Wynona Burdett and the FBI file: Barker-Karpis Gang
I.C.#7-576
- 16 -
November 19, 1936
his lot with his old friends. Campbell soon joined Fred Barker, "Doc" Barker, and William J. Harrison in Hammond, Indiana and at the request of Harry Campbell, Willie Harrison thereafter made arrangements for Wynona Burdette to join Campbell in the Indiana City and soon thereafter the two Barkers, Harry Campbell and Wynona Burdette drove to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they joined other members of the gang who were temporarily located there. This group on or about October 6, 1933 motored to Reno, Nevada, where the gang had good contacts with the political bosses at that place.
On or about December 2, 1933, an automobile caravan left Reno, Nevada. It was the exodus from Reno of the members of the Karpis-Barker gang. The mob moved again as they had done so often before, but as has been previously related, it was not to a new field for their criminal activities but to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the roving mob had found refuge on many occassions. Among those members of the gang who left Reno, Nevada in the month of December 1933 were Alvin Karpis and his moll, Dolores Delaney, sister-in-law to Pat Riley, a Dillinger mobster, Fred Barker and his paramour, "Fat Witted" Paula Harmon, Volney Davis, Edna Murray and "Doc" Barker. Harry Campbell and Wynona Burdette were also with Alvin Karpis and Fred Barker on their trek to St. Paul. The members of the Karpis-Barker gang, with the exception of Alvin Karpis and Dolores Delaney, arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota in the middle of December, 1933 and proceeded directly to the farm of Harry Sawyer, a bootlegger, ex car thief and harborer of criminals. Harry Sawyer lived on a farm with his wife, Gladys, who also was an intimate associate of the gang. Alvin Karpis and Dolores Delaney did not remain in St. Paul, but proceeded on to Chicago, Illinois. Harry Campbell and Wynona Burdette, upon their arrival in St. Paul, Minnesota, made their residence at the Capital Hotel under the names of Mr. and Mrs. George Martin. Fred Barker and Paula Harmon rented an apartment at 628 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota under the names of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Bergstrom. Volney Davis and Edna Murray as Mr. and Mrs. V. E. Davis, moved into an apartment at the Edgcumb Apartments, Osceola and Lexington Avenues in St. Paul. "Doc" Barker found shelter with William Weaver, who had not enjoyed the round of gambling and drinking with the others at Reno. William Weaver, at this time, maintained an apartment at 777 Shelby Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. The moll of William Weaver was Myrtle Eaton, who was a native of Des Moines, Iowa. Myrtle Eaton had been an associate of criminals all her life and she maintained an apartment at 565 Portland Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota, which apartment was frequented by the various members of the gang. Myrtle Eaton by profession was a shoplifter and her record indicated that she was arrested for this offense by the Police Department at Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 27, 1930 and was fined $100.00. On December 9, 1930, as Sue Bond, alias Sue Hubble, she was arrested by the Police Department at St. Paul, Minnesota on charges of shoplifting, which charges were later dismissed on motion of the County Attorney. On December 29, 1931 she was arrested by the Police Department at Des Moines, Iowa as Mrs. Alice Martin on charges of investigation but was not prosecuted.
18
I.C.#7-576
- 17 -
November 19, 1936
At Chicago, Illinois, Alvin Karpis, who was known to his confederates as "Slim" or "Ray" and Dolores Delaney took up their residence at the Orlando Hotel and later rented an apartment at 7133 Yates Avenue under the names of Mr. and Mrs. William L. Lohman. Fred Goetz, with his woman, Irene Dorsey, the daughter of a saloonkeeper, in the month of December 1933 were living at 1954 Garfield Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois. Tubercular Bryan Bolton, alias Monte Carter, had been called from his health restoring activities in Arizona and in December of 1933 made his home with Goetz. Ma Barker was living quietly in an apartment on the exclusive South Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
During the latter part of December 1933, Alvin Karpis and Fred Goetz joined the others of the gang who had settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, where conferences were held to lay plans for another kidnaping. These conferences were held in the apartments occupied by William Weaver and Myrtle Eaton and were attended by Alvin karpis, William Weaver, Fred Goetz, Arthur "Doc" Barker, Fred Barker, Volney Davis, Harry Campbell and Harry Sawyer. One day Sawyer and Goetz visited a bowling alley known as a recreation parlor and as would be stated in the language of the underworld, Sawyer "put the finger on Edward George Bremer."
