George W. Barrett

Who is George W. Barrett?

George W. Barrett, also called Diamond King, was the first person sentenced to death by hanging under a congressional act that made it a capital offense to kill a federal agent. On December 7, 1935 he was convicted of first degree murder in the death of special agent Nelson B. Klein by a Federal court jury. He was 55 years old at the time of death.

Barrett had worked as a streetcar conductor in Cincinnati before the murder. He came to the attention of the FBI because he was wanted for car theft and interstate transportation of vehicles. FBI agents Nelson B. Klein and Donald McGovern had tracked Barrett to West College Corner, Indiana when Barrett barricaded himself in a garage and began to shoot, injuring Klein. The mortally wounded Klein fired back, hitting Barrett in both legs. Shortly thereafter, the local police arrived, and Barrett was taken to a local hospital and treated for his wounds. After several days he was released, and then taken to Indianapolis where he was tried and convicted of the murder of a federal agent.