Hamilton-Walters robbery

THE 1938 HAMILTON-WALTERS ROBBERY In January of 1938, Floyd Hamilton and his sister-in-law's husband, Jess Keathley set out to travel to Wichita Falls, Texas to seek out a job there with a construction company. Floyd's old friend Bill Cobb showed up with a fellow by the name of Ted Walters. This was the first time that Floyd and Ted became acquainted. The two began a serious criminal career as Public Enemies #1 and #2. It has often been stated that Ted Walters had been associated with Bonnie and Clyde, but that is not true.
1938 Coca~Cola delivery truck

Coca~Cola, it's slogans and logos are the
registered trademarks of the Coca~Cola Company

1938 SLOGAN "The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had"
1938 Coca~Cola Plant

COCA~COLA BOTTLING PLANT NASHVILLE, ARKANSAS ROBBED BY HAMILTON & WALTERS

On August 12th 1938, four years after the ambush of his former
partners in crime Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, Floyd Hamilton
along with Huron "Terrible Ted" Walters, walked into the Coca~Cola Bottling
Plant in Nashville, Arkansas (photo below) and robbed their office
at gunpoint under the noses of the workers.

A Call Goes Out To "Old Boston"

 
The Coca~Cola robbery was reputed to be the last
robbery to have been committed by former Barrow
gang member Floyd Hamilton.

His accomplice Ted Walters, was to be killed 33
years later by a Texas Ranger near Dallas, Texas.

The following article was originally submitted
by Ramon Wilson, to a book on the history of
Howard County entitled, "Howard County Heritage".

 
According to a Nashville News article, among the `defining moments"
in the bottling company's history, was the Aug. 12, 1938, robbery of
the bottling plant, when during a crime spree from Chicago to Dallas,
Floyd Hamilton, former driver and gunman for the legendary Bonnie and
Clyde gang, and Ted Walters made their way to Main Street in Nashville.
When their plans to rob First National Bank were unsuccessful, the pair
then decided to hit the local bottling plant. Water superintendent H.B.
Carruth and bottling company founder Forrest Wilson were in the plant's
office discussing a scout project when the two criminals pulled guns.
Hamilton held a gun to Wilson's head and ordered him to open up the safe.
Delivery trucks had not returned to the plant yet, so the robbers were
only able to get $64 in cash - minus the checks that the bottler had
convinced the pair to allow him to remove.
According to Wilson "They almost got them in Allene," Ramon had seen
an article about Hamilton and decided to visit him in Dallas. Wilson
said his father, who had heard the story from his father, had gotten
a unique perspective on the robbery from Hamilton's viewpoint.

World War II was another defining moment for the bottling company.
There was little sugar for use in making syrup for soft drinks plus
employees including Ramon Wilson and his brother, Ralph, were away at
war. Ramon, a Marine, fought at Iowa Jima, and Ralph was a navigator
in the Army Air Corps.

Click on plate to continue

Floyd Hamilton years later

HAMILTON 1938 CASE REPORT

HAMILTON HUNTSVILLE PRISON PRINTS

HAMILTON DALLAS COUNTY JAIL PRINTS

HAMILTON & WALTERS DO TIME

The April 13, 1943 Escape Attempt from Alcatraz Island Floyd Hamilton, Fred Hunter, Harold Brest and James Boarman

HAMILTON'S ESCAPE ATTEMPT FROM ALCATRAZ
ESCAPE ATTEMPT FROM ALCATRAZ CONTINUED

The Escape Flotation Device As stated by Floyd Hamilton

As part of their escape plan, Floyd Hamilton and the other cons with him built floatation devices - makeshift "surfboards". They created surfboards out of layered wood, which they painted to match the color of the bay water. They stole "breathing" tubes from the infirmary, which protruded through the top of the boards. They attached wire handles to the bottom and even fashioned "imitation seagulls" from the white lining of Navy raincoats and even painted them. Their plan was to remain underwater until safely away. The surfboards would be virtually invisible to the tower guards. They also attached makeshift paddles to help get them to the mainland. There was also a 3" space between the wood layers that held a dry change of clothes. Things didn't go quite as planned and the escape surfboards were abandoned. They floated away, never detected or recovered.

Cool article on a similar "float" below
click on image

Oddly enough, James Bond had used a similar devise in the 1964 hit "Goldfinger"

above stills from the 1964 film "Goldfinger

FLOYD HAMILTON'S ALCATRAZ MUG CARD

HAMILTON BROTHERS HARRISON STREET ESCAPE

COCA~COLA PLANT ROBBED BY RAYMOND HAMILTON & GENE O'DARE
Raymond Hamilton and partner in crime Gene O’Dare participated in the robbery of the Athens, Texas Coca~Cola plant in the summer of 1931. O’Dare was convicted and given five years for the Coca Cola plant robbery.

RETURN TO RAYMOND HAMILTON