Kansas City Massacre – Gangsters vs. the Law

June 17, 1933, marked a turning point in American law enforcement history. On that day, the bustling Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, became the stage for a brutal shootout that would forever be known as the Kansas City Massacre. This audacious act of violence, orchestrated by a desperate gang seeking to free one of their own, not only resulted in the tragic loss of life but also galvanized the nation’s resolve to combat the escalating wave of organized crime that plagued the era. The Kansas City Massacre served as a stark wake-up call, highlighting the brazenness and ruthlessness of criminal enterprises and the urgent need for a more robust and coordinated response.

The central figure in this dramatic event was Frank "Jelly" Nash, a seasoned criminal with a history of escapes and a network of loyal, and often violent, associates. Nash’s criminal career stretched back to 1913 when he received a life sentence in Oklahoma for murder, only to be later pardoned. His penchant for trouble continued, earning him a 25-year sentence for burglary with explosives in 1920, again in Oklahoma, and once more, a pardon secured his release. In 1924, he began another 25-year stint at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, for assaulting a mail custodian, but true to form, he escaped in 1930.

Nash’s escape triggered an intensive manhunt led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation revealed Nash’s involvement in the escape of seven other prisoners from Leavenworth in 1931. Further investigation exposed his connections to notorious criminals such as Francis L. Keating and Thomas Holden, individuals implicated in numerous bank robberies across the Midwest. Apprehended in Kansas City in 1932, Keating and Holden provided information suggesting that Nash was being sheltered by underworld contacts in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Acting on this information, FBI Agents Frank Smith and F. Joseph Lackey, along with McAlester, Oklahoma Police Chief Otto Reed, located and apprehended Nash on June 16, 1933, in a Hot Springs store. The officers transported Nash to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where they boarded a Missouri Pacific train bound for Kansas City. Unbeknownst to them, Nash’s associates had caught wind of his capture and were already plotting a daring rescue.

The plan to free Nash was conceived by Richard Tallman Galatas, Herbert Farmer, "Doc" Louis Stacci, and Frank B. Mulloy. Vernon Miller, a notorious figure in the criminal underworld, was chosen to lead the operation. Miller, operating from Mulloy’s tavern in Kansas City, began contacting associates for assistance. It was at this time that Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd and Adam Richetti, two hardened criminals with a reputation for violence, arrived in Kansas City and agreed to join the mission. The stage was now set for the Kansas City Massacre.

Floyd and Richetti’s journey to Kansas City was itself fraught with criminal activity. Early on June 16th, their car broke down in Bolivar, Missouri. While awaiting repairs, Sheriff Jack Killingsworth entered the garage. Recognizing the Sheriff, Richetti seized a machine gun, holding him and the garage attendants captive. Floyd, brandishing two .45 caliber automatic pistols, ordered them to remain motionless. The pair then commandeered another vehicle, abducting the Sheriff in the process.

After releasing the Sheriff near Deepwater, Missouri, they stole yet another car and finally arrived in Kansas City around 10:00 p.m. on June 16th. There, they met with Vernon Miller, who outlined the plan to free Frank Nash. Floyd and Richetti readily agreed to participate, and early the next morning, the trio drove to Union Station, positioning themselves to await the arrival of the train carrying Nash and his captors. The Kansas City Massacre was about to unfold.

Upon the train’s arrival, Agent F. Joseph Lackey proceeded to the loading platform while Agent Frank Smith, Chief Otto Reed, and Nash remained in a stateroom. On the platform, Lackey met with Special Agent in Charge R.E. Vetterli, accompanied by FBI Agent R.J. Caffrey and Kansas City Police Officers W.J. Grooms and Frank Hermanson. After a quick survey of the area, finding nothing suspicious, Vetterli informed Lackey that he and Caffrey had brought two cars, parked directly outside the station.

Lackey returned to the train and, along with Chief Reed, Agents Vetterli, Caffrey, Smith, and Officers Hermanson and Grooms, escorted Frank Nash through the Union Station lobby. Lackey and Reed carried shotguns, while the other officers were armed with pistols. As they exited the station, they paused briefly, and, still seeing nothing amiss, proceeded towards Caffrey’s car, parked directly in front of the east entrance.

As the officers and their prisoner began to enter the vehicles, Agent Lackey noticed a green Plymouth parked nearby and two armed men approaching from behind the car. At least one of the men was carrying a machine gun. Before Lackey could issue a warning, one of the gunmen shouted, "Up, up!" A third man, also armed with a machine gun, began to approach. Special Agent in Charge Vetterli turned just in time to hear the command, "Let ’em have it!" From a distance of approximately 15 feet, an individual crouched behind the radiator of another car opened fire.

