Original subtitles

This is Eliot Ness. Come on out. We don't want any trouble.

We're the Barkers. You're never gonna get us!

(gunfire)

( suspenseful theme playing)

( announcer reading)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight's episode:

Starring Robert Stack.

With special guest star, Claire Trevor as Ma Barker.

( suspenseful theme playing)

NARRATOR: One of the most astonishing

episodes in the annals of American crime

took place on January 16th, 1935.

It began at 7 a.m. on a warm sunny Florida morning.

Thanks for the use of your phone, ma'am.

Bill, pass this word to the other boys,

especially to the local cops and state troopers.

These people are killers.

If they start shooting, then we shoot to kill.

Right. You're making a terrible mistake.

Lady, those people are wanted for everything

from bank robbery and kidnapping

to cold-blooded first-degree murder.

You've read about the Ma Barker mob, haven't you?

Well, their name's Clark not Barker.

It's easy to rent a place under an assumed name.

But Mrs. Clark goes to church with me on Sunday's.

She's the most dangerous woman in the U.S. today.

( suspenseful theme playing)

NARRATOR: In a combined operation,

Eliot Ness and his agents

joined with the state troopers and local police

in a surprise visit near the town of Oklawaha, Florida.

What followed made front page headlines throughout the world.

Morning, Ma.

Lloyd.

(screams): Lloyd Barker.

You quit teasing me now. I'll burn myself.

Them doughnuts smell great.

Thought you'd like them.

Freddy? Breakfast.

Why didn't Fred wake me? I was gonna go fishing with him.

Do you good to be lazy. All of us.

We needed this vacation.

Hey, doughnuts.

Hey, Lloyd, we ought to set Ma up

in the restaurant business, huh? Yeah.

We're doing all right in the business we're in.

I wouldn't want things any different.

(chuckles)

(hums)

Ma, you still got the voice.

Better when you sung in the choir back in Tulsa, Ma.

(giggles)

ALL: ♪ While I draw ♪

♪ This fleeting breath ♪

♪ When my eyelids close In death ♪

♪ See thee on... ♪

NESS: Fred Barker, Lloyd Barker.

Come out. All three of you.

The house is surrounded.

Come out in single file with your hands raised.

This is Eliot Ness. Come on out. We don't want any trouble.

Well, boys, it's... He's finally come to pass.

I guess we know what to do.

Boys, take your posts. Lloyd, cover the road.

Freddy, upstairs bedroom.

LLOYD: Ma, let me have a vest, huh?

Mwah. Keep your chin up, Mom.

We're with you all the way, Ma. Mwah.

Come on out. We don't want any trouble.

We're Barkers. You'll never get us.

(machine-gun fire)

NARRATOR: Eliot Ness' raiding party was drawn into a battle

that firsthand observers said looked like full-scale warfare.

It was to last for more than six hours.

Come on. I've always figured things out for you, haven't I?

Check that back door.

Yes, Ma.

(machine-gun fire)

♪ When I soar to... ♪

NARRATOR: The woman who began that battle,

Mrs. Kate Clark Barker,

better known as Ma Barker, was like a wild animal,

a demented fury.

But there had been a time in years past

when she was very different,

when she took her place among respected churchgoing ladies

of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

♪ When my eyelids close In death ♪

♪ When I soar To worlds unknown ♪

♪ See thee on My judgment throne ♪

♪ Rock of Ages Cleft for me ♪

♪ Let me hide myself in thee ♪

♪ Amen ♪

I think that's gonna sound real good on Sunday.

I hope it does.

Oh, that was just lovely, Mrs. Barker.

You came through beautifully.

WOMAN: You were just wonderful, dear.

Ladies, I've never heard you better.

Oh, thank you, Reverend.

Mrs. Barker, your solo portion was truly inspiring.

Well, thank you, Reverend.

Oh, Mrs. Barker, uh, may I talk to you for a minute?

Sure.

It's about those boys of hers, I'll bet.

And high time too.

