Arthur R. "Doc" Barker (June 4, 1899 – January 13, 1939) was an American criminal, the son of
Ma Barker
Kate Barker (born
Arizona Donnie Clark; October 8, 1873 – January 16, 1935), better known as Ma Barker (and sometimes known as Arizona Barker and Arrie Barker), was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker–Karpis Gang ...
and a member of the
Barker-Karpis gang, founded by his brother
Fred Barker
Frederick George Barker (December 12, 1901 – January 16, 1935) was an American criminal who, along with Alvin Karpis, co-founded the Barker-Karpis gang, which committed numerous robberies, murders and kidnappings during the 1930s. Barker was ...
and
Alvin Karpis
Alvin Francis Karpis (born Albin Francis Karpavičius; August 10, 1907 – August 26, 1979), a Depression-era gangster nicknamed "Creepy" for his sinister smile and called "Ray" by his gang members, was a Canadian-born (naturalized American) crim ...
. Barker was typically called on for violent action, while Fred and Karpis planned the gang's crimes. He was arrested and convicted of kidnapping in 1935. Sent to
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, also known simply as Alcatraz (, ''"the gannet"'') or The Rock was a maximum security federal prison on Alcatraz Island, off the coast of San Francisco, California, United States, the site of a for ...
in 1936, he was killed three years later while attempting to escape from the Rock.
Barker is described by one writer as "a dimwit and a drunk", who was not much more than a brutal thug.
However, fellow Alcatraz inmate
Henri Young
Henri Theodore Young (born June 20, 1911 – disappeared 1972) was an American convicted bank robber and murderer who, while serving one of a series of prison terms, attempted a 1939 escape from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary with four other inm ...
said of him that he was "determined and ruthless, and that once he started on anything nothing could stop him but death."
Early life
Barker was born in
Aurora, Missouri
Aurora is a city in Lawrence County, Missouri, Lawrence County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 7,432.
History
The Honey Creek area, near Aurora was originally settled by p ...
, the son of George Elias Barker and
Arizona "Ma" Barker (née Clark). ''Circa'' 1910, the family moved to
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. Through the 1920s and 1930s, Barker, with his brothers Herman, Lloyd and Fred, committed numerous crimes such as theft, robbery and murder. On July 18, 1918, Barker was arrested for stealing a car on the highway and was sent to serve prison time in
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, Jasper and Newton County, Missouri, Newton counties in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bulk of the city is in Jasper County, while the southern portion is in Newton County. J ...
. On February 19, 1920, he escaped from Joplin prison. Using the pseudonym "Claude Dade", Barker was involved in robberies in Oklahoma. He was arrested and imprisoned at
Oklahoma State Penitentiary
The Oklahoma State Penitentiary, nicknamed "Big Mac", is a prison of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections located in McAlester, Oklahoma, on . Opened in 1908 with 50 inmates in makeshift facilities, today the prison holds more than 750 male off ...
under the name "Bob Barker" from January to June 1921.
On August 25, 1921, Barker and three other men robbed a woman at a hospital construction site in Tulsa. The three men were surprised by the night watchman, Thomas Sherill. When Sherill saw them he opened fire. Sherill was fatally shot when two of the men shot at him while fleeing the scene. After Sherill's family hired a private investigator, Barker and another man, Volney "Curley" Davis, who worked at the construction site and was friendly with the Barker family, were arrested for Sherill's murder. On January 14, 1922, Barker was convicted of Sherill's murder and sentenced to a life term at Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Barker appealed the conviction and always maintained his innocence of this crime. He was paroled ten years later, on September 10, 1932.
Reunion with the Barker Gang
After his release, Barker joined up with his brother Fred and Karpis. By this time, Barker was described as a morose, heavy drinking man and a "stone eyed" killer.
According to one woman associated with the Barker–Karpis gang, Barker had little interest in female company and was awkward around women, something she attributed to his institutionalized life in prison.
On December 16, 1932, Barker participated in the robbery of the Third Northwestern Bank in Minneapolis. Two policemen were killed in that robbery and a civilian was murdered by Barker's brother Fred during the getaway. On August 30, 1933, the Barker–Karpis gang robbed a payroll at Stockyards National Bank of
South St. Paul
South St. Paul is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States, located immediately south and southeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota, St. Paul. It is also east of West St. Paul, Minnesota, West St. Paul. The population ...
. Barker fatally shot policeman Leo Pavlak after he had already surrendered.
Barker also helped the gang kidnap two wealthy St. Paul men:
William Hamm in June 1933 and
Edward Bremer
The kidnapping of Edward Bremer was the last major criminal enterprise of the Barker-Karpis gang. Though successful in netting the gang a large ransom, it brought down the full force of the FBI on the gang, resulting in the death or capture of it ...
in January 1934. Barker personally grabbed both Hamm and Bremer, intimidating them with his brutality. However, it was Barker who made a slip-up that led to the gang's capture. Having collected the ransom for Bremer, Barker was driving the captive to a drop-off point. Along the way he stopped to refuel from a gas can, and removed a glove while doing so. The discarded can was recovered and Barker's fingerprint was identified.
