Alvin Karpis

December 22,1931 HOWELL COUNTY SHERIFF MURDERED BY ROBBERY SUSPECTS SATURDAY A.M.

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C.R. Kelly,sheriff of Howell County,was shot dead early Saturday morning by a trio of men suspected of robbing a West Plains store Friday night. The murder was committed in the driveway of a garage in that city while Kelly was investigating a tip from the garage man.

The car drove into the driveway and its occupants aroused the suspicions of the attendant,who called Sheriff Kelly. As the latter opened the rear door of the sedan,he was met with a charge of lead,killing him instantly.

One of the trio was subsequently captured.He denies having any any connection,either with the robbery or with the killing.He was hitch hiking,he told officers,and had been with the other two only a short time before the killing happened.

West Plains was thoroughly aroused over the matter and a hurriedly organized posse Saturday morning threatened a "necktie party" if and when they captured the duo.

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Sheriff Kelly,about 50 years old had reached the Davidson garage in the business district of West Plains shortly before 9 o'clock Saturday morning,following a call from Davidson,who believed the trio might be the ones responsible for the robbery of the C.C. McCallon department store Friday night.

Six shots were exchanged when Kelly opened one of the car doors and looked in.One of the trio giving his name as Robert Groce of Paragould,Ark.,was captured and sent to jail immediately.He was shot and slightly wounded by Dutch James of the garage force.

The second member of the trio escaped on foot,and a posse was believed to have hemmed him in a woods lot near the city that night.The third member escaped in a DeSoto sedan,bearing an Arkansas license 131-029.A report received Monday morning stated that he had been seen in the neighborhood of Mammoth Springs and that his capture was almost assured.

The robbers took about 60 women's dresses,40 men's suits and other property from the McCallon store.They had stopped at the Davidson garage to have a spare tire repaired.

The late C.R. Kelly is a step-brother of O.W. Chilton,editor of the Democrat-Argus,semi-weekly publication of Caruthersville.

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July 15,1934   FIVE WANTED IN LAZIA SHOOTING   FRED BARKER AND ALVIN KARPIS HAVE BEEN ORDERED OUT OF K.C. BY POLITICIAN

 

Five men,including Alvin Karpis and Fred Barker,notorious Middle Western criminals,are wanted for the gangland slaying of John Lazia,factional Democratic leader,Otto P.Higgins,director of police,announced today.Higgins said he had been informed that Lazia had ordered Karpis and Barker to get out of Kansas City when they approached him recently with a proposition to run a gambling house and sell liquor here to make some quick money,saying they were in a "jam." Karpis and Barker are sought by government and local officers for several crimes.Both have been identified by the department of justice as the kidnapers of Edward C.Bremer,St.Paul banker,Jan. 7,1934.Bremer was returned safely Feb.4 on payment of $200,000 ransom.

 

TOLD BY LAZIA TO GET OUT

 

Both are accused of slaying Sheriff C.R.Kelly at West Plains,Mo.,in December,1931,when attempted to arrest them.Officers here said they are former members of the Kimes-Inman gang which operated in Oklahoma,Missouri and Texas.Higgins said he heard that Lazia's blunt order to "get out" resulted in the two men making threats aganst the lieutenant of T.J.Pendergast,dominant political leader here.