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Wynona Burdett...FBI files; #8



Wynona Burdett and the FBI file: Barker-Karpis Gang





I.C.#7-576

- 52 -

November 19, 1936


it was learned that on October 19, 1935 one Thomas J. Shaw had gone to the Univeral Motor Company in Akron, Ohio for the purpose of buying a Ford automobile for cash and after making preliminary arrangements for the purchase of this car, Shaw proceeded to the vicinity of the Portage Hotel, where he was arrested as a suspicious person and approximately three hours later a local gambler called at the Akron Police Department and arranged for the release of Shaw on bond. Thereafter, on October 25, 1935, under the name of Carl Baker, the individual who had previously been arrested as Thomas J. Shaw purchased from the Knowles Brown Motor Company, 1440 West 25th Street, Cleveland, Ohio, a Plymouth sedan. The eyewitnesses to the Garretsville mail robbery obtained the license number of the automobile used by the bandits at that time and through this it was learned that the Plymouth sedan which had been purchase by Carl Baker was the car used in the robbery.

At the time Thomas J. Shaw was arrested by the Police Department at Akron, Ohio, his fingerprints were forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and they were indentified as being identical with Milton Latt, who on November 2, 1930 had been arrested by the Police Department at Wichita, Kansas for vagrancy. The record further disclosed that Latt had been arrested for investigation by the Police Department at Coffeyville, Kansas on February 10, 1931 and on September 3, 1932; that he also had been again arrested by the Police Department at Coffeyville, Kansas on November 6, 1935 and on November 7, 1935, the date of the mail robbery at Garrettsville, Ohio, Latt was confined in the County Jail at Yates Center, Kansas on a charge of robbery, for which he was not prosecuted. Prior to this time the Federal Bureau of Investigation had information that Milton Latt was an associate of Harry Campbell and that Latt had also been employed as a shiller at the Harvard Club at Newburgh Heights, Ohio, where members of the gang frequently spent their time.

After Campbell returned to Toledo, Ohio from Port Clinton, Ohio, he continued for the next several months to spend the majority of his time in Toledo. Campbell found refuge with Clara and Ed McGraw at a rooming house operated by them at 2011 1/2 Adams Street. He also frequented the many taverns located in the vicinity of his place of refuge.

A short time after Karpis and Campbell returned to Toledo, Ohio subsequent to their escape from Atlantic City, New Jersey, Campbell met a girl by the name of Gertrude Billiter at the McGraw rooming house and thereafter, on May 19, 1935, Campbell, under the name of Clarence C. Miller, married Gertrude at Bowling Green, Ohio. Campbell, with his wife, frequented a tavern known as the Goulet's Grill, located at 2130 1/2 Monroe Street, Toledo, Ohio. Campbell also had as a companion at Goulet's Grill and other taverns in Toledo, Ohio and vicinity, the Sheriff of Lucas County, James O'Reilly. After the robbery of the mail train at Garrettsville, Ohio, Campbell returned to these associates. Sam Coker, at the time of the robbery of the train was ill in a


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I.C.#7-576

- 53 -

November 19, 1936


hospital in Toledo, Ohio, which prevented him from being a participant in that crime. He, however, continued his association with Campbell at Toldeo, Ohio after the successful consummation of that robbery.

While Campbell was spending his time in Toledo, Ohio, Karpis and Hunter were enjoying the pleasures of the health resort at Hot Springs, Arkansas. Karpis also made a trip to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he engaged in his favorite pastime of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. he also made a trip to the west coast of Florida for a similar purpose. Karpis after his retreat to Hot Springs, Arkansas also made infrequent trips to Cleveland, Toledo and Canton, Ohio.