Mrs. Barker, you and your husband are good,

upright members of the community.

Tell me, why is it you can't exercise

a little more control with your boys?

Reverend, I'm getting sick and tired of everybody in this town

complaining about them.

The Tulsa Police Department

paid me a visit as their minister.

What? They read me a list

of their recent escapades.

Quite a list, I must say.

Beating up other youngsters, petty vandalism.

Lies, Reverend. Nothing but a bunch of lies.

I don't doubt it.

But can't you give them a little more guidance?

So far, the police have been more than lenient for your sake,

but they tell me if there's any more trouble...

I'm not a woman that nags her family to death.

They're just sowing their wild oats

like the Good Book says.

And they'll come out of it.

( upbeat theme playing)

Freddy, come on out.

(metal clang)

Kate? You still up?

Told you I can't go to bed

till I finish Doc's birthday cake.

I bet you forgot about your son's birthday tomorrow.

You never did remember with any of them.

Yes, I did. I did so remember.

Kate, it's past midnight.

The four of them have been out together since suppertime.

Oh, go to bed. Quit worrying.

But they had that look in their eye when they went out.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself,

always thinking the worst.

And how do you suppose I feel

when a detective comes to the factory

and bawls me out in front of everybody?

"Your oldest son, Herman," he says to me,

"he's training the whole kit and caboodle of them

to get sent to reform school."

In front of everybody, he said it.

There's nothing wrong with our boys except high spirits.

At least they won't turn out to be frightened underpaid worms

that everybody is stepping on.

Like some people you could name?

Yeah, George, like some people I could name.

That's right, George. Quit worrying and go to bed.

(footsteps)

MA: That you, boys?

What are doing still up, Ma?

Hiya, Ma. Hiya, Ma.

Hi, Ma.

Now, Herman, you know you shouldn't

keep your brothers out so late.

Oh, gee, I'm sorry, Ma.

Well,

it's awful nice the four of you being so companionable.

PA: All right, where you been?

Uh, we went to a movie, Pa.

There ain't a movie in this town lasts till midnight.

They're lying again.

If I had any gumption, I'd get my razor strap.

Don't be stupid. They'd wallop the daylights out of you.

(all laugh)

What's in there? Where'd that come from?

It's none of your business.

No wonder everybody's down on them

when their own father keeps insinuating.

Make them show you what's in that bag.

Well, it's for you, Ma.

It was meant to be a surprise.

Yeah, only Pa messed it up.

What house did you steal them from?

George!

You heard me. Where'd you bust in this time?

( dramatic theme playing)

NARRATOR: The following afternoon,

Ma gave a birthday party for her favorite son,

whom she had lovingly nicknamed Doc.

Eighteen years old.

HERMAN: Look at that cake. LLOYD: Hey, hey, happy birthday.

HERMAN: Oh, Mom, what a beautiful cake.

FRED: Celebrate with a great cake.

Hey, come on, Doc, make us a speech.

Happy Birthday, old buddy.

Come on, blow out the candles.

(knock at door)

I'll get it.

Mrs. Barker.

Last night, the old Corrigan place

down on 12th Street was broken into.

MA: Well, how would we know

anything about that?

Well, one of the neighbors

thinks he recognized your boy's voices.

Uh, wait here a minute, please, will you, officer?

Patrolman Hinckley says some stuff was swiped.

Well, for goodness sake, why tell us about it?

My boys didn't even leave the house last night.

Well, if you'll swear to that, Mrs. Barker,

I'll take your word for it.

After all, we're all members of the same congregation.

Why, of course.

I solemnly swear

that my four boys were all home last night.

We spent the evening looking at family photographs.

So help me God.

Folks, I'm sorry I disturbed you.

Happy birthday, Doc.

ALL: ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday, dear Arthur ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

(gunshots)

NARRATOR: Two nights after the party,

the Barker boys were caught looting another store.

Herman's life was the price they paid.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

"He leadeth me beside the still waters.

"He restoreth my soul.

