Memoir of Special Agent Charles Batsell Winstead

Many people have never heard of Charles Batsell Winstead. Even fewer know that Charles left an unfinished memoir describing his life experiences from his youth until shortly before his death. Fewer still realize that Charles is the F.B.I. agent credited by J. Edgar Hoover with killing John Dillinger in front of the Biograph Theater in Chicago, Illinois the evening of July 22, 1934. Maude Aleene Savage, the second wife of Charles Winstead, inherited the memoir when Charles died and Maude's daughter, Patricia Thorn Jones, inherited the memoir from Maude. Several years ago Patricia, my first cousin once removed, donated the memoir to the Sherman Museum in Sherman, Texas, which is the current owner and custodian of the memoir. I want to thank The Sherman Museum very much for giving me the privilege of editing the unfinished memoir and putting it in a form that everyone interested can read and enjoy. What you are about to read would not be possible without the assistance of The Sherman Museum. I decided to present the memoir as the narration Charles gave when he used a reel to reel tape recorder to preserve his memories. I believe forming chapters for the memoir would disturb the flow of Charles Winstead's thoughts as he presented them. This taped narration was transcribed by a former high ranking F.B.I. Agent who was unfortunately killed in a hunting accident before he could edit the memoir and prepare it for publication. It has remained unedited and unfinished until now. The memoir has been edited only as needed to improve word flow, correct spelling and when possible complete partial sentences. The expressions used by Charles are maintained. As an example a "shooting scrape" remains a "shooting scrape" instead of being changed to the more recognizable term "gun fight."Sometimes Charles goes back and forth in time and sometimes he repeats himself but I am presenting the memoir as Charles dictated it. I am not inclined to re-arrange his thoughts.