Government Special Agent. Nelson B. Klein was a special agent of the Justice Department in the days before the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was killed in a shoot-out with a criminal, George W. Barrett. Klein and his partner, Donald McGovern, were investigating of a ring of car thieves, who were taking cars out of state for resale. In particular they were watching George Barrett. The hub of the particular stolen car ring that Klein and McGovern were tracking was West College Corner, Indiana, just across the Indiana-Ohio border near Oxford, Ohio. On August 16, 1935, Klein and McGovern were in West College Corner encountered Barrett and there was an exchange of gunfire. Klein was mortally wounded but managed to return fire and hit Barrett, striking him in the legs. Klein died on the scene shortly after the gun battle. Barrett was arrested and held for trial. The trial drew national attention. In 1934, federal law was enacted making it a capital offense to kill a federal agent and carrying a mandatory death sentence by hanging if convicted. Klein was the first federal agent to have been killed in the line of duty after that law went into effect. Barrett was convicted in federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana and executed by hanging on March 24, 1936. Klein's death left a wife and three children.
In the Summer 2008, the marker for Special Agent Klein was restored. The marker had toppled over and was lying flat on the ground. Through the generosity and efforts of the Cincinnati Chapter of Former Special Agents, the marker was righted and repaired. After determining no other family members were buried in the plot, a new inscription was etched into the stone marking the heroic ultimate sacrifice of SA Klein.
In the Summer 2008, the marker for Special Agent Klein was restored. The marker had toppled over and was lying flat on the ground. Through the generosity and efforts of the Cincinnati Chapter of Former Special Agents, the marker was righted and repaired. After determining no other family members were buried in the plot, a new inscription was etched into the stone marking the heroic ultimate sacrifice of SA Klein.
Government Special Agent. Nelson B. Klein was a special agent of the Justice Department in the days before the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was killed in a shoot-out with a criminal, George W. Barrett. Klein and his partner, Donald McGovern, were investigating of a ring of car thieves, who were taking cars out of state for resale. In particular they were watching George Barrett. The hub of the particular stolen car ring that Klein and McGovern were tracking was West College Corner, Indiana, just across the Indiana-Ohio border near Oxford, Ohio. On August 16, 1935, Klein and McGovern were in West College Corner encountered Barrett and there was an exchange of gunfire. Klein was mortally wounded but managed to return fire and hit Barrett, striking him in the legs. Klein died on the scene shortly after the gun battle. Barrett was arrested and held for trial. The trial drew national attention. In 1934, federal law was enacted making it a capital offense to kill a federal agent and carrying a mandatory death sentence by hanging if convicted. Klein was the first federal agent to have been killed in the line of duty after that law went into effect. Barrett was convicted in federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana and executed by hanging on March 24, 1936. Klein's death left a wife and three children.
In the Summer 2008, the marker for Special Agent Klein was restored. The marker had toppled over and was lying flat on the ground. Through the generosity and efforts of the Cincinnati Chapter of Former Special Agents, the marker was righted and repaired. After determining no other family members were buried in the plot, a new inscription was etched into the stone marking the heroic ultimate sacrifice of SA Klein.
In the Summer 2008, the marker for Special Agent Klein was restored. The marker had toppled over and was lying flat on the ground. Through the generosity and efforts of the Cincinnati Chapter of Former Special Agents, the marker was righted and repaired. After determining no other family members were buried in the plot, a new inscription was etched into the stone marking the heroic ultimate sacrifice of SA Klein.