"He leadeth me in paths of righteousness

"for his name's sake.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

"I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

"Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

"Thou preparest a table before me

"in the presence of mine enemies.

"Thou annointest my head with oil,

"my cup runneth over.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

"all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever."

I am the resurrection and the life.

He that believeth in me,

though he were dead, yet shall he live.

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me,

shall never die.

(whimpering)

(cries)

You let my boy rest!

You. You're the one that killed him.

That bullet in his heart,

the cops didn't put it there, you did.

He was a no-good bum.

I'm trying my best to feel grief and all I can feel is shame.

Print that in your newspaper.

George, shut your mouth!

Print about a man that always worked hard,

always tried to raise his boys proper

only she wouldn't let him.

In one minute, I'll smack your teeth in.

Kate.

Kate, they'll all end up like this if we don't stop them.

Fellas, what happened?

I wanted to be a good father, and be proud of you.

A guy's got a right to be proud of four sons.

I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you.

I mean this.

So help me, I mean this. I'll... I'll walk out.

I'll walk out on the bunch of you.

Unless there's a change.

From now on, there's gotta be a change.

You fellas, you... You're gonna get yourself respectable jobs

and toe the line.

Help me, Kate.

Right here, at poor Herman's grave...

(sniffs)

make them promise.

What, to turn into a bunch of spineless nobodies?

Okay, Kate.

Okay, boys.

(cries)

Mrs. Barker, I was a friend of Herman's.

And I...

You go away, you. You get away.

Where's your sense of decency?

Nobody asked you or anybody else

to come barging in on our family.

Leave us alone in our grief, you no-good, dirty little tramp!

(cries)

Take it easy, Ma.

Don't worry, Ma.

We'll get along without Pa.

Sure. Good riddance.

We're gonna be okay.

We'll be just jim-dandy.

Well, you see, nothing's gonna get this family down.

Not so long as we all stick together,

and keep on loving each other like the golden rule says.

Just me and my boys.

My fine, wonderful boys.

Outsiders not allowed!

Outsiders keep away, you hear?

Now.

Now it's just the four of us against the whole world.

ANNOUNCER: And now, back to The Untouchables.

NARRATOR: Ma Barker masterminded

her boys life of crime over the next few years.

Bank robberies were their specialty.

May I help you, ma'am?

Oh, thanks, uh, I just stopped in to get a $5 bill changed.

( dramatic theme playing)

Well, at least none of you are the worse for wear.

Which one killed the guard?

I did, Ma.

Why'd you have to?

Well, he blocked that side door.

I told you not to use that side door.

I drew a map especially.

You got panicky, didn't you?

Thou shalt not kill.

The Good Book says thou shalt not kill.

My boys never murdered anyone.

I'm sorry, Ma.

He didn't mean to Ma.

There's a seven-state alarm out, Ma.

We gotta find a hideout.

Help us. Please stick with us, Ma.

You know I'll stick.

Only you got to show some improvement.

I want my boys to be the best, you understand? The best.

No more blundering. No more falling down.

Now, here's how you should have done it.

Main Street here.

Bank here.

Now, if you'd come out the front way,

like we rehearsed it, quietly, not running,

cross the street, walk straight through that drugstore

to this door here,

which I carefully checked for you,

you would have been clean into the next block

long before that bank alarm went off.

Now, listen close.

The three of you's gotta think and act like you was one.

I want you to be smart and fast, and perfect.

Freddy, I want you always in the car with the motor running.

You're gonna wear sneakers, make things quicker, faster.

And the next time I draw a map, it's gonna be in code.

And you're all gonna memorize it.

We're gonna start moving fast and big.

And I want my boys prepared.

( dramatic theme playing)

NARRATOR: Starting in December, 1931,

the country was electrified by a series of amazing crimes.

A new gang was at work moving so swiftly over such wide areas

that federal and local agencies were baffled.

The bloody trail jumped from Oklahoma up to Minnesota,

then down to Kansas, up again to the Dakotas,

then over to Illinois with no clues.

