Newly uncovered documents reveal that the old Anna Maria jail briefly housed Kate “Ma” Barker, killed by the FBI in 1935 in Ocklawaha.
Barker, alleged to be the matriarch of the Barker-Karpis criminal gang during the “Public Enemy” era in the 1930s, was housed overnight in the jail on a drunk-and-disorderly charge, according to documents uncovered as the Anna Maria Island Historical Society continues to digitize newspapers and other materials donated by island families.
“A melee on Pine Avenue in the town of Anna Maria ended with peacekeepers locking up Kate Barker, George Barker and Donald “Pinky” Adams in the Anna Maria City Jail,” reads a Bradenton Herald clipping found in the historical society archives. “They were held overnight, until they apologized for their crimes and slept off their intoxication.”
The clipping is dated April 1, 1931.
The city jail was built for the purposes of just such a detention. In 1927, Anna Maria Mayor Mitch Davis had the jail built to lock up rowdy people who disturbed the quiet near a Spring Avenue tavern and dance hall.
The historical society maintains that “with only bars on the windows, prisoners were exposed to clouds of ferocious mosquitoes during their stay. No one wanted to spend more than one night in jail and the dance hall crowd quickly quieted down.”
During the Great Depression, the jail fell out of use and, in the 1940s, a fire damaged the structure, leaving only the concrete walls.
At the time of Barker’s detention, the jail was not celebrated for “No roofs. No Doors” or as a tourist attraction.
Island newspaper publisher Harry Varley painted the jail with catchy slogans after convincing town officials to leave the concrete shell.
By then, Barker had died in the shootout with the FBI.
At the time of her death at age 61 in 1935, she was described by J. Edgar Hoover as “the most vicious, dangerous and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade.” The press reported that Barker was found with a Tommy gun in her hand.
However, Barker’s role and criminal exploits with her sons has long been questioned and those who knew her said she played no criminal role in the gang.
The historical society board plans to develop an exhibit based on the jail and its infamous occupant, possibly in connection with the caretakers of the Bradford-Ma Barker house in the Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area in Marion County, where Barker died in that longest gun battle in FBI history.
“We’re more than interested in this new piece of history,” the caretakers said in a press statement. “Furthermore, happy April Fools’ Day.
“Let’s say that one more time for the record: Happy April Fools’ Day.”