Evening star., 1936-08-03
BY REX COLLIER.

watch 10 times to keep tab on
his killings, feared death in
the electric chair far more than he
did bullets of the G-men.
He weighed the prospects of both
and chose the latter. The result was
inevitable, under the circumstances.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
agents have been accused Of shooting
him In the back, in "cold blood"
There were rumors among critics
Of the bureau that Floyd fell on his
knees and begged for mercy as ruth
less agents poured lead into his body.
It has been reported Floyd re-
peatedly offered to surrender before
G-men caught up with him. but t,-.t
J. Edgar Hoover rejected the offers
and ordered his men to "kill Floyd
on sight"
There is no doubt there was con-
siderable sympathy in scattered places
for this notorious outlaw and killer
from the Cookson Hills.
Yet this was the man who coolly
turned Tommy" gun on F. B. 1.
agents and police in the Kansas City
Union Station massacre, and then cut
four more notches on his lucky piece"
fob and watch, and who killed. kid
naped and plundered his way to the
top of the list of public enemies.
Slain in Corn Field.
The record of Floyd's crimes pro-
vides CORY chapter in the books Of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Flnis was written to that story when
squad of F. B. I. agents and police
shot Floyd fatally in an Ohio corn
field on the afternoon of October %,
1894.
The true details Of that shooting
and the events Immediately preceding
it have been unfolded to me by the
F. B. l., so that the public may Judge
whether Floyd's death was Justified"
Hoover's men began their hunt for
Pretty Boy" after the ambushing Of
four officers and their prisoner, Frank
Nash, early on the morning of June
II. 1888, as they arrived in Kansas
City, Mo-. from Hot Springs, Ark.
where they had captured Nash
When the officers started to get into
waiting automobiles in front Of the
station. three men opened fire with
machine guns, killing Special Agent
Raymond Caffrey. Chief of Police Otto
Reed Of McAlester, Okla. and Detec-
tives Hermanson and Grooms of the
Kansas City police. Nash was killed
also, in the cross-fire.
Eyewitnesses picked photograph Of
Floyd as that of one of the killers. 1t
was learned, moreover, that Floyd and
his pal, Adam Richetti. had driven into
Kansas City the previous night in the
car Of a salesman whom they had kid
naped. after abandoning a stolen car
in which they had kidnapped the sheriff
of Bolivar, Mo.
The most damning piece of evidence
linking Floyd with the crime, however,
was f1ngerprint of Richetti, found on
a beer bottle at the home of Verne
Miller, who was chief plotter Of the
massacre. It was known that Floyd
and Richetti were inseparable.
Police Cooperation.
| SS-OPC4dSAOlA VA POAASC AA NoA AOuo
parts Of the country was enlisted in
the hunt for Floyd and Richetti. Every
where that this pair was known to
have connections" surveillance was
instituted. Richetti had relatives in
Ohio, and the Omen obtained the aid
of Sheriff Ray Long of Steubenville.
Ohio, In keeping watch on a house it
was thought Richetti might visit.
Months passed. Floyd was reported
in nearly all parts of the country
often at the same time All tips and
leads. however. minor. we're run down
by the tireless agents.
Here are the facts on Floyd's offers
to surrender.
An emissary Of Floyd relayed to
Hoover what he claimed was message
from the fugitive. The emissary ex-
planned he did not know where Floyd
was, but that Pretty Boy" was willing