nicknamed "Big Mac", is a prison of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections located in McAlester, Oklahoma, on . Opened in 1908 with 50 inmates in makeshift facilities, today the prison holds more than 750 male o ...

McAlester, Oklahoma McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. The population was 18,363 at the time of the 2010 census, a 3.4 percent increase from 17,783 at the 2000 census.Shuller, Thurman"McAlester" profile ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and ...

, eventually escaping on August 14, 1932. Soon after joining Birdwell and Floyd, the three robbed a bank in

Sallisaw, Oklahoma Sallisaw is a city in and the county seat of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 Census, it had a population of 8,510, a 4.2 percent decrease over the figure of 8,880 recorded in 2010. Sallisaw is part of the Fort Smith met ...

, of $2,530. Although identified by witnesses raiding a bank in Henryetta of $11,352 only six days later, several reports attributed the robbery to the Ford Bradshaw gang.Newton, Michael. ''Encyclopedia of Robbers, Heists, and Capers''. New York: Facts On File, 2002. (pg. 93)

Crimes and death

Along with

Adam Richetti Adam "Eddie" Richetti (August 5, 1909 – October 7, 1938) was an American criminal and Depression-era bank robber. He was associated with Aussie Elliott and later Pretty Boy Floyd in the early 1930s, both he and Floyd later being implicated ...

and

Edgar Dunbar (criminal) Edgar John Dunbar (12 April 1902 – 5 July 1985) was a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Austr ...

, Elliott robbed $3,000 from a bank in

Ash Grove, Missouri Ash Grove is a city in Greene County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,512 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Ash Grove was laid out in 1853. The city was named fr ...

, on January 12, 1933, before fleeing to the home of Richetti's brother in Bolivar. Captured four months later in

Creek County, Oklahoma Creek County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 71,754. Its county seat is Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Sapulpa. Creek County is part of the Tul ...

, on May 14, Elliott was imprisoned for five months before again escaping on October 28, 1933. Despite the extensive manhunt by authorities, Elliott refused to flee Oklahoma and, along with bandits Raymond Moore, and Eldon Wilson, was found by police, acting on a tip, on February 3, 1934, at the home of Lee Davis, near

Sapulpa, Oklahoma Sapulpa is a city in and the county seat of Creek County, Oklahoma, Creek County, extending partly into Tulsa County, Oklahoma, Tulsa County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 21,929 at the time of the 2020 United States census, ...

.Owens, Ron. ''Oklahoma Heroes: The Oklahoma Peace Officers Memorial'' Turner Publishing Co. Paducah, Ky. 2000.
p. 57 Accessed May 25, 2018. As the officers drove up, they saw men scurrying away inside the house. Sapulpa Police Chief Tom Brumley went around one side of the house, while one of his officers went around the other toward the back door. The officer confronted two men, Elliott and Wilson, coming towards him, but they turned and ran back inside. When the police called on Elliott and Wilson to surrender, they heard a single shot come from the other side of the house. Moore (Duplin), trying to hide in the cellar, had killed Chief Brumley with the single shot. A gun battle at the front door, which was covered by Creek County Sheriff, Willis C. Strange, and Sapulpa patrolmen, W. E. Gage and Floyd Sellers, resulted in the deaths of Elliott and Wilson. Moore managed to escape from the house and began a running gun battle with police, including several additional men who had just arrived at the scene. After reaching an area of rocks and hills, he tried to hide in a ditch while the officers looked for him. Sapulpa police officer C. P. Lloyd found him. Both men shot each other, and Lloyd died almost immediately. Other officers came quickly and killed Moore with gunfire. Other lawmen participating in the action at Davis' house were Creek County Sheriff, Willis C. Strange, Sapulpa patrolmen, W. E. Gage and Floyd Sellers. These men were unharmed during the shootout.
Available on Google Books. Accessed February 18, 2018.

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Aussie 1914 births 1934 deaths American bank robbers American escapees American gangsters of the interwar period Escapees from Oklahoma detention Fugitives Criminals from Oklahoma People shot dead by law enforcement officers in Oklahoma

Crimes and death

See also

Notes

References