The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-02
Taken to St. Paul;
2Nabbed in Rivers, Case
Gangster, ShackIed Heav.
lily, Rushed There From
New Orleans.
CONTINUED From Page One)

partment's newest coup in its war
on kidnapers and interstate gang
sters. Karpis, Public Enemy No. l
on the G-men's list fer over a year.
had a $1,000 reward on his head.
"Karpis was arrested at 3343
Canal-st, New Orleans, where he
was living with Fred Hunter and
a woman posing as Mrs. Hunter"
Hoover said.
Hunter also was taken into Gus
tody and is being held at New Or
leans. We have not decided
whether he will be charged in con-
nection with a postal robbery at
Garrettsville, last year, or as a har-
borer of Karpis. Karpis was living
at his apartment"
Hoover said that Karpis had been
in the South and Southwest for
several months. "He was spending
most of his time hunting and fish
ing" Hoover said. He was fishing
a great deal in Florida and along
the gulf"
Karpis had undergone a crude
plastic surgery operation, Hoover
disclosed. There was a deep scar
under his left ear and lobes of his
ears had been cut. His fingerpr;nts
had been mutilated.
Operation Was Crude, Useless
"The operation" Hoover said,
was performed by DR.. Joseph
Moran, former member of the gang
now believed dead. But it was a
crude job and did not in the least
alter Karpis' features"
When arrested, Hoover said.
Harris had a rifle in his automobile
and three As calibre revolvers in
his apartment. Neither he nor
Hunter had weapon on their
person.
The capture was made as Karpis
and Hunter came out of their first
foo department, Hoover said. They
left unexpectedly while agents were
waiting for them after surrounding
the house. They entered car and
were driving away when a car in
which Hoover and others wer:
riding drew alongside, forced Kar-
pls' car to the curb and commanded
him to halt.
Made No Resistance
HE offered no resistance what
soever," Hoover said. "He was so
nervous he could scarcely talk. His
hands were shaking like a leaf and
his knees shook as if he had palsy"
Hoover emphasized that "This
was the man who said he never
would be taken alive"
Hoover said Karpis is charged
with three or four mail robberies.
He had $50 in his wallet when ar
rested but Hoover declined to say
whether it was ransom money.
Inasmuch as the capture was
made by Federal agents, the $4,000
recently offered for Karpis' arrest
will not be paid.
Hoover said that the department
had definite information" for sew
eral days prior to the capture that
Karpis was in New Orleans. He
himself had been there two or
three days." he said.
Several Points to Be Checked
Hoover believed the capture vir-
tually brought to a close the de-
partment's pursuit of the perpetra-
tors, but he said there are "nu-
merous points yet to be solved in
connection with both"
New Orleans police knew nothing
of the trap. Excited neighbors tele-
phoned them when it was sprung.
They were indignant that the Fed
eral men had invaded their bailiwick
without even a "by-yoIr-leave."
Karpis began his career as
petty thief, and was initiated into
the big time criminal world in 1881,
after his escape from the Kansas
State Penitentiary at Lansing, by
the Barkers-Arthur and Fred. He
soon became joint leader of the
mob and with it is alleged to have
participated in the kidnapings of
Mr.. Edward G.. Bremen, a wealthy
st. Paul banker, and Hamm.
Arthur Barker and his mother,
Kate, were killed by G-men in Flor
ida in January, 1885. Karpis had
been in their hideout a few hours
before the raid, and fled to Atlantic
City, where an unsuccessful trap
was set for him several weeks later.
Doc Barker was captured mean
while, was convicted with number
of associates of the Bremen kidnap-
ing, and now is serving life term.