New-York tribune., 1921-06-10
Kills
2 Policemen lin
Religious " ar
Reformed Bandit, Long a
Fanatic, Makes Room
a Fortress and Fights
Off Attacks for Hours
Wounded, Ends Own Life
Machine Guns Riddle His
Retreat i'm Toledo Home
and End Long Battle
Special Dispatch to The Tribune


TOLEDO, Ohio. June 9.--James E..
Kelley, forty-eight years old, one-time
bandit of the Oklahoma plains, who
had become religious enthusiast, de-
cided this morning to start the ere
ligious war" that he had planned for
years In a two-hour battle with po-
lice Kelley shot and killed two patrol
men, and then when machine gun but
lets had penetrated his barricaded
attic bedroom and twice wounded him
he turned his pistol on himself and
committed suicide.
Kelley's religious craze had guided
his actions for long time. Poring
over his prayer book had strengthened
his belief that some day he would have
to start war in defense of his faith
With his spare money he had bought
trunkful of ammunition and the best
in .45-caliber pistols. He opened cor
respondence with an arms manufactur-
ing company regarding rifles he was
going to buy and store in his room in
preparation for that day.
Mrs. Nellie Key, Kelley's landlady,
approached him this morning for pay
ment of overdue rent money.
Menaces With Gun
Sullenly, from his chair, the ex-
bandit told her he wouldn't pay and
ordered her to leave the room. She
went and got her son Allen, who also
pressed the roomer for money. Kelley,
angered by the demands, drew a pistol
from drawer and routed his annoyers,
and when they threatened, from the
shelter Of the stairway, to call the po-
lice, Kelley cried: "I'll kill any damn
officer who comes after me-"
Patrolman Harold Mossburger and
another policeman responded to Mrs.
Keys call. They found the attic door
barricaded, so climbed out window
and reached the roof. From the half
dark of his room Kelley saw Moss
burger kick out the skylight glass,
cling to the ledge moment and drop
into the madman's room. Kelley fred
and the policeman dropped dead.
Police reinforcements arrived to sur
round the house. Kelley took the pistol
from the dead officers holster and
added 1t TO his assortment of arms.
The day of his religious war" had
battle, answering the fire from the wall
crevices of an attic room.
Kills Second Victim
Patrolman Harry Dowell was stand
ing in the street after q round of hull
lets had been fired at the punman's
room from his police rife when Kelley's
hand, holding his AS automatic pistol.
slipped out between the shutters
There was shot and Doweil fell dead
with a bullet through his heart.
brother officers rushed to his side, but
tney scurrled to cover an instant later
When bullets from Kelley's pistol
whlned about them. For two hours
Dowells body lay in sort of no mans
!and into which no one risked enter
ing. Police Inspector Delehahntv
nnally recovered the body by adyancing
behind large piece of sheet steel and
tying rope about the feet of the dead
officer. 0'"0
railing with rife and pistol bullets
TO fout the gunman, machine gun was
brought into play. In the attic of the
mouse across the street the police Off
GERS set up the Browning and the
Dursts from its muzzle ripped and tore
into the attic room where the gunmsn
was making his last stand. Machine
gun bullets plowed through the iron
work of his bed and shot away the
trimmings.
The police turned high pressure
hre hose against the caves in an effort
to break in the fortress.
Kelley Cool Under Fire
The machine gun bullets tore away
part of the roof. Efforts were made
to smoke the former bandit out, but tn
no avail.
But none was cooler than kelley
Through it all he smoked his pine. He
tlilled it again and again, spilling the
ashes on his shirt bosom as he moved
from one window to another to pour
cut occasional missiles of death. But
the machine gun bullets robbed him of
some Of the assurance he had felt over
his security from the ordinary weapons.
A machine gun bullet struck him in the
leg, and he hobbled to his bed. An
other crashed through his arm. Kelley
had come to the end of the trail. Put
ting q pistol to his left breast, he fred
and fell dead.