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Who was Russell Clark?
Russell Clark was an American criminal who was part of the infamous Barker-Karpis gang, a group of bank robbers and kidnappers that operated in the Midwest and South during the 1930s. He was born on June 21, 1898 in Kentucky and grew up in a poor family. He started his criminal career as a bootlegger and later joined forces with Fred Barker, the son of Ma Barker, the matriarch of the gang. Clark became one of the most trusted and loyal members of the gang, participating in several high-profile crimes, such as the robbery of the Third Northwestern National Bank in Minneapolis in 1932, the kidnapping of William Hamm, a wealthy brewer, in 1933, and the kidnapping of Edward Bremer, a banker, in 1934.
How did he die?
Clark was arrested by the FBI on January 16, 1935, along with Fred and Ma Barker, at their hideout in Lake Weir, Florida. The FBI agents surrounded the house and demanded their surrender, but the gangsters refused and opened fire. A fierce gun battle ensued, lasting for more than four hours. Clark was wounded several times and tried to escape through a window, but was shot dead by an agent. Fred and Ma Barker were also killed in the shootout. According to the FBI website, Clark’s body was riddled with 17 bullets.
What are the controversies surrounding his death?
Clark’s death was controversial for several reasons. First, some historians and biographers have questioned the FBI’s version of events, claiming that the agency exaggerated or fabricated some details to justify their use of lethal force and to enhance their public image. For example, some have argued that Ma Barker was not a criminal mastermind, but rather an innocent mother who followed her sons out of love. Some have also suggested that Clark was not killed by the FBI, but by Fred Barker, who shot him to prevent him from surrendering or talking.
Second, Clark’s death sparked a legal dispute over his estate. Clark had left a will that named his wife, Margaret Thoresen Clark, as his sole beneficiary. However, his wife had divorced him in 1931 and remarried in 1934. She claimed that she was still entitled to his inheritance because she had never received a formal notice of their divorce. She also argued that Clark had written his will under duress and that he was mentally incompetent at the time. Clark’s relatives contested her claim and filed a lawsuit against her. The case went to court in 1936 and lasted for two years. The judge eventually ruled in favor of Clark’s relatives and awarded them his estate.
Third, Clark’s death inspired several fictional works and adaptations. Clark’s character has been portrayed by various actors in movies and TV shows, such as:
- Steve Cochran in Ma Barker’s Killer Brood (1960), a low-budget crime film that depicted Ma Barker as a ruthless leader
