Monday, July 24, 1933

Mother got sick today like I am. She washed clothes this morning. I went out and played a little in the evening. Sure was hot.

Kathryn Thorne Kelly (Mrs. George "Machine Gun" Kelly)
Born Cleo May Brooks, 18 March 1904 — Died 28 May 1985
Kidnapper and Gun Moll - gave her husband his first machine gun
Considered by the U. S. Department of Justice as the "brains of the Urschel kidnapping"

Continued from July 23, 1933 . . .


Having been burned once already when an Indiana kidnapping she and George carried
out  resulted in no ransom being paid, Kathryn was determined that the kidnapping of
Oklahoma oilman Charles F. Urschel would pay off big time. Urschel was held for nine
days, during which time several letters were sent to his family and friends demanding
 $200,000 for his release.


Following the instructions in the letters, $200,000 in used $20 notes of the Federal
Reserve Bank, Tenth District, was obtained and the serial numbers recorded. They
were placed in a new, light-colored leather Gladstone bag. At the same time,
another identical bag was purchased and filled with old magazines, in case of a
hijacking attempt. As a precaution, it was decided that two of Urschel's trusted
friends would take the money to Kansas City, as instructed. By prearrangement, 
one man sat just inside the rear end of the observation car, while the other sat on
the observation platform with the bag containing the magazines. Unbeknownst to
 them, Kathryn Kelly was also on that train.


Once the ransom was paid, Urschel was returned to his family. He was exhausted and
still in shock, but otherwise unharmed. That was when the FBI went to work . . .

To be continued . . .