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THE TULSA TRIBUNE arch 22, 1949 Police Recall Infamous Barker Gang's Start Here Tulsa's 'Spawn of Hell' Wiped Out By ROY HANNA Echoes'of the many gun battles fought by notorious members of the Barker gang"resounded in Tulsa today after news was received from Denver that the last of the Okla homs outlaw band had been killed there by a shotgun blast. He was Lloyd (Red) Barker,51 son of "Ma"Barker,who with he: persons during fast-moving hijack- ings and robberies The otherthree Barker boy were Herman, who died a natura death in the early 1920's: Fred, who Morida machine gu battle in 1935. and Arthur, better known as Doc who was slain b aprison guard in 1939 while trying Denver police have charged Loyd's death to his wife, Jean, 37,who they say cut down the Last of the Barker boys as he at tempted to snlock the door their home. She told officers she feared her husband would kill her and her children. She pleaded in ent by reason of insanity. The Barker clan launched thei: crs as juvenile delinquents in eported,at one time or another, to have been members of the notorious time had 22 hijackers, bandits and other thugs enlisted in its ranks Loyd,according to FBI records, gang at the height of his operations. BARKER GANG's TULSA HEADQUARTERS-The old shack above, which formerly stood at 401 At that time he was serving 25 years N. Cincinnati av., housed members of the infamous Barker tribe which plagued law enforcement n the federal penitentiary at Leay- enworth for mail robbery. authorities across the nation during.the J930's. Lloyd Barker, 51, killed in Denver by a shotgun blast. The Barkers moved to Tulsa in was the last of the band. In this shack "Ma" Barker, mother of Lloyd. Herman, 'Fred and Arthur. 1910 from webb City, Mo.after Herman had been arrested there Barker, planned forays against the public. The shack became an underworld headquarters and pst. for highway robbery. Office-and_at times held thousands of dollars in loot brought here by gang members. ' -. .. In Tulsa,the Barker shack be- America has produced in the past came an underworld postoffice generation." The statement was and meeting place.-Ma"ruled the made in1936. roost with an iron hand and "took nothing off f nobody. "ghe was the most dangerous lawbreaker in my experience. More The husband and father, George so than John Dullinger or Baby Missour farm hand.Face'Nelson orany of the rest of stayed'behind in Webb City and our so-called No.I public enemies. never became involved witb.authori- In her 60 years she reared des. spawn of hell. Of her four sons. one A search ot Tulsa police records was a mall robber, another holdup wanton had not been started when the mobmurderers." began its operations.One folder does Many veteran Tulsa police for vagrancy in 1921 Barker clan. The Florida machine gun battle Harry Stege,who founded the with FBI agents came after the police identification bureau here, operatyes had trailed the gang recalled the Barker boys as -alip- there. They were suspected of hav- pery young hoodlums." ing kidnaped Edward G. Bremer, St. Paul, Mhn., banker. "Ma" died "That's the finish o! the Barker Fang. Never again wll s with a machine gun in ber hand. During the.carly 1930's Ma and police department bave to face her boys became connected with the thelr balleta," Stege mid today. Alvin Karpis gang. The bodies of Ma and Fred were J.Edgar Hoover, FBI director. returned from Morida and buried in described Ma a having the "most desolate,weed-grown cemetery resourceful criminalbrain _that 1935. three miles cast of Miami, Ok,in FRED ARKE: ARTHUR BARKER