Arrest
Unaware that police had identified them in Hamm and Bremer's kidnapping, the Barker–Karpis gang attempted to launder the money they had extorted, convinced (correctly) that the FBI had recorded the serial numbers. They briefly relocated to
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, then moved to
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, where they rented a house near
Lake Weir
Lake Weir is a fresh-water lake located in southern Marion County, Florida. Due to its large size and proximity, it is sometimes included with the Harris chain of lakes to the southeast, but is not directly hydrologically connected to them. It i ...
. Barker devised a plan for a new robbery, but other members of the gang rejected the idea, believing that they should keep a low profile. Bored, Barker left for Chicago.
While in Chicago, Barker met Byron Bolton, a former associate of
Fred Goetz
Fred Samuel Goetz (February 14, 1897 – March 21, 1934), also known as "Shotgun" George Ziegler, was a Chicago Outfit mobster and a suspected participant in the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, in 1929.
Early life
Goetz was born in Chicago t ...
. On January 8, 1935, Barker was identified and was arrested in the street by FBI agents. When asked "Where's your gun?"; Barker replied, "Home—and ain't that a hell of a place for it?".
[Alex Tresniowski, ''The Vendett: Special Agent Melvin Purvis, John Dillinger, and Hoover's FBI in the Age of Gangsters'', 2010, p.444.] He was interviewed by
Melvin Purvis
Melvin Horace Purvis II (October 24, 1903 – February 29, 1960) was an American law enforcement official and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. Given the nickname "Little Mel" because of his short, frame, Purvis became noted for leadi ...
, who later wrote, "he sat in a chair, jaw clenched, looking straight ahead. He was not impressive-looking. Only his eyes told the story of an innate savagery".
Bolton was also taken into custody. While Barker refused to speak, Bolton revealed that the other members of the gang were in Florida. A map found in Barker's room provided more detail. Shortly afterwards, Fred and Ma Barker were located and killed in a shootout with FBI agents.
Barker was charged with the kidnapping of Bremer. He attempted to intimidate Bremer to stop his testimony, telling him, "I have plenty of contacts out there who would get you". Nevertheless, Barker was convicted of the kidnapping and sentenced to life in prison.
Imprisonment and death
Along with Alvin Karpis, Arthur Barker was sent to
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, also known simply as Alcatraz (, ''"the gannet"'') or The Rock was a maximum security federal prison on Alcatraz Island, off the coast of San Francisco, California, United States, the site of a for ...
to serve his life term.
On January 13, 1939, Barker and fellow inmates Dale Stamphill,
Henri Young
Henri Theodore Young (born June 20, 1911 – disappeared 1972) was an American convicted bank robber and murderer who, while serving one of a series of prison terms, attempted a 1939 escape from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary with four other inm ...
, William "Ty" Martin and
Rufus McCain
Rufus Roy McCain (July 7, 1903 – December 3, 1940) was a prisoner at Alcatraz who attempted escape with Henri Young and Arthur Barker in 1939.
Attempt
On the night of January 13, 1939, McCain, with Young, Barker, and two other men, attempted es ...
attempted to escape.
Henri Young later said of Barker, "he was one of America's most dangerous men. I knew, however, that he was determined and ruthless, and that once he started on anything nothing could stop him but death. I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have with me on a break from Alcatraz."
The four men had been placed in the segregation unit for troublesome prisoners. Barker and his associates sawed through four sets of prison bars, concealing the daily damage with makeshift putty. When they finally broke through, they climbed over the high walls of the prison under cover of a foggy night and made their way to the beach. The four then split up into two pairs. Barker and Stamphill tried to swim out together towards San Francisco, but were pushed back by the tide. They then tried to quickly build a raft from bits of wood lying around the beach, tying them together with strips of cloth from their shirts. They hoped to make a serviceable raft before they were spotted, but were seen from a guard's tower when the fog briefly cleared. The guard ordered them to "throw your hands in the air", but they ignored him. Stamphill later said they didn't hear any warnings. The guard opened fire, hitting them in the legs. Another burst of fire from a patrol boat wounded Barker in the head. He told Stamphill, "Don't move. They are going to kill us".
[Ward, Davis, ''Alcatraz: The Gangster Years'', University of California Press, 2009, pp.169; 487.] Barker was recaptured, dying shortly afterwards from his wounds. Stamphill, Young and McCain were also recaptured and sent to solitary confinement. Stamphill later claimed the associate warden gave instructions that if Doc moved at all the guards were to shoot him in the head. Doc was in considerable pain and reached for his wounded leg and was then shot. Once in the infirmary, the doctors attempted to give him a blood transfusion. He yanked the tubes out of his arm.
Arthur Barker is buried in
Olivet Memorial Park
This list of cemeteries in California includes currently operating, historical (closed for new interments), and defunct (graves abandoned or removed) cemeteries, columbaria, and mausolea which are historical and/or notable. It does not include pe ...
,
Colma, California
Colma (Ohlone for "Springs") is a small incorporated List of municipalities in California, town in San Mateo County, California, on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,507 at the 2020 census. The town w ...