On the afternoon of May 1, 1936, through investigative efforts of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it was determined that Alvin Karpis, with Fred Hunter, and his woman, Connie Morris, were located in Apartment 1, 3343 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, where Hunter maintained a residence under the name of Ed O'Hara. The apartment building in which Karpis and the others were located was surrounded by Special Agents at approximately 5:30 P.M. on May 1, 1936 and as the Special Agents were about to enter the fugitive's apartment building, Karpis and Hunter emerged, with the intention of entering a Plymouth coupe which was parked in front of the building. Special Agents commanded Karpis and Hunter to surrender and they complied peacefully. Subsequent to the apprehension of Karpis, it was learned he had maintained an apartment at 3300 Saint Charles Street, New Orleans, Louisiana and it was further learned that the raid on the apartment on Canal Street was timely, as Karpis claimed he was making preparations to go on another fishing trip. A search of the Plymouth coupe and the apartment in which Karpis and Hunter had been olcated revealed that Huneter and Karpis had been prepared to resist arrest af the opportunity was presented, as there were found a rifle, two .45 caliber automatic pistols and a .3_0 caliber pistol. Later, a Terraplane coupe, which had bee used by Karpis, was located and it was found to contain a .222 caliber rifle, a .22 caliber automatic pistol and a .45 Colt automatic pistol. After the capture of Karpis, he was immediately removed to St. Paul, Minnesota and committed to the Ramsey County Jail in default of one half a million dollar bond, to await trial. Hunter was committed to the Federal Jail at New Orleans, Louisiana, to await prosecution on the charge of harboring Karpis.

The investigation was continued by Special Agents at Toledo, Ohio for the purose of locating Harry Campbell and it was learned that Campbell, under the name of G. Miller, was residing in Apartment 1, 2132 Monroe Street, Toledo, Ohio. It was further ascertained that Campbell was known in the vicinty as Robert or Bob Miller. At daybreak on May 7, 1936, Special Agents conducted a raid on this apartment and there apprehanded Harry Campbell. A


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I.C.#7-576

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November 19, 1936


search of the apartment revealed that Campbell had concealed under a pillow on the bed in the room in which he was apprehended, a .45 caliber Colt automatic pistol which he did not have an opportunity to use.

On the same moring, Sam Coker was taken into custody by Special Agents in a private home a few blocks away fromw here Harry Campbell had been residing. Harry Campbell was removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was committed to the Ramsey County Jail in default of $200,000 vond, to await the disposition of his case, whle Sam Coker was returned to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester, Oklahoma on May 9, 1936 to complete his unexpired term for bak robbery. Harry Cambpell did not elect to stand trial for the kidnaping of Mr. Bremer and on May 12, 1936 he entered a plea of guilty at St. Paul, Minnesota and on the same date was sentenced to serve life imprisonment.

Fred Hunter, after being indicted at New Orleans, Louisiana on May 27, 1936, entered a plea of guilty to the charge of harboring Alvin Karpis and was sentenced to serve two years in the United States Penitentiary at Atlanta, Georgia.

On July 27, 1936 Alvin Karpis entered a plea of guilty to the indictment charging him with the kidnaping of William A. Hamm, Jr. and he received a life sentence. Karpis and Campbell were temporarily committed to the United Staes Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas and on August 3, 1936 were transferred to the island prison at Alcatraz, California, to remain there the rest of their lives.

During the course of the investigation to apprehend the various members of the Karpis-Barker gang, Special Agents learned that William J. Harrison, who had been closely associated with the mob, had unwittingly communicated to toehr associates of the gnag who were not in the inner circle certain information which it was felt should not have been divulged. Using a ruse, Harrison on the night of January 6, 1935 was lured by some of his companions to an abandoned barn in the vicinty of Ontarioville, Illinois. When he entered the barn, in the hope of affecting his mission, he was shot to death by several of his erstwhile accociates. Hid body was then soaked with gasoline, placed in an appropriate position and the barn set on fire. The stucture was completely demolished. On January 6, 1935 the charred outline of an apparently unidentified boyd of a human being was observed in the smoldering mebers. The Sheriff's Office at Wheaton, Illinois made a search for identifying items left at the scene of the crime and an Elgin wrist watch and a gold linked bracelet were found beside the body. There was also found what remained of a paif of octagon shaped eyeglasses. In addition thereto, there were found a five gallon gasoline cand a a crank for a Model A Ford automobile. [illegible]____________________Federal


