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Barker/Karpis Gang

Alvin Francis “Creepy” Karpis, born as Karpowicz (1907-1979), was a notorious gangster of the 1930s. He committed many of his crimes with a gang of criminals, including several Barker brothers; “Doc” and Fred Barker were two of the most active members. Their mother Kate “Ma” Barker was also involved, though not as the criminal mastermind later media legend made her out to be. The Barker/Karpis gang was responsible for two of the era’s most notorious kidnappings—the abduction of William Hamm in 1933 and Edward Bremer, Jr., in 1934. This release consists of the extensive Bureau file on the Barker/Karpis gang. The bulk of it covers from 1933 to 1936, but it extends well into the 1970s because Karpis lived to late in the decade.

Alvin Karpis
Alvin Francis “Creepy” Karpis (1907-1979) was a notorious criminal and member of the Barker/Karpis gang in the 1930s. He was arrested in 1936 and convicted on various charges; after serving his sentence, he was released from prison in the late 1960s. This release contains commendation letters from the public.
Bremer Kidnapping
Herman Barker
Bremer Investigation Summary
Barker Karpis
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