396:! Don't shoot, G-Men!" as he surrendered to FBI agents. This version of events appears to be a media myth created months after the arrest. Another version of the raid alleged Kelly had a pistol in his hand, but with a shotgun aimed at his heart he surrendered, saying "I've been expecting you." However, the FBI's earliest account of the event was written between three and five days after Kelly's arrest and states: "Agent William Asbury 'Ash' Rorer saw that Kelly…had proceeded into the front bedroom and was in a corner with his hands raised. He was covered by Sergeant William Raney" with Kelly not reported to have spoken at all.
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392:, were immediately dispatched to Memphis, where, in the early morning hours of September 26, 1933, a raid was conducted. George and Kathryn Kelly were taken into custody by FBI agents and Memphis police officer Thomas Waterson and Sergeant William Raney. It is often reported that Kelly was caught without a weapon and allegedly shouted, "Don't shoot,
425:, disclosed that the Kellys had been housed and protected by Cassey Earl Coleman and Will Casey, and that Coleman had assisted George Kelly in storing $ 73,250 of the Urschel ransom money on his ranch. This money was located by Bureau agents in the early morning hours of September 27 in a cotton patch on Coleman's ranch. They were both indicted in
309:. Woolverton was released unharmed after less than 24 hours in captivity, and the crime was essentially forgotten in the following decades, but his kidnapping was reported widely at the time and proved to be historic, characterized by contemporary reporting as a turning point in America's growing kidnapping scourge. The New York
262:
for himself as well as a colleague. After a short time, and several run-ins with the local
Memphis police, he decided to leave town and head west with his girlfriend. To protect his family and to escape law enforcement officers, he changed his name to George R. Kelly. He continued to commit smaller
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and his friend Walter R. Jarrett – which would prove to be Kelly's undoing. The Kellys demanded a ransom of $ 200,000 ($ 4.7 million today), and held
Urschel at the farm of Kathryn's mother and step-father. Urschel, having been blindfolded, made note of evidence of his experience, including
494:
that were popular with kids...the guys didn't take him seriously...." This may have stemmed from the fact that, in addition to his exaggerated tall tales, Kelly was a model prisoner and did not act like the brutal gangster his wife, the media, and FBI had made him out to be. He spent 17 years on
245:
to study agriculture in 1917. From the beginning, Kelly was considered a poor student with his highest grade (a C plus) awarded for good physical hygiene. He was constantly in trouble with the faculty and spent much of his academic career attempting to work off the demerits he had earned. It was
33:
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in
Congress and spawned several nationally distributed newspaper projects that sought to take the full measure of the growing crime wave, and which described kidnapping as a threat to every American. Completion of these projects (including a 16-part series in the
429:, on October 4, 1933, charged with harboring a fugitive and conspiracy, and on October 17, 1933, Coleman, after entering a plea of guilty, was sentenced to serve one year and one day, and Casey, after trial and conviction, was sentenced to serve two years in the
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275:, an experienced criminal who purchased Kelly's first machine gun and insisted—despite his lack of interest in weapons—that he perform target practice in the countryside. She also went to great lengths to familiarize his name within underground crime circles.
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called his abduction "spectacular", asserted that "for brazen audacity (it) has no parallel", and suggested that such crimes "represent a challenge to organized society". Woolverton's kidnapping revived consideration of the
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Cemetery in
Kathryn Kelly's stepfather's family plot with a small headstone marked "George B. Kelley 1954". Kathryn Kelly was released from prison in 1958 and lived in relative anonymity in Oklahoma under the assumed name
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articles co-authored by Hoover. While Hoover chose not to name the victim in either his book or magazine articles, local newspaper stories about Hoover's claims assumed that he was referring to the
January 26, 1932,
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Alcatraz as inmate number 117, working in the prison industries, continuing to boast and exaggerate his past escapades to other inmates, and was quietly transferred back to
Leavenworth in 1951. He died of a
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in July 1933, from which he and his gang collected a $ 200,000 ransom (equivalent to $ 4.71 million in 2023). Urschel had collected and left considerable evidence that assisted the subsequent
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490:, he got the nickname "Pop Gun Kelly". According to fellow inmate Dale Stamphill, the nickname originated because "He told big fish stories. The cons called him 'Pop Gun Kelly' after
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during this time that Kelly met a young woman by the name of Geneva Ramsey. Kelly quickly fell in love with Geneva and made an abrupt decision to quit school and marry.