Officers Grooms and Hermanson were instantly killed. Vetterli, standing beside them, was shot in the left arm and fell to the ground. As he scrambled for cover, Caffrey was fatally shot in the head. Inside the car, Frank Nash and Chief Reed were killed by the barrage of bullets. Agents Lackey and Smith survived by falling forward in the back seat, though Lackey was seriously wounded. Smith escaped unscathed. The scene was one of utter chaos and carnage. The Kansas City Massacre had claimed its victims.

The gunmen rushed to the lawmen’s car, peering inside. One of them shouted, "They’re all dead. Let’s get out of here." They then fled towards a dark-colored Chevrolet. A Kansas City policeman emerged from Union Station and began firing at the fleeing gunmen. One of them, later identified as Floyd, appeared to be hit but continued to run. The gangsters piled into the car, sped westward out of the parking area, and disappeared.

The surviving agents, Smith, Lackey, and Vetterli, reported that the entire assault lasted no more than 30 seconds. They were unsure whether three or four gunmen participated. It was clear that Officers Grooms and Hermanson were killed instantly, followed by Frank Nash and Chief Reed. Agent Caffrey died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The FBI immediately launched a full-scale investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the Kansas City Massacre. Evidence quickly pointed to Vernon Miller, Adam C. Richetti, and Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd as the primary suspects. Fingerprints found on beer bottles in Miller’s Kansas City home were identified as belonging to Adam Richetti, further solidifying their involvement.

Following the massacre, Vernon Miller, accompanied by his girlfriend, Vivian Mathias, fled to Chicago. He briefly hid out with a member of the Barker-Karpis Gang before reportedly heading to New York. In October 1933, the FBI discovered Miller back in Chicago. He managed to evade a trap set by the FBI, but Mathias was taken into custody and later pleaded guilty to harboring a fugitive.

The hunt for "Pretty Boy" Floyd and Adam Richetti continued relentlessly. After escaping the scene of the Kansas City Massacre, Floyd and Richetti made their way to Toledo, Ohio, where they met Beulah (also known as Juanita) and Rose Baird. The four then traveled to Buffalo, New York.

In Buffalo, Floyd and Beulah Baird, using the aliases Mr. and Mrs. George Sanders, and Richetti and Rose Baird, using the names Mr. and Mrs. Ed Brennan, rented an apartment. Their secretive behavior aroused suspicion among the other tenants. They rarely left the apartment, and Floyd was observed pacing constantly. The two couples kept to themselves, though the women occasionally threw money or candy to children playing outside.

In October 1934, the couples decided to return to Oklahoma. On October 20, with Floyd at the wheel, they began the journey. A few hours later, near Wellsville, Ohio, their car skidded into a telephone pole. Floyd and Richetti retrieved their firearms and remained on the outskirts of town while Rose and Beulah Baird took the damaged car to a local garage for repairs.

Wellsville Police Chief J.H. Fultz, acting on reports of suspicious men in the area, located Floyd and Richetti in a nearby wooded area. A shootout ensued, resulting in Richetti’s capture after he emptied his gun at the officer. Floyd escaped, though the Police Chief suspected he might have been wounded.

The FBI and local authorities launched an intensive search for Floyd in eastern Ohio, interviewing residents and medical personnel. On October 22, a joint patrol consisting of four FBI Agents and four East Liverpool, Ohio police officers spotted a car moving from behind a corn crib on a farm. They stopped the car to question the occupants. The vehicle then drove back behind the corn crib, and a man immediately identified as "Pretty Boy" Floyd emerged, armed with a .45 caliber automatic pistol.

As the officers approached Floyd, he reportedly said, "I’m done for; you’ve hit me twice." They seized his pistol and a second gun he carried in his belt. Two FBI Agents left to summon an ambulance, but Floyd died about 15 minutes later.

Upon Floyd’s death, a watch and fob, marked with notches reportedly representing the number of people he had killed, were found on his person.

Rose and Beulah Baird, who had overheard news of Richetti’s capture at the Wellsville garage, immediately fled to Kansas City, Missouri. Later, they traveled to Floyd’s family home in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, where they attended his funeral.

Adam Richetti was returned to Kansas City and indicted on four counts of first-degree murder. His trial for the murder of Police Officer Frank E. Hermanson began on June 10, 1935. On June 17, the jury found Richetti guilty and recommended the death penalty. Despite appeals based on claims of insanity, Richetti was executed on October 7, 1938.

Richard Galatas, Herbert Farmer, "Doc" Louis Stacci, and Frank Mulloy, who were found to have conspired to free Nash, were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in Kansas City on October 24, 1934. On January 4, 1935, they were found guilty of conspiracy to cause the escape of a Federal Prisoner. Each was sentenced to two years in a Federal Penitentiary and fined $10,000, the maximum penalty allowed by law. The legacy of the Kansas City Massacre continues to resonate, serving as a grim reminder of a violent era and the dedication of law enforcement to combatting organized crime.