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Charles F. Urschel

May 07, 2024

Charles Frederick Urschel (March 7, 1890 – September 26, 1970) was an American oil business tycoon and kidnap victim of George "Machine Gun" Kelly.

Urschel eventually helped solve the crime himself by carefully noting every piece of evidence of his whereabouts during his captivity despite being blindfolded, and leaving fingerprints on every surface he could reach. After being released after the ransom was delivered, Urschel was able to supply ample information for the FBI to solve the crime.

Early years edit

Charles F. Urschel was born in Washington Township, Hancock County, Ohio, in 1890 to Daniel Urschel and Emma (Anna) M. Bangert.

Urschel's first marriage was to Flored Slick, the sister of Thomas Baker Slick Sr., an oil magnate known as "The King of the Wildcatters".[1] Tom Slick died on August 16, 1930, from a fatal stroke following surgery. After Flored's death in 1931, Charles Urschel, Tom Slick's brother-in-law and a trustee to his estate, then married Slick's widow, Berenice. Their combined fortunes created one of the wealthiest couples in Oklahoma City.

Kidnapping edit

On July 22, 1933, using his trademark machine gun, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, along with Albert L. Bates, interrupted a bridge game at Urschel's residence in Oklahoma City, abducting Urschel and his guest, fellow oilman Walter R. Jarrett (who would later relocate to Midland, Texas, where he died in 1947 aged 60), at gunpoint while their wives "helplessly watched".[2] This began a startling kidnapping case that evoked the new Lindbergh kidnapping laws, led to 21 convictions, coined a new name for Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, and culminated in one of the first filmed trials.

The two men were forced into the back seat of Kelly's Chevrolet Sedan and driven to a point 12 miles from the city limits. After ascertaining which of the men was Urschel by checking his wallet, Jarrett was released,[3] and the criminals took Urschel to a farmhouse in Paradise, Texas, where they held him for over a week. The kidnappers released him on July 30 after Ernest Kirkpatrick, then the editor of the Brownwood Bulletin,[4] as well as a representative for the family, paid $200,000 in documented bills (equivalent to $4.52 million in 2022).[5] During his captivity, Urschel, although blindfolded most of the time, memorized many details about his location, including the passing of an airplane overhead at the same times every day. This and other information that the FBI had garnered helped locate the hideout.

Because of the media's recent attention to the Lindbergh kidnapping and his agency's floundering reputation, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover took special interest in this case. The Lindbergh Law defined kidnapping as a federal offense punishable by death, and Hoover wanted to impress the public in the first high-profile crime regulated by the new law. Many reported that Berenice Urschel talked to the FBI director the night of the abduction. Hoover pulled one of his best agents, Gus Jones, off of the Kansas City Massacre investigation and made the kidnapping an agency priority.

When Gus Jones of the FBI raided the farmhouse in Paradise, he was accompanied by Bill Eads and Charles Urschel himself.[4] There they arrested the owners, Robert and Ora Shannon, and Harvey Bailey, who was using the farm as a safe house after committing a bank robbery in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, with Kelly's machine gun. Bailey also had some of the Urschel money in his possession. Through the continuing investigation seven persons, including Bates, who was arrested in Denver, Colorado, were tried and convicted by a jury in Oklahoma City in September and October 1933. Two of the felons, Edward Berman and Clifford Skelly, received sentences for "money changing" or exchanging the tainted bills for clean, spendable currency. During the trial, the Kellys penned letters threatening Urschel, his family, witnesses, the prosecuting attorney, and the judge. On September 26, 1933, FBI agents captured George and Kathryn Kelly in Memphis, Tennessee. The FBI claimed that Kelly cried, "Don't Shoot, G-men", thus coining the name by which the government agency was known for years afterwards.

The FBI flew the Kellys into Oklahoma City to stand trial days before U.S. judge Edgar S. Vaught sentenced the other defendants. The judge sentenced Bates, Bailey, and Ora and Robert Shannon to life in prison for their roles in the kidnapping. The press believed that George and Kathryn Kelly would plead guilty, but they both entered a not guilty plea. On October 12, 1933, Judge Vaught decreed both George and Kathryn guilty and sentenced them to life in prison.

