Ma Barker

Kate "Ma" Barker (October 8, 1873 – January 16, 1935) was a legendary American criminal from the "public enemy era", when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwest gripped the American people and press. Her notoriety has since subsided, trailing behind Bonnie and Clyde and John Dillinger.

Early life

Kate Barker was born in Ash Grove, Missouri, near Springfield, and named Arizona Donnie Clark. Her parents were conservative Christians who believed in hard work and traditional values, traits which she embraced. In 1892, she married George Barker. They had four boys named Herman, Lloyd, Arthur, and Fred. George Barker departed after the birth of their last son, Fred. There is indication that George Barker was considered a “worthless drunk” and was tossed out by Ma Barker. ["Bloody Mama" (1970) (movie dramatization)] Since she was trying to raise the boys on her own, with little income, they had inadequate supervision and became juvenile delinquents. Ma Barker often kept them out of the criminal justice system by pleading with the arresting officers, or throwing tantrums at the police station.

Arizona Clark was most likely born on October 8, 1873. George Barker was the informant on Arizona Barker's amended death certificate. He gave her date of birth as October 8, 1877. The 1877 is incorrect, but 8 October is probably correct. The 1880 Census of Boone Township, Greene County, Missouri, lists Arizona Clark as the stepdaughter of Reuben Reynolds, who had married Arizona's mother, Emeline (Parker) Clark on July 8, 1879 in Greene County, Missouri. Arizona is listed as being 6 years old. This places her birth between June 1, 1873 and June 1, 1874, and agrees with a birthdate of October 8, 1873. The best record of Arizona's year of birth is her marriage record. She married George E. Barker on September 12, 1892 in Aurora, Lawrence County, Missouri. She gave her age as 18. This places her birth between September 12, 1873 and September 12, 1874, and again agrees with a birthdate of October 8, 1873. In 1910 George and Arrie Barker appeared on the census of Finley, Christian County, Missouri. Arrie was listed as age 36, and therefore born between April 15, 1873 and April 15, 1874. This also agrees with a birthdate of October 8, 1873. The 1920 census of Lincoln, Stone County, Missouri, gives Arrie's age as 45 - when she should have been 46. Her age at the time of her first marriage is 17, when it was actually 18.

In 1930 Arrie appeared on the census of Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, as the wife of Arthur W. Dunlop. Her age was given as 53, when she was actually 56. The 1920 and 1930 censuses are probably in error, but there is the possibility that Arrie was shaving a few years off her age as time went by. Based upon the above five records and the fact that the first three are in agreement, the date of her birth appears to be 8 Oct. 1873. It is also clear from the 1920 census that George Barker did not leave the family until after 1920.

Controversy

Though her children were undoubtedly criminals and their Barker-Karpis Gang committed a spree of robberies, kidnappings and other crimes between 1931 and 1935, the popular image of her as the gang's leader and its criminal mastermind would appear to be fictitious.

The actual degree of Barker's own criminality is in doubt. However, she did likely know of the gang's activities and helped them before and after they committed their crimes, and this would make her an accomplice. There is no evidence that she was ever an active participant in any of the crimes themselves or involved in planning them. Her role was in taking care of gang members, who often sent her to the movies while they committed crimes. Alvin Karpis, the gang's second most notorious member, later said that: [ Karpis, Alvin with Trent, Bill (1971) "The Alvin Karpis Story" Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York;]

This view of Ma Barker is corroborated by notorious bank robber Harvey Bailey, who knew the Barkers well. He observed in his autobiography that Ma Barker "couldn't plan breakfast" let alone a criminal enterprise.

Many, including Karpis, have suggested that the myth was encouraged by J. Edgar Hoover [Jones, Ken (1957) "The FBI in Action" Signet, New York;] and his fledgling FBI to justify his agency's killing of an old lady. [Gentry, Curt (1991) "J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets" W. W. Norton, New York, ISBN 0393024040 ;] She was shot dead when the FBI raided the cottage she was renting with her son Fred at Lake Weir in the area of Ocklawaha, Florida on January 16, 1935. It was Fred, also killed in the raid, who had been the Bureau's main target.

Summary of Barker sons/gang activities

1900 - 1920
* 1910 -- Herman Barker arrested for highway robbery in Webb City, Missouri.
* March 5, 1915 -- Herman Barker arrested for highway robbery in Joplin, Missouri. {Herman and Lloyd Barker reportedly involved with the Central Park Gang of Tulsa, Oklahoma.}
* July 4,1918 -- Arthur "Doc" Barker involved in US automobile theft in Tulsa, Oklahoma; arrested {#841} {escaped}.

