The Grand Haven bank robbery convinced Nelson he was ready to lead his own gang . Through connections in St. Paul 's Green Lantern Tavern , Nelson recruited Homer Van Meter , Tommy Carroll , and Eddie Green . With these men and two other local thieves , Nelson robbed the First National Bank of Brainerd , Minnesota of $ 32,000 on October 23 , 1933 ( equivalent to approximately $ in dollars ) . Witnesses reported that Nelson wildly sprayed sub-machine gun bullets at bystanders as he made his getaway . After collecting his wife Helen and four-year-old son Ronald , Nelson left with his crew for San Antonio , Texas . While there , Nelson and his gang bought several weapons from underworld gunsmith Hyman Lehman . One of those weapons was a .45 Colt pistol that had been modified so it was fully automatic . Nelson used this gun to murder Special Agent W. Carter Baum at Little Bohemia Lodge several months later
Little Bohemia Lodge
Little Bohemia Lodge
Baby Face Nelson