DEXFIELD PARK TODAY


Photo depicts Dexfield Park in recent years.





Aerial view of Barrow Gang Camp






Badly wounded, W.D. Jones, Bonnie and Clyde crossed the Raccoon River and happened
upon the Feller family farmhouse where they ordered young Marvelle Feller to assist them.


above still from Warner Bros. "Bonnie and Clyde"





Marvelle Feller

Marvelle Feller, (son of Farmer, Vallee Feller) was present when Bonnie & Clyde made their getaway in his father's car.






WALTER SPILLERS

Feller's neighbor, Walter Spillers had (at gunpoint) assisted the fleeing outlaws.

(Walter Spillers name (spelling) and car's actual owner is incorrect in the above label.)






TOWN MARSHALL JOHN LOVE


John Love, who ran a shoe business, first came across Barrow unknowingly,
when the outlaw entered his business in search of new shoes. Love was great at
"sizing up" the new customer when it came to shoes, not when he looked at the small
man who entered his shop that day. Barrow left with a couple of pairs of socks
and a pair of expensive four-eyelet Oxfords. Something about Love caught Clyde's
eye and after giving the shopkeeper a strange look, he left in a hurry with his
purchase. Love was confused as to why his customer eyed him up the way he did
before rushing out. He went to look at himself in the mirror, which revealed the
shiny badge that he had pinned to his shirt pocket. John Love wasn't as good at
sizing up his new customer, as he was, sizing up the man for his new shoes!







DEXTER, IOWA BUSINESSES IN 1933

Those highlighted below were visited by Clyde Barrow







March 1906


POHLE'S DRUG STORE

When the Barrow gang first arrived, the badly injured fugitives had required
clean bandages, ointments and sedatives! It was at the Pohle's Pharmacy, later
"Weesner Pharmacy" that Clyde was able to replenish their supplies.

Edwin Brainard Pohle



Dr. Pohle's wife, Minnie, seen on right in above vintage postcard had waited on Clyde.



THE WEESNER PHARMACY


Hideout collection items

Robert Preston Weesner


Marjorie Faye McKenzie Weesner





"BLOHM'S MEAT MARKET & GROCERY"

Blohm's Meat Market was founded by German businessman George A. Blohm.


Clyde would go daily into Dexter, Iowa, to Blohm's Meat Market for provisions, which included
large blocks of ice to keep the food cold. One of the Blohm's (likely 32 year old Edwin) would
then carry the ice out to his customer's car and then prop it onto the car's front bumper.


Stanley & Son Drug Store was another stop for Barrow. Both Blohm's and Stanley's were on Marshall St.
J.G. came to Dexter in 1869 and purchased Hunter Brother's Drug Store. Later, his son, William had taken it over.


An early bottle from Stanley's Drug Store





"RACCOON RIVER"

Photo courtesy of Brad S.
Photo above, shows the Raccoon River, where the wounded Clyde, Bonnie
and W.D. Jones had crossed to escape the wrath of the Iowa lawmen.





"RECOVERED ITEMS"
Among the many items recovered, were this flashlight and the bandages discarded by the Barrow gang.
One of the bloody bandages local farmer Ed Penn had come across while hunting blackberries in the woods.

click here for another image

John Dillinger Historical Society




On Tuesday afternoon, July 18, 1933, the Barrow gang robbed a mailbox in Yale, Iowa belonging to Ray N. White.
A copy of "The Country Gentleman" belonging to Mr. White was one of the items lifted from his rural mailbox.
On Wednesday night, July 19, 1933 officers attempted to arrest the gang at the Red Crown cabins near Platte City.
On Thursday morning, July 20, 1933 the gang was seen at Caledonia, Iowa and their abandoned camp was found.
Along with some bloody, half burnt clothing was the magazine that was taken from Mr. White's mailbox two days
earlier. One member of the Barrow gang had utilized that issue of "The Country Gentleman" magazine by placing
it on the ground, in order to to sit on while camping out on the grassy field. It was later recovered by the laws.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 21, 22, and 23, the gang was in Dexfield, Iowa and was camping out there.




STASHED LOOT AT DEXFIELD PARK?

Dexfield Park is but one of several places suspected of harboring stolen loot thought buried by the Barrow Gang.
Metal detectors already graced the area around Dexfield Park, only to recover small items, such as bullet casings.
Dan Deming had heard rumors about buried treasure on his central Wisconsin farm (not related to Barrow loot)
While tearing down a 100 year old shed, he unearthed Depression era cash (photo below) rotting away in a metal box!

AP Photo/Terri Deming




BACK TO THE DEXTER PAGE