The gang had originally planned to rob the Commercial State Bank, St. Paul, Minnesota, of which Edward George Bremer was the President, but Sawyer in his dictatorial manner insisted that more money could be obtained if "Eddie Bremer was snatched". Definite plans were made for the kidnaping of Mr. Bremer, but on the night of January 13, 1934 after a conference at the apartment of Myrtle Eaton, Mr. _. W. McCord and two companions who were employed by the Northwest Airways Company were in the vicinity of Portland and St. Alban Streets in St. Paul, dressed in uniforms of the Airways Company, as Fred Barker and another of the gang left the apartment building in which Myrtle Eaton resided. The gangsters entered their car and started to drive away, but upon seeing Mr. McCord and his friends, they believed that officers were following them and opened fire on the employees of the Airways Company, seriously wounding Mr. McCord., After this occurrence, Harry Sawyer insisted that because of the "heat" the shooting had caused in the town, the kidnaping of Mr. Bremer be postponed. The members of the mob acquiesced to Sawyer's deisires in this matter.
THE KIDNAPING OF EDWARD GEORGE BREMER AND THE DOWNFALL
OF THE KARPIS-BARKER GANG.
______________________________________________________
Edward George Bremer each day during the school year drove his nine year old daughter Hertzy to the Summit School, which was a private institution
19
I.C.#7-576
- 18 -
November 19, 1936
located on Goodrich Avenue near Lexington Avenue and each morning he would proceed upon Goodrich Avenue after taking his daughter to school, cross Lexington Avenue and on to his duties at the bank. Each morning he brought his car to a stop at the traffic sign located at Lexington and Goodrich Avenues. This stop was made about a half a block distant from the apartment building occupied by Edna Murray and Volney Davis. On January 17, 1934, Mr. Bremer, in keeping with his usual custom, drove his daughter to school and arrived at the stop sign at Lexington and Goodrich Avenues between the hours of 8:30 and 9:00 A.M. When Mr. Bremer made the stop, a man approached the left front door of the Lincoln sedan which Mr. Bremer drove, held a pistol to his side and told him "to move over" and simultaneously with the actions of this gunman, another opened the right front door of the car, struck Mr. Bremer over the head several times with a blunt instrument and pushed him to the floor of the car with his head under the instrument board. Taped goggles were placed over his eyes. Edward George Bremer, scion of one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in St. Paul and the northwest, was the victim of kidnapers, which kidnaping was affected by five men using two automobiles.
Edward G. Bremer is the son of Adolph Bremer, part owner of the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company, and the nephew of Otto Bremer, Chairman of the American National Bank, St. Paul, Minnesota and Manager of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation. Edward Bremer is married and has one daughter, Hertzy.
At about 10:40 A.M. on January 17, 1934, Walter Magee, Contractor of St. Paul, Minnesota and a close friend of the Bremer family, received a telephone call at his office, 118 West Central avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, from a man who gave his name as Charles McKee. The caller informed Mr. Magee that "they" had his friend Bremer and that Mr. Magee was to go outside his office, where he would find a note. Mr. Magee complied with this instruction and immediately went to the side of the building in which his office is located and there under a side door found a ransom note addressed to him as "Chas. McGee", which not read as follows:
"You are hereby declared in on a very desperate undertaking. Dont try to cross us. Your future and E's are the important issue. Follow these instructions to the letter. Police have never helped in such a spot and wont this time either. You better take care of the payoff first and let them do the detecting later. Because the police usually butt in your friend isnt none to comfortable now so don't dely the payment. We demand $200,000. Payment must be made in 5 and 10 dollar bills - no new money - no consegutive numers - large variety of issues. Place the money in two large suit box cartons big enough to hold the full amount and tie with heavy cord. No contact will be made until you notify us that you are ready to pay as we direct. You place an ad in the Minneapolis Tribune as soon as you have the money ready. Under the personal colum (We are ready Alice.) You will
20
I.C.#7-576
- 19 -
November 19, 1936
then receive your final instructions. Be prepared to leave at a minutes notice to make the payoff. Dont attempt to stall or outsmart us. Dont try to bargain. Dont plead poverty we know how much they have in their banks. Dont try to communecate with us we'll do the directing. Threats arent necessary - you just do your part - we guarantee to do ours.
Mr. Chas. McGee
I have named you as payoff man. You are responsable for my safety. I am responsable for the full amount of the money.
(Signed) E. G. Bremer
Deal only when signature is used.
Chas. McGee. Personal."
