arker-Karpis Gang: Most Notorious Criminals of the 1930s Depression

In The Beginning

The Barker–Karpis Gang was one of the longest-lived criminal gangs during the Depression Era, spanning from 1931 to 1935. The gang was founded by Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis and later joined by Fred’s brother Arthur “Doc” Barker. Along with the three core members, the gang’s network spanned up to 25 members at one point.

Although not as well-known as their contemporaries, such as the Dillinger Gang or the Barrow Gang, the Barker–Karpis Gang was perhaps more ruthless, not only committing bank robberies but also extending their activities into kidnapping. It is best known for the myth that it was run by the Barker brothers’ mother, Kate, usually referred to as “Ma Barker.”

Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis came together to form the Barker–Karpis gang in March 1931. They had met in the Kansas State Penitentiary, and after Karpis was released in March 1931, they initiated the formation of the gang. The gang’s bank robberies started in mid-1931, but on December 19 of that year, they killed Howell County Sheriff Calvin Roy Kelly in West Plains, Missouri. They then fled to Joplin and later to Saint Paul, Minnesota. In Saint Paul, organized crime boss Harry Sawyer provided them with a house at 1031 Roberts Road, owned by Helen Hannegraff. Operating under the name “Anderson,” they were soon exposed when Helen’s son Nick identified Alvin’s and Fred’s photos in True Detective Magazine and alerted the police. St. Paul’s corrupt chief of police, Thomas Brown, warned the Barkers, prompting them to leave the town. In 1932, Doc Barker joined the gang after being paroled from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of night watchman Thomas J. Sherrill in 1921. While the core leadership remained the three of them, others like Chicago Outfit mobster Fred Goetz and Volney Davis also came in and out of the gang. The gang’s bank robbery activities continued until mid-1933, when the risks prompted them to shift their focus to kidnapping. This transition to more serious crime was influenced by Detective Brown.

Hamm and Bremer kidnappings

The Barker–Karpis gang carried out the Hamm and Bremer abductions. William Hamm of Hamm’s Brewery was kidnapped on June 15, 1933, and released on June 19, 1933, after a $100,000 ransom was paid. In January 1934, they took Edward Bremer during daylight hours and released him in February of that same year. These incidents drew negative attention due to their similarity to recent high-profile kidnappings and Bremer Jr.’s father’s close ties to President Roosevelt, who addressed the abductions in a fireside chat. Additionally, on November 27, 1934, Lester “Baby Face Nelson” Gillis, then Public Enemy No. 1, was fatally injured in a gunfight with the FBI and died that night. The next day, Alvin Karpis was designated Public Enemy No. 1, leading to increased FBI scrutiny on the Barker–Karpis Gang.

The gang encountered various challenges. George “Shotgun” Ziegler was fatally shot in Cicero, Illinois in March 1934, possibly due to discontent among mob members regarding the gang’s activities. William J. Harrison, a gang member, was murdered by fellow members on January 6. Following Alvin Karpis being labeled Public Enemy No. 1, Doc Barker was apprehended on January 8, 1935, along with Byron Bolton. Russell “Slim Gray” Gibson was killed while resisting arrest. This arrest led to the discovery of a map and letters pointing to a cottage near Lake Weir, Florida, close to Ocklawaha, where Fred Barker and his mother, Kate “Ma” Barker, were hiding under aliases. In a four-hour shootout on January 16, 1935, both Fred and Ma Barker were killed. There is still controversy as to Ma Barker’s involvement in the shooting and her criminal activities. Around the same time, Alvin Karpis narrowly avoided being shot in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Karpis evaded capture for another 16 months, committing an armored car robbery and a train heist in April and October of 1935 before eventually being arrested in New Orleans on May 1, 1936, along with a new accomplice, Fred Hunter. Director J. Edgar Hoover personally took credit for Karpis’s arrest, but the accuracy of the FBI’s official account remains in question. Karpis provides his own version of the events in his book, “The Alvin Karpis Story.” Karpis’s arrest propelled the FBI to fame, enhancing their public image and further solidifying J. Edgar Hoover’s reputation.

Aftermath

Doc Barker was transferred to Alcatraz in the summer of 1935, followed later by Alvin Karpis after his own arrest. Multiple other gang members also found themselves imprisoned at Alcatraz. Doc Barker met his demise while attempting to escape in 1939.

During his time at McNeil Island Penitentiary, Karpis took up teaching guitar to a young Charles Manson, known then as “Little Charlie”. Karpis felt compassion for Manson’s tumultuous upbringing in various institutions, which included orphanages, reformatories, and prisons. Karpis remarked that Manson stood out as a skilled manipulator. Reflecting on their interaction, Karpis mentioned feeling manipulated by Manson, a scenario he believed was unnecessary.

Karpis was granted parole in 1969 and was deported to Canada. He eventually relocated to Spain in 1973. He collaborated on two books with professional authors, releasing “The Alvin Karpis Story” in 1971 and “On the Rock” in 1979. Karpis passed away on August 30, 1979, from natural causes, although initial speculation pointed towards suicide or foul play.