Urschel-Slick House - Oklahoma City, OK - Infamous Crime Scenes on Waymarking.com

Charles F. Urschel was an Oklahoma City oil tycoon who, after the passing of his first wife, married Bernice Slick, the widow of another oil tycoon - Thomas Baker Slick, "King of the Wildcatters." Their combined fortunes made the couple one of the wealthiest in Oklahoma City.

George Kelly Barnes was better known as "Machine Gun Kelly" and was a notorious bank robber. His criminal career ended when his wife Kathryn convinced him to try his hand at kidnapping for ransom. Kelly and an accomplice broke into this house late on July 22, 1933, interrupting a card game of the Urschels and another couple, Walter and Kelly Jarrett. When the gunmen could not determine which man was Urschel, they kidnapped both, later freeing Jarrett.

Urschel, although blindfolded, memorized much detail about the house where he was held for a week and left his fingerprints on every available surface. After a family representative paid the $200,000 ransom, Urschel's information allowed the FBI to 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. At his arrest, 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. George and Kathryn were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison.

A plaque at the waymark coordinates identifies the home and gives a brief account of this infamous crime. You can also read more at the links above and below. An interesting twist to this tale is that, although convinced that Kathryn was the mastermind behind the kidnapping, Urschel anonymously funded the college education of her daughter (by an earlier husband) Pauline.

Date of crime: 07/22/1933 Public access allowed: no Fee required: no Web site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/30/2022 gramakitty visited it