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662:"Public Enemy Number One: The real story of Machine Gun Kelly, the Memphis boy who grew up to become the most wanted man in America"
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An investigation conducted in
Memphis disclosed that the Kellys were living at the residence of J. C. Tichenor. Special agents from
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on surfaces in reach. This proved invaluable for the FBI in its investigation, as agents concluded that
Urschel had been held in
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The arrest of the Kellys was overshadowed by the escape of ten inmates, including all of the members of the future
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investigation, which eventually led to Kelly's arrest in
Memphis on September 26, 1933. His crimes also included
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Kelly's last criminal activity was another history-making abduction – the July 1933 kidnapping of wealthy
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presiding. On
October 12, 1933, George and Kathryn Kelly were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
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The kidnapping of Urschel and the two trials that resulted were historic in several ways. They were:
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703:, Laurence J. Yadon, Dan Anderson, ed. Robert Barr Smith, Pelican Publishing Company, 2008, p. 144
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1020:"Machinegun' Kelly's Wife Lost Chance for Freedom Thwarted Deal Sealed Convictions | News OK"
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Kathryn and George Kelly receive life sentences for the Urschel kidnapping, October 12, 1933
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the first federal criminal trials in the United States in which film cameras were allowed;
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American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore (3 Volumes)
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is based on the Urschel kidnapping and on George and Kathryn Kelly. Kelly is (along with
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at Leavenworth on July 17, 1954, the day before his 54th birthday, and was buried at
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Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States federal government
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Under Penalty of Death: The Untold Story of Machine Gun Kelly's First Kidnapping
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Draft Registration Card of George Kelley (sic) Barnes, dated September 12, 1918
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Machine Gun Kelly spent his remaining 21 years in prison. During his time at
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The Year of Fear:Machine Gun Kelly and the Manhunt That Changed the Nation
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217:. He is best known for the kidnapping of oil tycoon and businessman
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Kelly's hideout at 1408 Rayner Street in Memphis, Tennessee (2010)
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Prisoners who died in United States federal government detention
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Machine Gun Kelly and his crimes are portrayed in films such as
325:), were ready for publication within days of the March 1, 1932,
197:(July 18, 1900 – July 17, 1954), better known by his nickname "
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remembering background sounds, counting footsteps and leaving
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the first major case solved by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI; and
1048:. Wise County Sheriff's Department. 2003. Archived from
1135:(1st ed.). San Antonio, Texas: The Naylor Company.
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Kelly's first sign of trouble came when he enrolled in
725:"Woolverton Case Revives Kidnaping Bill in Congress",
553:) one of the main characters of the comic book series
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the first kidnapping trials after the passage of the
995:"The Paradise Historical Society, Machine Gun Kelly"
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Post Office, Courthouse, and Federal Office Building
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1140:Meredith, Kevin with Hendry Jr., David W. (2023).
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926:"Machine Gun Kelly and His Lost Years on Alcatraz"
1263:People convicted under the Federal Kidnapping Act
1238:American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
802:"'Machine Gun' Kelly and the Legend of the G-Men"
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336:Kelly is led from Shelby County Jail en-route to
878:The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
213:. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a
294:in the kidnapping of a wealthy manufacturer in
1203:FBI file on George "Machine Gun Kelly" Barnes
880:. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from
637:. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from
8:
1168:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
904:"FBI 100. The legend of 'Machine Gun Kelly'"
635:Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
508:" until her death in 1985 at the age of 81.
263:crimes and bootlegging. He was arrested in
1233:American people who died in prison custody
465:the first prosecution in which defendants
258:of the 1920s and 1930s, Kelly worked as a
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20:
1258:Inmates of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
940:"Machine Gun Kelly captured in Memphis"
701:200 Texas Outlaws and Lawmen, 1835–1935
568:
1161:
1144:. Red Lightning Books (an imprint of
977:"The Real Story of Machine Gun Kelly"
712:Pasley, Fred. "Kidnapings", New York
660:Finger, Michael (September 7, 2005).
