Gangsters Alerted to Raids
The Barker-Karpis gang’s lack of a phone meant Harry Sawyer had to send his wife Gladys to alert the gang about the police raid. While Gladys was inside the building warning the Barkers and Karpis, another gang member arrived. The gang’s associate, robber Jess Doyle, arrived at 1290 that evening, spotting the police officers as he sauntered nonchalantly by the officers waiting to begin the raid. Doyle casually packed his suitcases and walked right out the front door past the police. The police, knowing Gladys Sawyer was in the apartment warning the gang, indifferently waited until everyone evacuated to start the raid. The public saw police “cracking down” on crime by raiding 1290. The St. Paul police kept their word and avoided actually doing anything, even with criminals nearly in hand. And the FBI saw St. Paul being tough on crime.