Then one day a quiet, tired little man

walked into Eliot Ness' office in Chicago.

For seven years, Pa Barker had gone his own way:

decent, law-abiding.

Horrified, he had read about the growing crimes.

He knew who was behind them.

Friends had written him from St. Paul, Minnesota,

and had recognized the woman who rented the house

at 1274 South Robert Street.

Hundreds of false leads

poured into federal and other agencies.

This too, might be a wild goose chase.

But Eliot Ness couldn't afford to overlook any clue,

no matter how small.

At 1274 South Robert Street, St. Paul,

it was like old times.

The brothers were gathered

to celebrate Doc Barker's birthday.

Doc, I'm going to get your birthday present.

Lloyd, Freddy?

Where did Doc dig her up?

Oh, she works at one of the clubs here in St. Paul, Ma.

Yeah, she's a hatcheck girl, Ma.

Yeah. She looks like she's been around.

I knitted this for Doc's birthday.

It kept me busy the last time you were off on a job.

That's pretty, Ma. Yeah.

He knows we never ask outsiders to the family parties.

(girl giggling)

Now.

All right, you can take that back where you got it,

or else give it to another boyfriend.

DOC: Ma. I don't like her. She's cheap.

Don't ask me to like her. Ma, stop it.

Don't bring your easy pickups around here.

I don't want them brought into my house.

(doorbell buzzes)

He's holding something in his hand.

He could be a cop or a G-man.

Each of you go to the hiding places I picked. Quick.

Can we trust you? Sure, you can.

Well, I'll feed you the lines. You just play along.

Okay.

Mrs. Oliver? Uh, Olivier.

My husband was of French descent.

Yes, well, it's about the, uh...

The new bus line here, ma'am, on Robert Street.

I guess you read.

We're collecting 5000 names to keep the city council

from putting it through. Oh, uh-huh.

And I'm sure you wouldn't want a nice residential block spoiled.

No, of course not.

Uh, hey, where you going?

Oh, I'd like the rest of the family

to sign the petition, ma'am.

Oh, I'll get my daughter to sign it.

MA: Eloise?

Here's my daughter now. Just sign here, honey.

NESS: Nobody else? No, uh... No men folk?

Oh, no. We're all alone.

Well, I'm much obliged. Every little bit helps.

Boy, we sure fooled him, didn't we, Mrs. Barker?

Don't be stupid. Doc, Lloyd, Freddy?

Pack up your stuff. We're getting out of here.

That guy was snooping around for something.

How we fixed for gas, Freddy?

Tank's all filled, Ma. Oh, good.

What about me, Mrs. Barker?

Say goodbye to Doc and get the hell out.

What does she mean, "Get out," Doc?

I thought we were gonna get married.

Now, don't worry, honey. You'll hear from me.

I'll send for you.

It's the Barkers all right. Daughter, my foot.

Look how she spelled Olivier.

That doesn't prove the boys are hiding there.

I smelled cigar smoke in the dining room.

We better move fast.

Get over to police headquarters, and get local help.

I'll stay here and keep the house covered.

(engine starts)

Get a move on.

Let's go, Doc, honey.

Let's go.

(tires screech)

NARRATOR: After escaping Eliot Ness' trap,

the Barkers pulled off the largest kidnapping in history

up to that date.

Two hundred thousand dollars for a St. Paul millionaire.

Boys. Ma.

Hi, Ma. No complaints this time.

Oh! Oh, I'm so doggoned proud, I...

Well, I can't hardly talk.

(all laugh)

Hey, come on. Let's start the party.

Let's go. Ma, I got a real surprise

for you outside. Listen, watch that celebrating.

Early tomorrow we check out.

What?

Heat's on. Really on.

I got to rent us a hideout somewhere.

Where, Ma?

Oh, Florida maybe.

We better lie low for a couple of months.

Well, Florida's good for honeymooners, ain't it?

What does that remark mean, Arthur?

