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Birth
George Kelly Barnes was born on July 18, 1895 in Memphis, Tennessee.
[Link text](www.biography.com/people/machine-gun-kelly-507610#synopsis) -
Early Life
Barnes went to Mississippi A&M College and married Geneva Ramsey when he was 19. They had two sons, but divorced later because he was with "bad company".
[Link text](www.biography.com/people/machine-gun-kelly-507610#synopsis)
(www.folklife.msstate.edu/timeline/index.php) -
Drop Out
Barnes dropped out of college after getting in trouble and having bad grades.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm) -
Period: to
The Prohibition Era
The prohibition era was created when a constitutional amendment banned alcohol, but the law only increased the crime of smuggling alcohol.
[Link text](www.historicpatterson.org/Exhibits/ExhProhibition.php) -
First Offense
Barnes got involved with bootlegging in his teenage years and was caught on March 14, 1927 for selling illegal liquor and spent a few months in a New Mexico Jail.
[Link text](www.biography.com/people/machine-gun-kelly-507610#synopsis) -
Period: to
Easy Money
Barnes focused on selling illegal alcohol and robbing banks.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm) -
Indian Reservation Crime
Barnes was caught smuggling liquor onto and Indian Reservation and was sentenced to three years in the Leavenworth Penitentiary.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm)
(www.pinterest.com/pin/537969179597120621) -
Period: to
Jail Time
Machine Gun Kelly spent his time for smuggling liquor onto the Indian Reservation in Leavenworth.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm) -
A heist
Barnes robbed the Bank of Wilma with his jail associates stealing $70000.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm) -
Second Marriage
Barnes and a criminal named Kathryn Thorne married in September 1930 in Minneapolis. Kathryn created the image of "Machine Gun" by buying cases of machine guns for her husband to shoot at robberies.[Link text](www.biography.com/people/machine-gun-kelly-507610#synopsis)
(www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/katryn-kelly/) -
First kidnapping
Barnes accomplished his first kidnapping of Howard Wolverton and his wife. Barnes demanded $50000 in ransom.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm)
(jcrs.com/newsletters/2010/2010_11.htm) -
Second Kidnapping
George Kelly and Albert Gates kidnapped Charles Urschel in Oklahoma City. They demanded $200,000 in ransom.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm)
(blogoklahoma.us/blog.aspx?id=678) -
Capture of Kelly
Memphis police took the Kellys into custody and dug up the money from the robbery.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm) -
Life in Prison
The Kellys were sentenced to life in prison, but George Kelly was transferred to Alcatraz a year later.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm)
(www.plough.com/en/topics/faith/anabaptists/the-martyrs-of-alcatraz) -
Death of Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly died of a heart attack after being released from prison and returning to Leavenworth.
[Link text](www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/o/r/John-Davis-Rorer/FILE/0002page.htm)
