The Platte City, Missouri Shootout

Five days later, on June 15, 1933, the Barrow Gang arrived at the Twin Cities Tourist Camp in Fort Smith, Arkansas. At this time, Bonnie was in very bad condition and experiencing severe pain. There was serious doubt that she would survive at all! Buck and Blanche joined them in Fort Smith. Clyde spent much of his time with Bonnie, taking care of her.

On June 23, 1933, Buck and W.D. robbed the R.L. Brown Grocery Market in Fayetteville. While returning to Fort Smith on Highway 71, north of Alma, Arkansas, they met Alma Marshal Henry D. Humphrey and Crawford County Deputy Ansel “Red” Salyers. The ensuing gun battle left Marshal Humphrey with a fatal chest wound; he died three days later.

Once again, the Barrow Gang had to run in spite of Bonnie’s grave physical condition.

On July 7, 1933, the gang was in Enid, Oklahoma, where they stole a small arsenal from a National Guard Armory.

On July 18, 1933, a lady entered the rental office of the Red Crown Tourist Court, located south of Platte City, Missouri and rented two units, supposedly for three tenants. She paid the bill in coins! She was Blanche Barrow. The owner of the Red Crown, Neal Houser, became suspicious when he saw five persons get out of the car, instead of three. In addition, Blanche ordered five meals with drinks later in the evening and again, paid with coins. Houser also noticed the next day that the windows had all been taped over with newspaper and the car had been backed into the garage, to accommodate a quick getaway. It appeared that the Barrow Gang was once again calling attention to itself!

Clyde and W.D. went into town to shop for bandages and atropine sulfate to treat Bonnie’s burns. The druggist had already been advised by law enforcement that the Barrow Gang would be shopping for those items; he notified Sheriff Holt Coffey.

Sheriff Coffey contacted Captain William Baxter of the Missouri Highway Patrol, who in turn, requested reinforcements from Kansas City and an armored car. At 11 p.m. on the night of July 19, 1933, Sheriff Coffey led a group of officers with Thompson Machine Guns against the Barrow Gang. The gunfight that followed clearly showed Clyde’s ability with a BAR. The Thompsons were no match for the BARs. At one point, a bullet struck the horn assembly of the armored car, shorting out the horn system, causing it to sound. The lawmen took this to be a signal to stop firing. Once again, the Barrow Gang escaped the law, but it was very costly! Buck had received a huge bullet wound to the side of his head. Blanche had gotten shattered glass in her eyes during the shootout. She would eventually lose her left eye as a result.

The Dexter, Iowa Shootout

On July 24, 1933, the gang was camped at Dexfield Park near Dexter, Iowa. Buck’s head wound was so obviously fatal that Clyde and W.D. dug a grave for him. Passersby spotted the bloody bandages worn by Clyde and W.D. and called the authorities.

Local law enforcement officers determined that they were the Barrow Gang. They approached them with about a hundred citizens and another heated gunfight followed. Clyde, Bonnie and W.D. managed to escape on foot, while Blanche wouldn’t leave Buck, who had just received another bad wound in the back. The police captured Blanche and Buck. Five days after his capture, Buck died in the Kings Daughters Hospital in Perry, Iowa.