George Francis Barnes Jr. (July 18, 1895 – July 18, 1954), better known as "Machine Gun Kelly", was an Irish American Gangster during the prohibition era.His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thompson submachine Gun. His most infamous crime was the kidnapping of oil in July 1933 for which he, and his gang, collected a $200,000 ransom. Their victim had collected and left considerable evidence that assisted the FBI investigation that eventually led to Kelly's arrest in MemphisTennesee, on September 26, 1933. His crimes also included Bootlegging and ArmedRobbery.