Later life and death edit

In 1945, Urschel and his wife relocated to San Antonio, Texas, where he ran the Slick-Urschel Oil Company and was a founding trustee of San Antonio's Southwest Research Institute and the Southwest Foundation for Research and Education, alongside other philanthropic work. Despite his belief that Kathryn Kelly was the mastermind behind the criminal operation (as stated by Kent Frates, Urschel's nephew, in his 2014 book Oklahoma's Most Notorious Cases), Urschel anonymously funded the college education of her daughter Pauline, this only being discovered by author Stanley Hamilton much later, in the course of writing his 2003 book, Machine Gun Kelly's Last Stand (University of Kansas Press).[6][7]

Urschel died September 26, 1970, having survived his wife Berenice by four months.[8][6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Pittman, Kitty. . Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  2. ^ O'Dell, Larry. . Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  3. ^ J. Edgar Hoover and his G-Men, William B. Breuer, Praeger (Westport, Connecticut; London), 1995, p. 111
  4. ^ a b Kirkpatrick, E.E. (1934). Crimes' Paradise. San Antonio, Texas: The Naylor Company. pp. 54–56.
  5. ^ O'Dell, Larry. . Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Owen, Penny (July 20, 2003). "Then what happened?". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Bacharach, Phil. "Kidnapped!". Oklahoma Gazette. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "Charles Urschel, Oilman, is Dead". The New York Times. September 27, 1970.

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Further reading edit

  • Crimes' Paradise by E.E. Kirkpatrick The Naylor Company, San Antonio, Texas 1934
  • Voices from Alcatraz; the authentic inside story of the Urschel kidnapping. by E.E. Kirkpatrick The Naylor Company, San Antonio, Texas 1947

External links edit

  • "Charles F. Urschel". Oklahoma Oilman. Find a Grave. December 16, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2013.