1920 - 1930
* February 19, 1920 - Arthur Barker arrested in Joplin, Missouri {#1740); returned to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
* 1921 -- Lloyd "Red" Barker arrested for vagrancy in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
* January 15, 1921 -- Arthur Barker aka "Claude Dade" involved in attempted bank robbery in Muskogee, Oklahoma; arrested {#822}.
* January 30, 1921 -- Arthur Barker aka "Bob Barker" received at the Oklahoma State Prison {#11059); released June 11, 1921.
* August 16, 1921 -- Arthur Barker and Volney Davis involved in killing of night watchman James J. Sherrill in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (According to [http://oklahombres.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2876036794/m/5826059215 other sources] , Thomas J. (James?) Sherrill was a night watchman at St. John's Hospital in Tulsa.)
* January 8, 1922 -- Central Park Gang involved in attempted burglary in Okmulgee, Oklahoma; shootout results in one burglar dead while police Captain [http://www.odmp.org/officer/16481-captain-homer-r.-spaulding Homer R. Spaulding] dies of his wounds on January 19, 1922. One gang member is sentenced to life in prison while another had his sentence overturned.
* January 16, 1922 -- Lloyd Barker received at Leavenworth Prison {#17243} after arrest for robbing mail at Baxter Springs Kansas and sentenced to 25 years; released 1938.
* February 10, 1922 -- Arthur "Doc" Barker received {#11906} at Oklahoma State Prison for the murder of Sherrill.
* 1926 -- Fred Barker robbed bank in Windfield, Kansas; arrested.
* March 12, 1927 -- Fred Barker admitted to Kansas State Prison.
* August 29, 1927 -- Herman Barker commits suicide in Wichita, Kansas after being stopped at police roadblock. {Wichita Policeman [http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=8588 J.E. Marshall] } had been killed on August 9, 1927 by the Kimes-Terrill gang that Herman was associated with}.

1930 - 1940
* March 30, 1931 -- Fred Barker released from Kansas State Prison after serving time for burglary; met Alvin Karpis in prison.
* June 10, 1931 -- Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis {alias George Heller} arrested by Tulsa, Oklahoma Police investigating burglary. Karpis sentenced to 4 years but paroled after restitution made; Fred Barker also avoided jail sentence.
* November 8, 1931 -- Fred Barker killed Pocahontas, Arkansas police chief [http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=6995 Manley Jackson] .
* December 19, 1931 -- Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis robbed a store in West Plains, Missouri and involved in the killing of Howell County, Missouri sheriff [http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=7421 C. Roy Kelly] .
* January 18, 1932 -- Lloyd Barker received at Leavenworth Prison.
* April 26, 1932 -- Body of A.W. Dunlap found at Lake Franstead, Minnesota; killed by Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis.
* June 17, 1932 -- Fred Barker, Karpis and five accomplices robbed Fort Scott, Kansas Bank.
* July 7, 1932 -- Three members of Barker-Karpis gang arrested by FBI.
* July 25, 1932 -- Fred Barker, Karpis (with an augmented gang) robbed Cloud County bank at Concordia, Kansas.
* August 14, 1932 -- Attorney J. Earl Smith of Tulsa, Oklahoma found killed at Indian Hills Country Club north of Tulsa; he had been retained to defend one of the Barker-Karpis gang over the Fort Scott bank robbery, but the man was convicted.
* September 10, 1932 -- Arthur "Doc" Barker released from prison.
* December 16, 1932 -- Fred and Arthur Barker, Alvin Karpis and gang robbed Third Northwestern Bank in Minneapolis, killing policemen [http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=4666 Ira Leon Evans and Leo Gorski] and one civilian. {One gang member in this shooting was also involved in two other police kilings-one in Kirksville MO in 1930 and in Enid OK in 1936.}
* April 4, 1933 -- Fred and Arthur Barker, Alvin Karpis and gang robbed Fairbury, Nebraska bank.
* June 1933 -- William Hamm kidnapping by Barker-Karpis gang; Hamm released June 17, 1933 after ransom paid.
* August 10, 1933 -- Barker-Karpis Gang robs a payroll at Stockyards National Bank of South St Paul, Minnesota in which one policeman { [http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=10452 Leo Pavlak] } is coldly executed and one invalided for life.
* September 22, 1933 -- Two bank messengers held up by five men identified as Barker-Karpis gang; Chicago policeman [http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=3714 Miles A Cunningham] is killed by gang while investigating a nearby traffic accident. {Barker-Karpis gang associate Vernon Miller was allegedly involved in the killing, and reportedly also involved in the Kansas City Massacre in which four lawmen were killed}.
* January 17, 1934 -- Gang kidnaps Edward George Bremer; Bremer released on February 7, 1934 after ransom paid.
* January 19, 1934 -- Gang wounds M.C. McCord of Northwest Airways Company, thinking he was a policeman.
* March 10, 1934 -- Barker gang member Fred Goetz (also known as "Shotgun George" Ziegler, a participant in the Bremer kidnapping) killed by fellow gangsters in Cicero, Illinois.
* July 1934 -- Underworld doctor Joseph Moran last seen alive.
* January 6, 1935 -- Barker gang member William B. Harrison killed by fellow gangsters at Ontarioville, Illinois.
* January 8, 1935 -- Arthur "Doc" Barker arrested in Chicago; Barker gang member Russell Gibson killed and his colleague Byron Bolton captured at another address.
* January 16, 1935 -- Fred and Ma Barker killed by FBI at Lake Weir, Florida. Ma Barker was discovered by the FBI tracking her letters sent to her other son. She was writing to him to tell him about a large gator that everyone had called "Gator Joe", which lead to the name of the on-shore restaurant known as "Gator Joe's."
* September 26, 1935 -- The supposed body of underworld doctor Joseph Moran found in Lake Erie; believed killed by Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis. (However, Karpis himself said that Moran had been buried.)
* November 7, 1935 -- Karpis and five accomplices robbed a Erie Railroad mail train at Garrittsville, Ohio.
* May 1, 1936 -- Karpis and accomplice Fred Hunter arrested in New Orleans, Louisiana.
* January 13,1939 -- Arthur Barker killed trying to escape from Alcatraz Prison.(Of Barker-Karpis gang/associates: 18 arrested; 3 killed by lawmen; 2 killed by gangsters}

