Raymond Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Raymond Hamilton was a member of the notorious Barrow Gang
during the early 1930s. By the time he was 21 years old he had accumulated a prison
sentence of 362 years.
and raised in Dallas, Texas
, where he received his minor public education. He met Clyde Barrow who lived in the same neighborhood as Hamilton when both men were youths, and later he would join the "Barrow Gang". Hamilton participated in the killing of Deputy Sheriff Eugene C. Moore when Moore and Sheriff Charlie Maxwell became suspicious of the men at an outdoor country dance in Stringtown, Oklahoma
. Sheriff Maxwell also sustained six gunshot wounds in the exchange, but survived. It was Barrow's and Hamilton's first murder of a police officer.
Hamilton's presence in the group was often problematic, with Clyde Barrow and other members of the gang commonly referring to his girlfriend Mary O'Dare as "the washerwoman." When Hamilton was imprisoned at the Eastham prison farm north of Huntsville, Texas
, Bonnie and Clyde raided the farm to free him and four other prisoners on January 16, 1934.. One of the other escapees, Joe Palmer, killed a guard and caused a series of events which led to Texas Prison System chief Lee Simmons to issue a shoot to kill order against Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. Simmons hired Texas Ranger
Frank Hamer
, who formed a six man posse in order to execute this order. Hamilton left the Barrow Gang after a fight about O'Dare and was recaptured on April 25, 1934. He was in prison when Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed and killed by Hamer's posse on May 23, 1934.
. Hamilton walked calmly and firmly to the chair and seated himself with the words "Well, goodbye all." He was preceded to the electric chair
by Joe Palmer. Although he had been involved in several murders, Hamilton's execution was not warranted by a specific murder, but rather by a statute on the Texas books at the time that made being a "habitual criminal" a capital offense.
Raymond Hamilton never publicly admitted killing anyone, although to his brother, Floyd, he admitted that in the case of the killing of Undersheriff Eugene Moore (August 5, 1932, Stringtown, Oklahoma) he was not so sure. "Clyde and I were both shooting," Raymond told Floyd. "It could have been either one of us. Or both." Raymond Hamilton was convicted of the murder of John Bucher of Hillsboro, though he had nothing to do with it. The actual killer was Ted Rogers. Clyde Barrow and Johnny Russell (not to be confused with "Uncle Bud" Russell) were accomplices. The latter was present, along with Fults, when Rogers admitted to killing Bucher, adding that if Hamilton got the death penalty he would come forward and clear Hamilton. Hamilton received 99 years and Rogers never went public. Hamilton was eventually executed (May 10, 1935) as a habitual criminal, a capital crime at the time. All of this information is found in "Running with Bonnie and Clyde, the Ten Fast Years of Ralph Fults", by John Neal Phillips. Other bits and pieces are augmented in the book, "My Life with Bonnie and Clyde", by Blanche Caldwell Barrow, edited by John Neal Phillips.
Barrow Gang
The Barrow Gang was an American criminal organization of the 1930s active between 1932 and 1934. They were well known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who as a gang traveled the Central United States during the Great Depression. Their exploits were known nationwide...
during the early 1930s. By the time he was 21 years old he had accumulated a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
sentence of 362 years.
The Barrow Gang
Little is known about Hamilton's childhood. He was born in OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and raised in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, where he received his minor public education. He met Clyde Barrow who lived in the same neighborhood as Hamilton when both men were youths, and later he would join the "Barrow Gang". Hamilton participated in the killing of Deputy Sheriff Eugene C. Moore when Moore and Sheriff Charlie Maxwell became suspicious of the men at an outdoor country dance in Stringtown, Oklahoma
Stringtown, Oklahoma
Stringtown is a town in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 396 at the 2000 census. It is the second largest town in Atoka County.-Geography:Stringtown is located at ....
. Sheriff Maxwell also sustained six gunshot wounds in the exchange, but survived. It was Barrow's and Hamilton's first murder of a police officer.
Hamilton's presence in the group was often problematic, with Clyde Barrow and other members of the gang commonly referring to his girlfriend Mary O'Dare as "the washerwoman." When Hamilton was imprisoned at the Eastham prison farm north of Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,508 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area....
, Bonnie and Clyde raided the farm to free him and four other prisoners on January 16, 1934.. One of the other escapees, Joe Palmer, killed a guard and caused a series of events which led to Texas Prison System chief Lee Simmons to issue a shoot to kill order against Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. Simmons hired Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
Frank Hamer
Frank Hamer
Francis Augustus Hamer was a Texas Ranger, known in popular culture for his involvement in tracking down and killing the criminal duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in 1934...
, who formed a six man posse in order to execute this order. Hamilton left the Barrow Gang after a fight about O'Dare and was recaptured on April 25, 1934. He was in prison when Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed and killed by Hamer's posse on May 23, 1934.
Death
Hamilton was executed on May 10, 1935 at the Texas State Penitentiary, Huntsville, Texas, by electric chairElectric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
. Hamilton walked calmly and firmly to the chair and seated himself with the words "Well, goodbye all." He was preceded to the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
by Joe Palmer. Although he had been involved in several murders, Hamilton's execution was not warranted by a specific murder, but rather by a statute on the Texas books at the time that made being a "habitual criminal" a capital offense.
Raymond Hamilton never publicly admitted killing anyone, although to his brother, Floyd, he admitted that in the case of the killing of Undersheriff Eugene Moore (August 5, 1932, Stringtown, Oklahoma) he was not so sure. "Clyde and I were both shooting," Raymond told Floyd. "It could have been either one of us. Or both." Raymond Hamilton was convicted of the murder of John Bucher of Hillsboro, though he had nothing to do with it. The actual killer was Ted Rogers. Clyde Barrow and Johnny Russell (not to be confused with "Uncle Bud" Russell) were accomplices. The latter was present, along with Fults, when Rogers admitted to killing Bucher, adding that if Hamilton got the death penalty he would come forward and clear Hamilton. Hamilton received 99 years and Rogers never went public. Hamilton was eventually executed (May 10, 1935) as a habitual criminal, a capital crime at the time. All of this information is found in "Running with Bonnie and Clyde, the Ten Fast Years of Ralph Fults", by John Neal Phillips. Other bits and pieces are augmented in the book, "My Life with Bonnie and Clyde", by Blanche Caldwell Barrow, edited by John Neal Phillips.