Now, you remember Eloise. I'm bringing her with me, Ma.

Yeah?

Doc, she don't belong with us.

But we're in love, Mrs. Barker.

Why, you no-good little... DOC: Ma!

You ain't got no call to make remarks like that.

Why, no girl would suit you. You want them handcuffed to you.

Why, you're jealous. Just jealous.

We're sticking together. No outsiders.

I warned you she'd toss a monkey wrench.

Elly.

Listen, you make up your mind right now, mama's boy.

Which one is it gonna be?

I'm pulling out, Ma. We're going to Chicago.

I've taking my fair share and vamoosing.

Don't be a sucker, baby.

Doc, you don't dare.

He's breaking out.

He's breaking out of Alcatraz.

Stick up for me, Doc.

I can't help what outsiders think.

They don't know.

Ever since you was little kids, you and your bothers,

so wild, so... So different.

You've needed my strength and willpower

to keep you out of trouble.

Doc, you mustn't walk away

from the strength I'm handing you.

When he was 6 years old, he had meningitis.

They said he couldn't live through the night.

You don't even remember.

I sat all night, squeezing your hand,

pressing the aliveness of me into you.

Doc, don't you listen to her.

I've had a lot of folks say I'm cold-blooded, without heart.

I guess I ain't shown much heart to most people.

It's because it's been so chock-full of the love

I got for you boys.

Doc. Doc!

(car doors slam)

Leave her and come to Florida with us.

Doc!

Doc, we swore at Herman's grave to stick together,

to love one another.

Doc.

( dramatic theme playing)

NARRATOR: While Ma Barker

and two of her boys were lying low in Florida,

the drama shifted to a rooming house

over a thousand miles away in Chicago.

The son who had broken away was also hiding out,

restless and frightened.

For weeks, Doc and Eloise had been hiding out

at 1187 State Street.

ELOISE: Doc, I'm hungry.

Who isn't hungry?

I haven't got any money.

You've got plenty of money.

Two bucks.

The ransom in the bureau drawer remained untouched.

But they needed money for groceries.

Ma wasn't there to do his thinking for him.

And for once, Doc was on his own.

And on his own, he pulled a boner.

Serial numbers of the bills from the St. Paul kidnapping

were listed with all merchants.

The owner of the grocery store in Chicago

where the bill was spent

contacted Eliot Ness' office.

Now, Ness had a lead.

One of the Barkers was in Chicago.

Step two: how to get to it?

Ness played a hunch that Pa Barker

could give them some family tip,

one that might pay off.

He sent his men to visit Pa Barker

at his garage in Joplin, Missouri.

Pa said that whenever the boys were away from home,

Ma always sent them a cake by mail.

Pa remembered that next week was Doc's birthday.

And Eliot Ness played a 3-to-1 shot

that it was Doc who had broken away from the gang.

Memo to U.S. postmasters,

all Chicago postal substations.

Personnel at General Delivery windows

are requested to observe closely

for a man calling for a small package

within next week or so,

answering to photo and description

of Arthur "Doc" Barker,

FBI fugitive flysheet K-7765

on display at your station.

Lloyd, honey.

The name is Clarence Tillman, isn't it?

What name, Ma?

The name Doc always uses in general delivery from Chicago.

Ma, what are you doing?

Now... Now, don't scold me.

Fred. Hey, Fred.

Yeah, Lloyd?

Look.

Ma, we asked you not to.

It's a crazy risk, Ma. Nobody knows we're in Florida.

I know. I... I just can't help it.

I... I can't sleep nights thinking of him

maybe pining away for a loving remembrance.

Ma, Doc ain't pining.

Him and that girl are waiting to live high, wide and handsome

on that extra dough they swiped from us.

Yeah, the lousy rat.

Don't you ever dare say that again as long as you live.

Okay, Ma. We know Doc is your favorite.

But you gotta face facts.

Lloyd and me, we don't trust Doc knowing this location, Ma.

What did you say?

Lloyd, Freddy, your brother would never let us down...

