Clyde Barrow & a Triplelock

[lawandorder]

On Thursday the 26th of January 1933 at around 6:00PM, Springfield Missouri PD Motor Officer Thomas Persell noticed a suspicious Ford occupied by three people in the downtown area.

He followed it northbound on Benton Avenue, and on the far end of the viaduct he stopped the car. As Persell pulled up the driver exited the vehicle with a sawed off shotgun and took the Officer captive.

Persell was placed in the back seat of the auto after the driver removed his revolver. The kidnappers, two young men and a woman, took the Police Officer on a zig zagging 100 mile ride through the Ozarks of SW Missouri finally releasing him near Joplin. As they let him out Persell asked for his revolver back because there was an an abundance of firearms in the car. The driver replied that they might have a need for it.

A few weeks later, following a shootout at an Apartment in Joplin that left two Officers dead, authorities found among other things some undeveloped film of the Barrow gang. At least two poses prominently displayed Officer Persell's prized S&W Triple lock .44 Special with distinctive jig bone grips.One showed Bonnie Parker with a necktie tied around her waist with the TL and another revolver stuck in the make shift belt.

Another image showed Clyde posing in front of his car with several guns. Hanging from the radiator cap is the Triple lock stolen from Persell.

 

[SAFireman]

Tony,

I don't know how I missed this thread the first time around. Thanks for the history lesson

 

[les.b]

Theres another thread out there: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...96-triplelock-briefly-owned-bonnie-clyde.html

Best Regards, Les

 

[Absalom]

Sorry, missed this. Too long ago. Should have done a more thorough forum search before starting my new thread.

 

[rwt1405]

The knowledge and information available here is unbelievable!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[153]

I hope Officer Persell got his revolver back.

 

[lawandorder]

The Krag carbine on Clyde's left may be the only firearm aquired

..............in a legal manner by Barrow.

I have been reading and researching outlaw & Lawman history since I was old enough to read and quite a bit on the Barrows.

To the best of my knowledge this Krag may well be his only legal firearm. He supposedly traded a .22 Hi Power and $ 7.50 boot for this rifle in a trade with a fellow named Alva Hall in Waldron, Arkansas.

Waldron is located along U.S. Highway 71 which was one of the Barrow gangs primary travel routes.

On April 13th 1933 Law Enforcement Officers in Joplin Missouri raided a garage apartment at 3347 & 1/2 34th street thinking they would find suspects in a local Burglary. Well they did but it was the Barrow Gang. When Officers from MHP, Joplin PD and a Newton County Constable pulled up in the driveway a gun fight broke out that left JPD Detective Harry McGinnis, and Constable J. W. Harryman mortally wounded, and the Barrows on the run again.

The Krag carbine, other weapons, and personal items including two roles of undeveloped film were left behind in the apartment.

The images of the Barrows were some of the first ever circulated of them. They included the image above, and several others.

Thanks to the net there are numerous sites that provide anyone interested in this segment of history hours of reading.

One highly recommended Book about them is "On the trail of Bonnie & Clyde", by Winston Ramsey.