1940 On...
* World War II -- Lloyd Barker is US Army cook, ironically at POW camp Fort Custer, Michigan; receives US Army Good Conduct Medal and Honorable Discharge.
* March 18, 1949 -- Lloyd Barker killed by his wife; he is manager of Denargo Market in Denver Colorado; she is sent to Colorado State Insane Asylum.

Popular culture

The myth of Ma Barker inspired James Hadley Chase's novel "No Orchids for Miss Blandish" (1939), which features a mother in charge of her sons' gangster mob; this was eventually adapted to stage and screen, though with great difficulty from British censorship guidelines. Her story was adapted in the low budget film "Bloody Mama" (1970), directed by Roger Corman and starring Shelley Winters as Ma, depicted as a corrupt mother who encourages and organizes her children's criminality. The film featured an early appearance by a young Robert De Niro as Lloyd Barker.

Another retelling of the legend occurred in the 1996 movie "Public Enemies" starring Theresa Russell. "Ma Barker and Her Boys", an episode of "The Untouchables", pits Federal Agent Eliot Ness against the Barker clan, and depicts Ness as leading the assault on Ma Barker and her sons at their Florida hide-out. In real life Ness was not a member of the FBI at the time of the shoot-out, and had nothing to do with the Barker/Karpis case.

The story is also probably the inspiration for the 1977 Boney M music single "Ma Baker", the character of "Maw" Famon in the "Dick Tracy" comic strip, the character of Pa Stark (Charles B. Middleton) and his sons in the 1938 Republic movie serial "Dick Tracy Returns", the Ma Dalton character in the "Lucky Luke" comic strip, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys characters in the Scrooge McDuck universe, and Anne Ramsey's character Mama Fratelli in the 1985 Richard Donner film "The Goonies", a movie about teenage camaradarie. The pirate chief and her sons in "Castle in the Sky" movie also may have a connection with her story. She may also have been the inspiration for the character Ma Jarrett in the 1949 James Cagney movie "White Heat", and was certainly the inspiration for "Ma Barker's Killer Brood" and "Ma Parker" on the "Batman" TV series.

The band Maylene and the Sons of Disaster is a concept band whose story is based on the story of Ma Barker and her sons' rise to power and then death on Jan. 16, 1935.

Notes

References

* Hornberger, Francine (2002) "Mistresses of mayhem: the book of women criminals" Alpha, Indianapolis, IN, ISBN 0028642600 ;
* Hamilton, Sue, and Hamilton, John (1989) "Public Enemy Number One: The Barkers" Abdo and Daughters, Bloomington, MN, ISBN 0939179652 ;
* Winter, Robert (2000) "Mean Men: The Sons of Ma Barker" Routledge, Danbury, Connecticut, ISBN 1582440905 ;
* deFord, Miriam Allen (1970) "The Real Ma Barker: Mastermind of a Whole Family of Killers" Ace, New York;
* Perkins; Jack; Drummond, John; and Cara, Mark (1996) "Ma Barker crime family values" (television documentary on VHS tape) A & E Home Video, New York, ISBN 0767010604 ;