Lillian Mae Holley (; 11 August 1890 – 12 June 1994) was an American sheriff. She was famous for being the sheriff of Lake County, Indiana that

John Dillinger John Herbert Dillinger (; June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) 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 imprison ...

escaped from in 1934.

Career

Lillian Holley took over as Lake County Sheriff after the former sheriff, her husband Roy F. Holley, was killed in action. Roy Holley was killed while attempting to arrest a farmer who had shot and killed a neighboring farmer in Ross. The farmer wounded seven police officers before killing himself. Lillian Holley served two years, finishing out her husband's second term as sheriff.

John Dillinger escape

On March 3, 1934, John Dillinger escaped from the Lake County jail while Holley was serving as sheriff, though fault likely lay with the prison warden and his officers. The press, as well as other officials, called attention to Holley's gender, saying it was the reason Dillinger managed to escape. Chicago Crime Commissioner Frank J. Loesch was quoted as saying, "That's what might be expected of having a woman for sheriff." Some media outlets were kinder to Holley. ''The Tulsa Daily World'' called Holley an excellent markswoman and quoted her as saying, "If I ever see John Dillinger again, I'll shoot him dead with my own pistol." Later, Archibald McKinlay, a local historian and columnist, called Holley "courageous, determined, and remarkably resilient," indicating that these traits were necessary to endure the intense scrutiny following Dillinger's escape.

Legacy

She is portrayed by

Lili Taylor Lili Anne Taylor (born February 20, 1967) is an American actress. She came to prominence with supporting parts in the films '' Mystic Pizza'' (1988) and '' Say Anything...'' (1989), before establishing herself as one of the key figures of 1990s i ...

in the 2009 film '' Public Enemies''. In 2017, The Historic Lake County Courthouse in

Crown Point, Indiana Crown Point is a city in and the county seat of Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 34,884 per the 2023 American Community Survey. The city was incorporated in 1868. On October 31, 1834, Solon Robinson and his family became ...

put on a play about Lillian Holley's life called "Lillian", written by former

Crown Point High School Crown Point High School (CPHS) is a 9-12 public school located in Crown Point, Indiana, United States. It is the only high school in the Crown Point Community School Corporation. Academics CPHS is accredited by AdvancED. For the 2021-2022 schoo ...

's art teacher and drama director Marion Kellum.

Personal life

Holley was born 11 August 1890. She had two twin daughters, and at least two grandchildren. She died 12 June 1994 in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holley, Lillian 1890 births 1994 deaths Women sheriffs American women centenarians Indiana sheriffs People from Lake County, Indiana