Alvin Karpis: Pursuit of the Last Public Enemy

The Kidnapping Trade

The two kidnappings for ransom the Barker-Karpis group committed were suggested to them by the middlemen the gang worked with in St.Paul, Jack Peifer and Harry Sawyer. Both kidnappings occurred only six months apart. William Hamm (of Hamm's Beer) was snatched in June 1933, and Edward Bremer, a banker, in January 1934. Hamm's ransom was $100,000 and Bremer's $200,000. Colossal money in the 1930's.

However, after the Bremer kidnapping, Hoover later stated, "Things began to get complicated for the gang at this point." For several reasons:

It may have been the worst social climate in which to kidnap people. The kidnapping death of Charles Lindbergh's son in 1932 was still in the news. Aviator Lindbergh was a national hero for his solo plane flight across the Atlantic.

There was also another kidnapping - of Charles Urschel - committed by different outlaws, including George ("Machine Gun") Kelly.

Re-enactment of a kidnapping (AP)

The father of the gang's second kidnap victim was Edward Bremer Sr., and he was a friend and political donor to President Franklin Roosevelt, who mentioned the kidnapping in one of his radio fireside chats. It seems unbelievable that the gang knew beforehand about Bremer Senior's ties to President Roosevelt, and then still proceeded with the kidnapping. Yet, Karpis wrote that he discussed this with Fred Barker who responded, "Why are we wasting our time talking about heat—we've had nothing but heat since 1931."

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1. Running Wild
2. Career Criminal
3. The Kidnapping Trade
4. Twilight of the Outlaws
5. Manhunt
6. Arrest - Karpis's Version
7. Connelly's Version
8. Other Versions
9. Hoover's Role
10. Aftermath
11. Bibliography