The St. Paul Field Division fo the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Department of Justice, and the St. Paul Police Department were immediately notified and an investigation was begun of the second major kidnaping which had occurred in St. Paul, Minnesota within six months' time. The automobile which Mr. Bremer had been driving at the time he was kidnaped was found on the date the kidnaping occurred parked on Edgcumb Road in St. Paul, Minnesota. The bloodstains on the steering wheel, the gear shift lever, the doorsill, the back of the front seat and on the floor of the car indicated to the investigators that a struggle had occurred. Fear was expressed by the relatives of Mr. Bremer and the officials investigating the kidnaping that possibly Mr. Bremer was dead. At about 6:00 o'clock on the morning of January 20, 1934, Dr. H. T. Nippert received a telephone call and a voice told him to go to the vestibule of his home and see what he could find. Dr. Nippert immediately went downstairs and found that a bottle had been thrown through the plate glass front door and he also found an envelope addressed to him which apparently had been left under the door. Two other envelopes were in the one addressed to Mr. Nippert. One of the inclosed envelopes was addressed to Walter Magee and the other to Mrs. Edward Bremer. Dr. Nippert promptly delivered the envelopes to Adolph Bremer. In the one addressed to Walter Magee was a note beginning "Chas. McGee" which read as follows:
"You must be proud of yourself by now. If Bremer dont get back his family has you to thank. Youve made it almost impossible but were going to give one more chance - the last. First of all all coppers must be pulled off. Second the dough must be ready.
21
I.C.#7-576
- 20 -
November 19, 1936
Third we must have a new signal. When you are ready to meet our terms place a N. R. A. sticker in the center of each of your office windows. Well know if the coppers are pulled or not. Remain at your office daily from noon until 8.00 p.m. Have the dough ready and where you can get it within thirty minutes. You will be instructed how to deliver it. The money must not be hot as it will be examined before Bremer is released. If Dahill is so hot to meet us you can send him out with the dough. Well try to be ready for any trickery if atempted. This is positively our LAST atempt. DONT duck it.
Mr. Chas. McGee
I have named you as payoff man. You are responsable for my safety. I am responsable for the full amount of the money.
E. G. Bremer".
The above note was signed in ink, "E.G.BREMER".
"Dear Doctor:
I am enclosing herewith two letters which please dilivir for me at once. Diliver them both to my father at the house -- 655 West 7th St. or at the office, wherever he may be -- it is very important that they be dilivered right away as it means a lot to me. Be sure however not to say a word to anyone else that you have been given these letters to diliver. The reason I am writing to you is because I know you can be trusted not to say anything.
Edward G. Bremer".
"Dear Walter:
I'm sorry to have called on you but I felt you were the old standby. Assure Emily and Pat that I'm allright. I knew you would use your head & work on this all alone - no police. The people that have me have given the imprission that you are not working alone. Walter,
22
I.C.#7-576
- 21 -
November 19, 1936
please do. I know you will for me. I've been told that the reason the first plan was not gone through with was because you were working with the police. Again I say please work all alone & I'm sure everything will come out allright. Be sure now - no strings allow here. You & You alone. These people are going to give you a new plan. Work according to their directions - & again I say - alone - no police - just you.
Edward
E. G. Bremer"
"Dearest Patz.
Please dont' worry. I hope everything will come out allright. Tell Hertzy to be good little girl, her daddy is thinking of her all the time and to see you or her again is all that I want. I suppose you are worrying about the blood in the car. I have a cut on my head which bleed a lot but it has been dressed & is allright now. Tell Pa too not to worry. I'm treated nice & the only thing I have to ask is to keep the police out of this so that I am returned to you all safely.
Yours,
Ed."
Nothing further was heard from the kidnapers until the morning of January 22, 1934 when Mr. William P. Behrens arrived at his office, the Behrens-Whitman Coal Company, 972 West 7th Street, St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was given a note which had been found that morning by Mr. C. A. Stahlmann, when he arrived at Mr. Behrens' office where he was employed as a bookkeeper. Mr. Stahlmann found upon opening the door to the office an envelope with a typewritten address to Walter Magee or Adolph Btremer. Mr Behrens opened this notw and found the following typewritten message:
"Chas. Magee
If you can wait O,K. with us. You people shot a lot of curves trying to get somebody killed then the copper's will be heroes but Eddie will be the marteer. The copper's think that great but Eddie dont. Were done taking the draws and you can go _____ now. From now on you make the contact. Better not try it till you pull off every copper, newspaper, and radio station. From now on you get the silent treatment until you reach us someway yourself. Better not wait too long."
