Vanessa Richardson

Given her slow slide into criminal activity, Catherine was likely experiencing the phenomenon of ego depletion. In psychological terms, the ego is the part of the personality that makes decisions. According to psychologists Roy Baumeister and Kathleen Voss, a person with a healthy ego will keep social norms front of mind when deciding on a course of action.

Given her slow slide into criminal activity, Catherine was likely experiencing the phenomenon of ego depletion. In psychological terms, the ego is the part of the personality that makes decisions. According to psychologists Roy Baumeister and Kathleen Voss, a person with a healthy ego will keep social norms front of mind when deciding on a course of action.

However, when a person lacks essential resources like time, money, or rest, the ego gets weaker until it ultimately depletes. By the mid-1920s, Catherine was exhausted, broke, and spending a lot of time with criminals. In other words, she was psychologically primed to begin her criminal career. Together, she and Barnett the gangster hatched a lucrative scheme.

However, when a person lacks essential resources like time, money, or rest, the ego gets weaker until it ultimately depletes. By the mid-1920s, Catherine was exhausted, broke, and spending a lot of time with criminals. In other words, she was psychologically primed to begin her criminal career. Together, she and Barnett the gangster hatched a lucrative scheme.

Catherine would lure unsuspecting victims, usually wealthy businessmen, with her charms and good looks. She'd invite them to join her somewhere private, like the nearby lake, for a late-night swim. Once they arrived, Catherine would disappear and Barnett would rob the mark at gunpoint. The scam ran flawlessly until Catherine got greedy and chose a target too close to home.

Catherine would lure unsuspecting victims, usually wealthy businessmen, with her charms and good looks. She'd invite them to join her somewhere private, like the nearby lake, for a late-night swim. Once they arrived, Catherine would disappear and Barnett would rob the mark at gunpoint. The scam ran flawlessly until Catherine got greedy and chose a target too close to home.

One of her neighbors was a woman named Bessie, and she made decent money as a stenographer. She also wore a diamond ring that Catherine fancied for herself. So, one night in June of 1925, Catherine invited Bessie to join her and Pauline for dinner and a drive. At some point when they were driving by the lake, Catherine pulled over, claiming to have tire trouble.

One of her neighbors was a woman named Bessie, and she made decent money as a stenographer. She also wore a diamond ring that Catherine fancied for herself. So, one night in June of 1925, Catherine invited Bessie to join her and Pauline for dinner and a drive. At some point when they were driving by the lake, Catherine pulled over, claiming to have tire trouble.

While Catherine checked the tire and Pauline dozed in the back seat, two men leapt from the bushes and robbed Bessie. They took everything she had, including her diamond. The plan had been a complete success, or at least that's what it seemed like at first. But then Bessie realized that she recognized one of her assailants. She'd seen Barnett hanging around Katherine's room quite a lot.

While Catherine checked the tire and Pauline dozed in the back seat, two men leapt from the bushes and robbed Bessie. They took everything she had, including her diamond. The plan had been a complete success, or at least that's what it seemed like at first. But then Bessie realized that she recognized one of her assailants. She'd seen Barnett hanging around Katherine's room quite a lot.

Then, when she reported the robbery to the police, she learned she wasn't the only one who'd told them a similar story. It turned out a previous Mark had filed a report almost identical to hers. It didn't take long for investigators to put things together, and Catherine and Barnett were arrested for the robberies.

Then, when she reported the robbery to the police, she learned she wasn't the only one who'd told them a similar story. It turned out a previous Mark had filed a report almost identical to hers. It didn't take long for investigators to put things together, and Catherine and Barnett were arrested for the robberies.

For the first time in her life, Catherine was about to face consequences for wanting more than she had. She was about to learn a steep lesson, but not the one the authorities were trying to teach. In June of 1925, 21-year-old Catherine Kelly was arrested for the first time. She and her partner in crime, J.E. Barnett, were charged with at least two counts of robbery.

For the first time in her life, Catherine was about to face consequences for wanting more than she had. She was about to learn a steep lesson, but not the one the authorities were trying to teach. In June of 1925, 21-year-old Catherine Kelly was arrested for the first time. She and her partner in crime, J.E. Barnett, were charged with at least two counts of robbery.

The evidence against Catherine was particularly overwhelming. Not only was she linked to both crimes, she'd been identified by her own neighbor, so her conviction was swift. But for some reason, that decision was thrown out on appeal. After this close call with justice, Catherine decided it was time to get out of the city.

The evidence against Catherine was particularly overwhelming. Not only was she linked to both crimes, she'd been identified by her own neighbor, so her conviction was swift. But for some reason, that decision was thrown out on appeal. After this close call with justice, Catherine decided it was time to get out of the city.

So she and her six-year-old daughter Pauline packed up their bags and returned to Coleman, Texas. But that wasn't their last stop. By that stage, Catherine's mother Ora was engaged to a wealthy rancher named Robert Boss Shannon. He owned a farm in Paradise, a town over 100 miles north of Fort Worth. and he was doing a lot more than raising cattle and growing crops.

So she and her six-year-old daughter Pauline packed up their bags and returned to Coleman, Texas. But that wasn't their last stop. By that stage, Catherine's mother Ora was engaged to a wealthy rancher named Robert Boss Shannon. He owned a farm in Paradise, a town over 100 miles north of Fort Worth. and he was doing a lot more than raising cattle and growing crops.

In the era of Prohibition, bootlegging was the criminal enterprise. Miles away from nosy neighbors and the authorities, a farm was the ideal base of operations. Boss made a killing manufacturing illicit liquor on his isolated property and was eager to have both Ora and Catherine to join the family venture.

In the era of Prohibition, bootlegging was the criminal enterprise. Miles away from nosy neighbors and the authorities, a farm was the ideal base of operations. Boss made a killing manufacturing illicit liquor on his isolated property and was eager to have both Ora and Catherine to join the family venture.