Ma, okay. You send it to him, but no return address.

I'll take it over to Gainesville.

Okay. I'm just gonna put in this picture postcard.

Now, no... No writing or anything.

Just... Just this picture.

"Greetings from Oklawaha, Florida."

No, Ma.

Leave it out, Ma.

I'm telling you, leave it out.

Okay.

NARRATOR: Eliot Ness' 3-to-1 shot

was beginning to pay off.

Doc had sent Eloise to the post office

to inquire about his cake,

which he always got from Ma on his birthday.

Well?

Well, what?

Are they holding a package?

For Tillman, somebody by the name of Tillman.

Yes or no?

Yes, it's there.

Doc, please.

Doc, be reasonable.

A blind man can spot you from that description.

Doc, please.

Doc, it's not worth it,

not for a lousy, stale birthday cake.

So it's your birthday. So what?

(door opens, closes)

You got a package for Tillman?

You fill out this form, please.

There you are.

I don't want none.

Oh, baby.

Eat it yourself. Choke on it.

Ever hear of a place called Oklawaha?

(gunshot)

(screams)

Happy birthday, Doc.

NARRATOR: The timetable was brief.

January 8th, 1935,

Doc Barker was picked up in Chicago.

January 16th, 1 p.m.

The Untouchables were ready for their final push

in tie battle of Oklawaha.

(machine-gun fire)

(gunshots)

Yeah, we'll rally around the flag, boys.

We'll rally once again.

(machine-gun fire)

(laughs)

They can't hit the side of a barn anymore.

They're plumb tuckered out.

We're too much for them.

(machine-gun fire)

We're the Barkers.

You'd better get out the Army, the Navy and the Marines...

What's the matter, Ma?

I thought I... I saw your brother, Doc, out there.

You're crazy, Ma.

Standing way off by those palm trees.

Look, if he's out here,

they'd have had to catch him in Chicago.

How else would he get here?

Now... Now, Ma... Ma, you're seeing things.

No. No, she's right. He is out there. I saw him too.

Ma.

He's the one that turned us in.

It had to be him.

Look, it... It had to be him that tipped them off

about this hideout.

Don't you think such dirty thoughts.

We're suckers.

I'm getting out of here. How about you?

Lloyd, you come back.

Now, you listen to me.

Doc would never rat on us. He loves us.

We're his own flesh and blood.

Now, quit being cowards.

I raised you boys to be brave, not cowards.

Stop him, Freddy.

(gunshots)

Lloyd, honey, try to understand.

We... We gotta stick together.

Nothing can happen if we just stick together.

Doc's back to help us.

We... We can't lose now, Lloyd.

(gunshots)

Lloyd.

(gunshots)

(machine-gun fire)

Now that we flew you down here, it's up to you.

We don't go in for needless bloodshed.

(machine-gun fire)

Hold up a minute!

Hey, Freddy. Come quick. Doc's joining us.

Doc.

Doc, you got away, you're back with us.

Oh, come inside quickly, my darling.

Come inside. We need you.

Ma, you don't stand a chance.

Oh, sure we do now that you're back with us.

Freddy. Doc escaped.

Imagine, he busted away from the feds

and he's here to help us.

Stand out of my way, Ma.

He's working for them now.

No, Fred, no.

Tell her.

Tell her how you sent them here.

No, it was that bank killing.

They said they'd reduce the charge on that if...

No!

You murderer.

Scum.

Well, make it a real good birthday present, Ma.

Give it to me in the back.

(machine-gun fire)

(gunshots)

(church hymnal music playing)

NARRATOR: One-twenty p.m.,

January 16th, 1935,

after more than six hours, the battle was over.

They found Ma Barker's body in the parlor.

The debris of the battle all around her.

They found Fred Barker nearby.

And in the sunroom was Lloyd barker.

The apron strings she had tied to them were finally untied

and the case of Ma Barker and her boys was at an end.

( dramatic theme playing)

( suspenseful theme playing)