Religion: indeterminate
Name: Barney
Classification:
villain
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: Superman (vol. 1) #3 (Winter 1939): "Superman and the Jewel Smugglers"
Creators: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Number of Appearances: 1
Enemy of: Superman
Ally: Lew Frawley
Occupation: smuggler
Gender: male
Barney worked with jewel smuggler Lew Frawley, although in precisely what capacity is not entirely clear. Barney may have been an "inside man" who supplied Frawley and his gang with information. But this is just conjecture.
Barney was never actually seen on-panel. His name was signed to a letter that Lois Lane surreptitiously lifted from Lew Frawley's pocket while dancing with him. Lois Lane read Barney's signed note, which read: "Jewel shipment coming in this evening." Lois planned to use this information to further investigate her news story. Unfortunately for her, Lew Frawley's henchmen observed her swiping the note. After he danced with Lois, his men told Lew what she had done. The three smugglers then kidnapped Lois Lane and Clark Kent, intending on killing them.
There is no particular reason to believe that Barney was as cold-blooded as Lew Frawley, but clearly Barney was engaged in criminal behavior alongside villainous companions.
Superman (vol. 1) #3 (Winter 1939): "Superman and the Jewel Smugglers" (name seen in illustration (or on screen))
Suggested links for further research about this character:
- https://www.comics.org/issue/592/
- http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=44191