Safe Havens For Criminals: The Untold Story of St. Paul
How a Minnesota City Became a Sanctuary for Notorious Outlaws In the early 20th century, before the establishment of the FBI, certain towns in the United States became notorious for their role as safe havens for criminals. One such town was St. Paul, Minnesota. Here, a unique arrangement allowed notorious figures like John Dillinger, Al Capone, Baby Face Nelson, and Ma Barker to hide out, as long as they avoided committing crimes within the city limits. This unorthodox understanding created a peculiar environment where outlaws could seek refuge while laying low after their illicit activities elsewhere. The foundation of this odd agreement can be traced back to the early 1900s and a local police chief named John J. O'Connor. Under what became known as the "O'Connor Layover Agreement," O'Connor implemented a system designed to keep crime rates down in St. Paul. He assigned detectives to monitor the Union Depot, the city's main transportation hub, and instructed
