Bennie and Stella Dickson – Depression Era Bank Robbers – Legends of America

The story of Bennie and Stella Dickson unfolds as a captivating, albeit brief, chapter in the annals of American crime during the tumultuous era of the Great Depression. This husband and wife duo embarked on a daring spree of bank robberies, managing to pilfer over $50,000 in a mere eight months, from August 1938 to April 1939. Their audacious exploits and fleeting fame cemented their place as notorious figures of the time.

The Genesis of a Criminal

Bennie Dickson, the male half of this Bonnie and Clyde-esque pair, was born in Topeka, Kansas, around 1913. Surprisingly, his origins were far from criminal. He was the son of a respected high school chemistry teacher, an environment that seemingly fostered civic responsibility rather than delinquency. In an ironic twist of fate, young Bennie, at the tender age of ten, alongside his older brother Spencer, was lauded as a hero for rescuing a woman from drowning in one of Topeka’s Central Park ponds. Their bravery earned them commendations from the mayor, and Bennie further solidified his image as a model citizen by participating in the Boy Scouts.

However, the tides of Bennie’s life took an unforeseen turn. He fell in with the wrong crowd, succumbing to the allure of petty crimes that eventually led to a stint in the Kansas State Reformatory for car theft. This marked the beginning of his descent into a life of crime, a path that would ultimately lead him to notoriety.

In 1931, Bennie’s criminal trajectory escalated when he participated in an unsuccessful bank robbery. This misadventure landed him in the imposing Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. After serving five and a half years, he was released and returned to Topeka, where he attempted to reintegrate into society by studying law and engaging in amateur boxing. Despite these efforts, the lure of crime proved too strong to resist.

Stella Mae: From Teenager to Accomplice

Stella Mae Irwin, Bennie’s partner in crime and in life, was born in Topeka, Kansas, on August 25, 1922. Her upbringing was markedly different from Bennie’s. She was raised in an abusive home, a circumstance that undoubtedly shaped her character and contributed to her rebellious streak. Her parents divorced when she was just two years old, leaving her to live with her mother and younger brother, Junior. Despite her challenging home life, Stella was described as a bright and capable student, excelling academically. However, she was also known for her moodiness and anger, traits that hinted at the turmoil beneath the surface.

In June 1937, Stella’s life took an unexpected turn when she met the charismatic 27-year-old Bennie Dickson at a rollerskating rink in Topeka. Despite the age gap, an undeniable attraction sparked between the two. Their connection deepened quickly, and they secretly planned to marry when Stella turned 16. However, their plans were disrupted when Bennie assaulted a driver’s license examiner in Topeka, prompting him to flee town to evade imprisonment.

Undeterred by the distance and potential consequences, Bennie wrote to Stella, urging her to join him in California and reaffirming his desire to marry her. Entranced by the promise of a new life, Stella embarked on a train journey to the Golden State, her heart filled with dreams of a future with Bennie. Their union was formalized on August 3, 1938, when a police judge in Pipestone, Minnesota, officiated their marriage during a vacation with Dickson’s family at nearby Lake Benton.

A Spree of Daring Robberies

Just weeks after their marriage, on Stella’s 16th birthday, August 25, 1938, the couple embarked on their criminal enterprise by robbing the Corn Exchange Bank in Elkton, South Dakota. They made off with $2,174, meticulously planning their escape route along a network of country roads to Bennie’s family’s farm in Tyler, Minnesota, where they concealed the stolen money on the property.

"We did not stop en route… When we got to the farm, we parked the car near the barn, and Johnny walked up in the trees. He said he was going to hide the money."

– Stella Mae Dickson, in her confession.

Two months later, on October 31, 1938, Bennie and Stella executed an even more audacious heist, robbing the Northwest Security National Bank in Brookings, South Dakota. This time, they absconded with $17,592.99 in cash, along with stocks valued at over $16,000. The stolen funds were never recovered, adding to the mystique surrounding the couple.

Public Enemies and a Nationwide Manhunt

The Brookings robbery catapulted Bennie and Stella Dickson into the national spotlight. Their exploits captured the attention of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, who branded them as public enemies, akin to infamous outlaws like John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, and "Babyface" Nelson. Despite their relatively non-violent methods and limited number of robberies, the Dicksons were elevated to the top of the FBI’s most-wanted list, becoming the targets of a massive manhunt, with authorities instructed to apprehend them dead or alive.

On November 24, 1938, the couple was tracked to a cabin motel in Topeka, Kansas. When eight officers attempted to arrest them, Bennie drove away amidst a hail of gunfire, managing to escape with only a minor scalp wound. Stella, meanwhile, fled on foot. Bennie abandoned his bullet-riddled car in North Topeka and then robbed a couple of their vehicle at gunpoint. He drove to South Clinton, Iowa, stole another car, and returned to Topeka to pick up Stella at a prearranged rendezvous point on November 25.

As they made their way to Michigan, the Dicksons continued to evade authorities, with Stella earning the moniker "Sure Shot" Stella after shooting out the tires of a pursuing patrol car. For several months, the couple remained at large, resorting to taking hostages, stealing cars, and navigating backroads to outwit law enforcement.

The Final Act

Their criminal spree came to an abrupt end on April 6, 1939. Bennie Dickson was in St. Louis, Missouri, where he met Naomi, the sister of a former penitentiary cellmate, at the Yankee System Hamburger Shop. It was later revealed that Naomi was a paid informant who had orchestrated the meeting. As Bennie left the shop, he was shot twice by a special agent and died on the sidewalk.

Stella Mae, who had been waiting in the car a half block away, drove off and abandoned the vehicle in a rented garage. Desperate to return to her mother, she hired a man to drive her to Kansas City, Missouri. However, the driver recognized her and alerted the authorities. When Stella Mae Dickson arrived in downtown Kansas City, she was apprehended by FBI agents.

"I knew the minute he stopped he was going to get a federal man to arrest me… I didn’t care. I just sat in the car. I knew if I got out and tried to get to Topeka by myself I wouldn’t get there alive, and I wanted to see my mother."

– Stella Mae Dickson to an FBI agent

Aftermath and Legacy

Following her capture, Stella Dickson was extradited to South Dakota. On August 21, 1939, at the age of 17, she pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery in Federal District Court in Deadwood, South Dakota. Due to her youth and the corrupting influence of her husband, she was sentenced to two concurrent ten-year terms at the United States Women’s Reformatory in Alderson, West Virginia. She began serving her sentence on August 27, 1939.

Stella Dickson remained incarcerated until she was 26 years old. After her release, she lived in Raytown, Missouri, where she worked as a grocery store clerk and was married several times. She died of emphysema at the age of 72 in 1995.

The story of Bennie and Stella Dickson serves as a cautionary tale of love, crime, and the allure of notoriety during a time of economic hardship. Their brief but impactful reign as Depression-era bank robbers continues to fascinate, reminding us of the complex and often unpredictable nature of human behavior.