May 07, 2024
charles, urschel, charles, frederick, urschel, march, 1890, september, 1970, american, business, tycoon, kidnap, victim, george, machine, kelly, urschel, eventually, helped, solve, crime, himself, carefully, noting, every, piece, evidence, whereabouts, during,. Charles Frederick Urschel March 7 1890 September 26 1970 was an American oil business tycoon and kidnap victim of George Machine Gun Kelly Urschel eventually helped solve the crime himself by carefully noting every piece of evidence of his whereabouts during his captivity despite being blindfolded and leaving fingerprints on every surface he could reach After being released after the ransom was delivered Urschel was able to supply ample information for the FBI to solve the crime Contents 1 Early years 2 Kidnapping 3 Later life and death 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly years editCharles F Urschel was born in Washington Township Hancock County Ohio in 1890 to Daniel Urschel and Emma Anna M Bangert Urschel s first marriage was to Flored Slick the sister of Thomas Baker Slick Sr an oil magnate known as The King of the Wildcatters 1 Tom Slick died on August 16 1930 from a fatal stroke following surgery After Flored s death in 1931 Charles Urschel Tom Slick s brother in law and a trustee to his estate then married Slick s widow Berenice Their combined fortunes created one of the wealthiest couples in Oklahoma City Kidnapping editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message On July 22 1933 using his trademark machine gun George Machine Gun Kelly along with Albert L Bates interrupted a bridge game at Urschel s residence in Oklahoma City abducting Urschel and his guest fellow oilman Walter R Jarrett who would later relocate to Midland Texas where he died in 1947 aged 60 at gunpoint while their wives helplessly watched 2 This began a startling kidnapping case that evoked the new Lindbergh kidnapping laws led to 21 convictions coined a new name for Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and culminated in one of the first filmed trials The two men were forced into the back seat of Kelly s Chevrolet Sedan and driven to a point 12 miles from the city limits After ascertaining which of the men was Urschel by checking his wallet Jarrett was released 3 and the criminals took Urschel to a farmhouse in Paradise Texas where they held him for over a week The kidnappers released him on July 30 after Ernest Kirkpatrick then the editor of the Brownwood Bulletin 4 as well as a representative for the family paid 200 000 in documented bills equivalent to 4 52 million in 2022 5 During his captivity Urschel although blindfolded most of the time memorized many details about his location including the passing of an airplane overhead at the same times every day This and other information that the FBI had garnered helped locate the hideout Because of the media s recent attention to the Lindbergh kidnapping and his agency s floundering reputation FBI director J Edgar Hoover took special interest in this case The Lindbergh Law defined kidnapping as a federal offense punishable by death and Hoover wanted to impress the public in the first high profile crime regulated by the new law Many reported that Berenice Urschel talked to the FBI director the night of the abduction Hoover pulled one of his best agents Gus Jones off of the Kansas City Massacre investigation and made the kidnapping an agency priority When Gus Jones of the FBI raided the farmhouse in Paradise he was accompanied by Bill Eads and Charles Urschel himself 4 There they arrested the owners Robert and Ora Shannon and Harvey Bailey who was using the farm as a safe house after committing a bank robbery in Kingfisher Oklahoma with Kelly s machine gun Bailey also had some of the Urschel money in his possession Through the continuing investigation seven persons including Bates who was arrested in Denver Colorado were tried and convicted by a jury in Oklahoma City in September and October 1933 Two of the felons Edward Berman and Clifford Skelly received sentences for money changing or exchanging the tainted bills for clean spendable currency During the trial the Kellys penned letters threatening Urschel his family witnesses the prosecuting attorney and the judge On September 26 1933 FBI agents captured George and Kathryn Kelly in Memphis Tennessee The FBI claimed that Kelly cried Don t Shoot G men thus coining the name by which the government agency was known for years afterwards The FBI flew the Kellys into Oklahoma City to stand trial days before U S judge Edgar S Vaught sentenced the other defendants The judge sentenced Bates Bailey and Ora and Robert Shannon to life in prison for their roles in the kidnapping The press believed that George and Kathryn Kelly would plead guilty but they both entered a not guilty plea On October 12 1933 Judge Vaught decreed both George and Kathryn guilty and sentenced them to life in prison Later life and death editIn 1945 Urschel and his wife relocated to San Antonio Texas where he ran the Slick Urschel Oil Company and was a founding trustee of San Antonio s Southwest Research Institute and the Southwest Foundation for Research and Education alongside other philanthropic work Despite his belief that Kathryn Kelly was the mastermind behind the criminal operation as stated by Kent Frates Urschel s nephew in his 2014 book Oklahoma s Most Notorious Cases Urschel anonymously funded the college education of her daughter Pauline this only being discovered by author Stanley Hamilton much later in the course of writing his 2003 book Machine Gun Kelly s Last Stand University of Kansas Press 6 7 Urschel died September 26 1970 having survived his wife Berenice by four months 8 6 See also editList of solved missing person casesReferences edit Pittman Kitty Slick Thomas Baker 1883 1930 Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Oklahoma Historical Society Archived from the original on November 19 2012 Retrieved May 11 2013 O Dell Larry Urschel Kidnapping Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Oklahoma Historical Society Archived from the original on December 28 2014 Retrieved May 11 2013 J Edgar Hoover and his G Men William B Breuer Praeger Westport Connecticut London 1995 p 111 a b Kirkpatrick E E 1934 Crimes Paradise San Antonio Texas The Naylor Company pp 54 56 O Dell Larry Urschel Kidnapping Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Oklahoma Historical Society Archived from the original on December 28 2014 Retrieved May 11 2012 a b Owen Penny July 20 2003 Then what happened The Oklahoman Retrieved June 9 2022 Bacharach Phil Kidnapped Oklahoma Gazette Retrieved June 9 2022 Charles Urschel Oilman is Dead The New York Times September 27 1970 Further reading editCrimes Paradise by E E Kirkpatrick The Naylor Company San Antonio Texas 1934 Voices from Alcatraz the authentic inside story of the Urschel kidnapping by E E Kirkpatrick The Naylor Company San Antonio Texas 1947External links edit Charles F Urschel Oklahoma Oilman Find a Grave December 16 2012 Retrieved May 11 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles F Urschel amp oldid 1214230347, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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