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I.C.#7-576

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November 19, 1936


Bureau of Investigation ascertained definitely that Harrison had been murdered by certain of his companions and that his body had been burned in an old barn to prevent identification. Special Agents secured from the Sheriff's Office at Wheaton, Illinois pertinent data concerning the wrist watch which had been found near the corpse. Systematic inquiry in the vicinty of Hammond, Indiana and Calumet City, Illinois where Harrison had spent considerable time, disclosed that on August 21, 1933 Harrison had a wrist watch repaired by a jeweler friend in Hammond, Indiana. The jeweler had scratched his repair number, C-833, on the inside of the case and this entry appreared on the case of the Elgin watch which had been found by the unidentified corpse at Ontarioville, Illinois on January 6, 1936.

The finding of the body of William J. Harrison gave significance to the letter which had been found at Oklawaha, Florida written by "Doc" Barker to his brother Fred and in which it was stated "I took care of that business for you Boys it was done Just as good as if you had did it your self".

As for Dr. Joseph P. Moran, Special Agents ascertained that he was last seen, according to the best information available, at the Casino Club, Toledo, Ohio, during the latter part of July, 1934. Dr. Moran had been at the club with "Doc" Barker, Russell Gibson and other members of the gang and became quite intoxicated. His associates tried to quiet him and it is alleged that Dr. Moran made the remark "I have you guys in the palm of my hand". This statment apparently was the signing of his death warrant. he left the club with two of the gang and did not return. The present whereabouts of Dr. Moran is best determined by a remark Fred Barker made to a member of the mob - "Doc will do no more operatin. The fishes probably have eat him up by now".


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I.C.#7-576

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November 19, 1936


RECAPITULATION



Eighteen (18) persons have been convicted in connection with the abduction of Edward George Bremer and the following sentences have been imposed:

6 Life

_6 Years

2 $1,000 fines

3 persons killed while resisting arrest

2 persons murdered



The following persons were convicted:

Harold Alterton 20 years 6-7-35

Arthur R. Barker Life 5-17-35

Oliver A. Berg Life 5-17-35

Bryon Bolton 3 years 8-25-36 (to be served concurrently with a similar sentence imposed in connection with the abduction of William A. Hamm, Jr.)

Wynona Burdette 5 years 3-25-35

Harry Campbell Life 5-12-36

Volney Davis Life 6-7-35

Dolores Delaney 5 years 3-25-35

Myrtle Eaton 6 months and $1,000 fine 6-10-36

Elmer Farmer 20 years 6-7-35

Fred Hunter 2 years 5-27-36

Cassius McDonald 15 years 2-1-36

John J. McLaughlin, Sr. 5 years 6-7-35 (Died in prison)

Harry Sawyer Life 1-24-35

Harry C. Stanley 6 months and $1,000 fine 5-12-35

Mary Stanley 5 years (suspended) 5-12-35

William Weaver Life 1-24-36

James J. Wilson 5 years 6-7-35



The following persons were killed while resisteing arrest:

Fred Barker 1-16-35

Kate Barker 1-16-35

Russell Gibson 1-8-35



The following person were murdered by their own associates:

William J. Harrison - killed 1-5-35, identified 9-6-35

Fred Goetz killed 3-20-34


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I.C.#7-576

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November 19, 1936


Dr. Joseph P. Moran disappeared the latter part of July, 1934 at Toldeo, Ohio and his whereabouts since that date had been unknown. It is believed that he was murdered by his own associates.


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End of the FBI Summary



Wynona...#9






"Will The Circle Be Unbroken"