.
Media
![James Cagney in White Heat trailer crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/James_Cagney_in_White_Heat_trailer_crop.jpg)
* The central character of Arthur "Cody" Jarrett, played by
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...
in the classic 1949 gangster film ''
White Heat
''White Heat'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran. Written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, ''White Heat'' is based on a story by Vi ...
'' is said to be based on Doc Barker.
* In the 1957 docudrama ''
Guns Don't Argue
''Guns Don't Argue'' is a 1957 low-budget feature film about the early achievements of the FBI in defeating the most notorious criminals of the 1930s. The film involves dramatizations of the crimes and eventual demise of various gangsters, along w ...
'', Arthur Barker is played by
Lash LaRue
Alfred "Lash" LaRue (June 15, 1917 – May 21, 1996) was a popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s.
Biography Early life and education
Born Alfred LaRue in Gretna, Louisiana in 1917, he was reared in various towns th ...
* Barker is portrayed by
Peter Baldwin in "Ma Barker and Her Boys", an episode of 1959 TV series ''
The Untouchables
Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to:
American history
* Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness
* ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley
* ''The U ...
'', which pits
Federal
Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to:
Politics
General
*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies
*Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
Agent
Eliot Ness
Eliot Ness (April 19, 1903 – May 16, 1957) was an American Prohibition agent known for his efforts to bring down Al Capone and enforce Prohibition in Chicago. He was the leader of a team of law enforcement agents, nicknamed The Untouchables. H ...
against the Barker clan, and fictionally depicts Ness as leading the assault on Ma Barker and her sons at their Florida hide-out. In this version, Lloyd, Fred and Doc are all present at the final shootout. Arthur Barker is portrayed as Ma's "favorite son", but towards the end, he's the only son who tries to get away from his mother's malign influence to live a normal life with his girlfriend (in an ironic line, his girlfriend refers to his attempted escape from his mother with the words "he's breaking out of Alcatraz"). In this version he is the only one who survives in the end.
* Ron Foster portrayed Barker in ''
Ma Barker's Killer Brood
''Ma Barker's Killer Brood'' is a neo noir crime film, released in 1960. The low-budget film was directed by Bill Karn and starred Lurene Tuttle as the title character, Ma Barker.
The film is a highly fictionalized account of the life of Ma B ...
'' (1960). He has a fictional affair with Lou, the lover of
Machine Gun Kelly
George Kelly Barnes (July 18, 1895 – July 18, 1954), better known by his pseudonym "Machine Gun Kelly", was an American gangster from Memphis, Tennessee, active during the Prohibition era. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thomps ...
.
* In ''
Bloody Mama
''Bloody Mama'' is a 1970 American exploitation crime film directed by Roger Corman and starring Shelley Winters in the title role, with Bruce Dern, Don Stroud, Robert Walden, Alex Nicol, and Robert De Niro in supporting roles. It was very lo ...
'' (1970) he is portrayed by
Clint Kimbrough
Louis Lacy Clinton Kimbrough (March 8, 1933 – April 9, 1996) was an actor from the United States.
Early life
Kimbrough was born in Oklahoma City, to parents Fred and Lucinda (Yoakum) Kimbrough. After his birth, his family moved to Allen, Oklah ...
. In this version he is killed in the same gunfight in which his mother and brother Fred died.
* In ''
Public Enemies'' (1996) he is portrayed by
James Marsden
James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor, singer, and former model. Marsden began his acting career guest starring in the television shows '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class'' (1993), '' Touched by an Angel'' (1995), ' ...
.
* Barker's escape attempt from Alcatraz is depicted in the 1995 film ''
Murder in the First'', starring
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller '' JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), t ...
as co-escapee Henri Young. Barker is played by Michael Melvin.
* Actor Jonas Daniel Alexander will portray Barker in the first
Dollar Baby
The Dollar Baby (or Dollar Deal) is an arrangement by which American author Stephen King grants permission to students and aspiring filmmakers or theatre producers to adapt one of his short stories for $1. (He retains rights to his work. As he beg ...
screen adaptation of
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...
's
The Death of Jack Hamilton
"The Death of Jack Hamilton" is a short story by American writer Stephen King. It was originally published in the December 24/31, 2001 issue of ''The New Yorker'' magazine. In 2002, it was published in King's collection ''Everything's Eventual''. T ...
.
See also
*
Bob Pavlak
Robert L. "Bob" Pavlak, Sr. (July 18, 1924 – October 9, 1994) was an American police officer and politician.
Early life
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1924, Pavlak grew up in Catholic orphanages in Milaca, Minnesota. His fatherLeo Pavlak ...
(1924-1994), American police officer and politician
References
External links
Arthur "Doc" Barkerat the Museum Collections at Alcatraz Island
FBI file on Arthur Barker1934 Wanted Poster of "Doc" Barker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Arthur
1899 births
1939 deaths
American bank robbers
American people convicted of murder
Inmates of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary]
American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
People convicted of murder by the United States federal government
People shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States
Depression-era gangsters
People from Aurora, Missouri
Prisoners and detainees of Oklahoma
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States federal government