The Kidnapping That Ended With One Oilman Outsmarting Machine Gun Kelly

On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Urschel had money, influence, and a target on his back. When Machine Gun Kelly broke into his home and took him hostage, it seemed like just another high-profile crime in a lawless era.

But Urschel didn’t panic. Instead, he took mental notes, tracking every moment, every voice, every clue. His memory became the FBI’s secret weapon and helped lead to one of the first major takedowns of America’s new wave of gangsters.

With insight from Joe Urschel and Dr. T. Lindsey Baker, this is the story of how a businessman played a crucial role in bringing down one of the most infamous criminals of the 1930s.

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