edHelper.com
Crime and Terrorism


The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1


The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 7 to 9
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   7.69

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    kidnappings, files, mastermind, bootleggers, thompson, gamblers, proficient, heist, alias, further, photographic, petty, gangs, excel, gang, suspect
     content words:    Great Depression, Ma Barker, Edgar Hoover, Fred Barker, Alvin Karpis


Print The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1
edHelper.com subscriber options:
     Print The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)

     Quickly print reading comprehension

     Print a proofreading activity


Feedback on The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1
     Leave your feedback on The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1  (use this link if you found an error in the story)



The Barker-Karpis Gang, Part 1
By Mary Lynn Bushong
  

1     What do a grandmother, four petty criminals, and a criminal mastermind have in common? They formed the base of the Barker-Karpis gang, one of many that terrorized the Midwest during the Great Depression.
 
2     The grandmother of the gang, Kate "Ma" Barker, was born near Springfield, Missouri in 1872. Her four sons, Herman (died 1927), Lloyd (murdered by his wife in 1949 after being released from prison), Arthur "Doc" (died 1939), and Fred (died 1935), began their careers as petty criminals while still young.
 
3     In later accounts, Ma Barker was presented to the public by the FBI as a criminal mastermind who taught her sons to excel in the underworld trades. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to gang members, Ma was not an overly bright woman. It was only J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI, who painted her as a brilliant criminal and gang leader. In fact, many times when the "boys" were out committing their crimes, she was out watching a movie or sitting at home. She was there to care for her sons, and they liked having her there because she made them look more like an innocent family.

Paragraphs 4 to 10:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable


Copyright © 2008 edHelper