482:Gravestone, marked "George B. Kelley"
307:abduction of Howard Arthur Woolverton
7:
344:for his trial for the kidnapping of
1248:American gangsters of Irish descent
1022:. February 18, 2017. Archived from
874:"Vaught, Edgar Sullins (1873–1959)"
851:"Machine Gun Kelly Meets His Match"
577:Machine Gun Kelly: To Right A Wrong
327:kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jr.
579:, Tipper Publications, 1991. p. 49
14:
975:Finger, Michael (July 10, 2017).
290:, Kelly worked with Kathryn and
269:Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas
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1268:People from Memphis, Tennessee
1116:. University Press of Kansas.
1114:Machine Gun Kelly's Last Stand
1:
849:Owen, Penny (July 20, 2003).
765:"FBI 100 – Machine Gun Kelly"
16:American gangster (1900–1954)
1046:"George "Machine Gun" Kelly"
958:"George "Machine Gun" Kelly"
604:"George 'Machine Gun' Kelly"
467:were transported by airplane
414:in Oklahoma City with Judge
243:Mississippi State University
105:Mississippi State University
999:Paradise Historical Society
822:; Webb, Jeffrey B. (2016).
403:, from the penitentiary in
1294:
1131:Kirkpatrick, E.E. (1934).
1112:Hamilton, Stanley (2003).
431:United States Penitentiary
410:The trial was held at the
906:. FBI. September 26, 2008
828:. ABC-CLIO. p. 310.
784:"Public Enemy Number One"
188:
103:Mississippi A&M (now
30:
1253:Depression-era gangsters
1146:Indiana University Press
122:, kidnapper, businessman
962:www.alcatrazhistory.com
716:, March 14, 1932, p. 17
682:. Family Tree Genealogy
215:Thompson submachine gun
1097:. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
727:The South Bend Tribune
483:
405:Michigan City, Indiana
385:
357:
349:
1228:American bank robbers
1177:Urschel, Joe (2016).
1052:on September 27, 2006
556:Pretty, Baby, Machine
481:
383:
355:
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1243:American bootleggers
1089:Atkins, Ace (2010).
1026:on February 18, 2017
944:historic-memphis.com
641:on December 28, 2014
631:"Urschel Kidnapping"
608:Alcatraz History.com
531:Melvin Purvis: G-Man
421:An investigation in
150: 1916;
820:Fee, Christopher R.
680:"Machine Gun Kelly"
435:Leavenworth, Kansas
407:, that same night.
390:Birmingham, Alabama
296:South Bend, Indiana
211:the Prohibition era
201:", was an American
195:George Kelly Barnes
84:Leavenworth, Kansas
47:George Kelly Barnes
1181:. Minotaur Books.
729:, January 28, 1932
512:In popular culture
484:
386:
366:Charles F. Urschel
358:
350:
346:Charles F. Urschel
219:Charles F. Urschel
207:Memphis, Tennessee
1188:978-1-250-10548-6
1155:978-1-68435-199-2
1123:978-0-7006-1247-5
1104:978-0-399-15630-4
884:on April 30, 2022
835:978-1-61069-568-8
782:Finger, Michael.
519:Machine-Gun Kelly
348:, October 2, 1933
301:American Magazine
282:, a 1938 book by
280:Persons in Hiding
199:Machine Gun Kelly
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25:Machine Gun Kelly
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537:Crime novelist
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375:Paradise, Texas
338:Memphis Airport
288:J. Edgar Hoover
265:Tulsa, Oklahoma
256:Prohibition era
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1054:. Retrieved
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747:. Retrieved
744:Crime Museum
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541:' 2010 book
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528:(1959) and
254:During the
227:bootlegging
1212:Categories
888:October 6,
714:Daily News
614:August 16,
563:References
539:Ace Atkins
453:kidnapping
323:Daily News
312:Daily News
292:Eddie Doll
260:bootlegger
237:Early life
120:bootlegger
53:1900-07-18
1164:cite book
492:cork guns
364:resident
286:Director
100:Education
1093:Infamous
686:July 13,
543:Infamous
534:(1974).
522:(1958),
488:Alcatraz
203:gangster
116:Gangster
1030:May 18,
749:May 18,
645:May 11,
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