Public Enemies_ America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI - Bryan Burrough [71]
The next day, Monday, September 18, the kidnapping trial of Albert Bates, Harvey Bailey, and the Shannons began in Oklahoma City. The trial was front-page news in Chicago. Kathryn read the newspapers in a fury, stomping around the apartment, swearing revenge on Urschel and the government prosecutor, Joseph Keenan. At some point, she wrote a letter to Keenan. Post-marked Chicago, it arrived in Oklahoma City the next day. The entire Urschel family and friends, and all of you will be exterminated soon, Kathryn wrote. There is no way I can prevent it. I will gladly put George Kelly on the spot for you if you will save my mother, who is innocent of any wrong doing [sic].
The next day, a second letter, this time signed by Kelly, arrived at the Urschel mansion. “Ignorant Charles,” it began.
Just a few lines to let you know that I am getting my plans laid to destroy your so-called mansion, and you and your family immediately after this trial. And young fellow I guess you’ve begun to realize your serious mistake . . . You are living on borrowed time now . . . I have friends in Oklahoma City that know every move you make, and you are still too dumb to figure out the finger man there. If my brain was no larger than yours, the government would have had me long ago, as it is I am drinking good beer and will yet see you and your family like I should have left you at first—stone-dead . . . Adios, smart one. Your worst enemy, Geo. R. Kelly . . . See you in hell.
The Kellys’ letters dropped like bombs in the Oklahoma City courtroom, which was packed with the nation’s press. The Bureau’s number two man, Harold “Pop” Nathan, who had arrived to oversee the trial, sent agents to trace the letters, but to no avail. But not all the Kellys’ letters proved untraceable. Before leaving Texas, Kathryn had mailed a note to Flossie Mae Arnold, directing her to check into an Oklahoma City boardinghouse to wait for further instructions. This letter was intercepted by FBI agents in San Antonio and forwarded to Pop Nathan in Oklahoma City.
Nathan had Flossie Mae brought to Oklahoma, reunited with her husband, Luther, and installed in the boardinghouse to await word from Kathryn. On Thursday, September 21, it finally came, a letter, saying the Kellys could be reached via Special Delivery mail at a bar on Chicago’s South Side, the Michigan Tavern, at 1150 South Michigan Avenue. I am taking care of the baby honey, Kathryn wrote, alluding to Geralene. She’s never out of my Sight [sic], and Be careful to take care of my clothes for they are all I have so don’t lose them.
The FBI closed in. Nathan telephoned the Chicago office and briefed Melvin Purvis. All Purvis had to do was to stake out the Michigan Tavern. When the Kellys arrived, they could be arrested. Purvis listened and promised to take care of it. And then he did something extraordinary: he forgot about it. Weeks later, when Hoover realized the blunder and demanded an explanation, Purvis was unable to come up with one. “I recall that upon receipt of this information I omitted making a memorandum, which was possibly due to the fact that at that time there were so many important developments . . .” he wrote Hoover.17
The next morning, as luck would have it, Kelly was preparing to leave Chicago. Between angry letters he had spent much of his time wandering the streets of the North Side, stopping at pay phones to make calls in search of anyone who would help him. He reached a member of Frank Nitti’s mob, who told Kelly he was “too hot,” adding that “he would not be seen talking to [the Kellys] for $10,000.” Finally, Kelly arranged to buy a car through an intermediary,