23
I.C.#7-576
- 22 -
November 19, 1936
In an effort to operate unmolsted, the kidnapers were demanding that the law enforcement agencies cease investigation. On January 23, 1934 Mr. John Miller, 1209 Hague Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, received a telephone call between 6:00 and 7:00 o'clock in the evening and the caller instructed Mr. Miller to go to his home and there he would find a Hill Brothers coffee can on his front porch. Upon his arrival at this home, Mr. Miller found that his wife had already discovered the note. This note instructed that $200,000 must be delivered that night and the note was addressed to Chas. McGee or Adolph Bremer. It instructed that the tag which was inclosed with the note be taken to the Jefferson Lines Bus Station. This tag was a baggage check. This note carried a warning that the recipients of this note should not stall and were to follow instructions. The note further instructed that the baggage check was for the baggage checking locker in the waiting room of the station and further indicated that a handbag would be found at the bus station in which further instructions would be contained. Mr. Magee was instructed that this handbag should not be opened one minute before 8:20 P.M.
Walter Magee followed the instructions and proceeded to the bus depot and obtained a black zipper bag which bag contained a pillow and an additional note, which instructed Mr. Magee to assume the name of John B. Brakesham and to board a bus leaving St. Paul, Minnesota at 8:40 P.M. for Des Moines, Iowa. The pay-off, however, was not accomplished on this night and it was subsequently learned by the investigators that a ransom note purporting to have been signed in ink by Mr. E. G. Bremer had been left at the New Hotel Brunswick, Faribault, Minnesota by a man who was dressed in overalls and appeared to be a farmer. This individual stated to Arthur Murray, who was at the hotel, that a bus from the Twin Cities would arrive at Faribault about 10:30 P.M. and that he wanted to leave a package with Mr. Murray to give to a passenger on the bus and claimed that the package contained medicine, the man's father having forgotten to take it with him. As no one called for the package, it was held for one month by Mr. Murray before it was opened and when opened it was found to contain a note addressed to "Chas. Magee" or pay-off man (John B. Brakesham). The note stated that all previous instructions were canceled.
On February 5, 1934 Miss Lillian L. Dickman, secretary to Edward G. Bremer, received a note from a man who came to the back door of her home between 7:30 and 8:00 o'clock in the evening. The man who delivered this note asked "Are you Lillian Dickman" and when receiving a reply in the affirmative the man handed her a note and told her to take care of it. This note, which was in the handwriting of the kidnaped victim, was delivered to Adolph Bremer and urged that the ransom negotiations proceed in accordance with the instructions outlined by the kidnapers.
24
I.C.#7-576
- 23 -
November 19, 1936
The following day at about 4:30 P.M., Father Deere, a Catholic priest of Prior Lake, Minnesota, was approached by an unknown man at the door of his home who asked Father Deere if he was acquainted with a family by the name of Bremer and when the unknown individual learned that Father Deere knew the Bremer family, he thrust an envelope into his hand, which envelope contained a note addressed to Father Deere instructing him to deliver additional notes, which were in the envelope, to Adolph Bremer and Edward Bremer's wife. The note which was to be delivered to Adolph Bremer bore the salutation "Chas. McGee or Honest Adolph" and stated that "the coppers jimmed the last payoff". This note gave explicit instructions for the payment of the ransom money and warned that if the money was not paid on this particular night the ransom demand would be increased to $500,000.
Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked quietly so as not to interfere with the payment of the ransom money if it were the family's desire to do so. Immediately after the first demand for ransom had been made, Special Agents caused the serial numbers of the ransom bills to be recorded, which act proved to be of inestimable value in subsequent investigation.
In compliance with the instructions contained in the ransom note addressed to "Chas. McGee or Honest Adolph", Walter Magee on the evening of February 6, 1934 obtained a Ford sedan and with the $200,000 in ransom money, which was made up of five and ten dollar bills, drove in a circuitous route to 969 University Avenue, St. Paul, Minesota, arriving at this point at approximately 8:00 P.M., where he found parked in front of that address a 1933 Chevrolet coupe bearing Shell Oil Company signs on each door. Mr. Magee transferred the ransom money from the Fourd coupe and entered the Chevrolet car with the ransom money. In the left front door pocket of the Chevrolet coupe Mr. Magee found the keys to the car and an additional note which directed him further as to the delivery of the ransom. This not read as follows:
"Go to Farmington, Minnesota. The Rochester bus will arrive there at 9:15 P.M. and leave at 9:25 P.M. Follow one hundred yards in back of this bus, when it leaves Farmington until you come to four red lights on the left and proceed at fifteen miles per hour until you see five flashes of lights; then stop and deposit packages of money on the right hand side of the road. Leave the two notes; get in car and go straight ahead."
In compliance with the instructions contained in this last note, Mr. Magee as intermediary proceeded to Farmington, Minnesota, from there followed the bus to Cannon Falls, to Zumbrota, Minnesota and from this latter place Mr. Magee drove four or five miles until he saw the four red lights on the left side of the road on the bank of a hill. When Mr. Magee came to this
25
Wynona...#4
"Down Yonder"
