Following several successful heists, the Wild Bunch reunited in Fort Worth, Texas for a little R&R and to “lay low” with more than $32,000 in gold coins. In 1900 Fort Worth had nearly 27,000 people and two busy train stations making it an easy place to slip into town without being noticed. At the time Harvy Logan had the biggest reputation, being wanted for murder, armed robbery and jailbreaks in no fewer than seven Western states and territories. The Wild Bunch felt safe on the streets of Fort Worth nearly 1,600 miles from the scene of their latest crime. So much so that Will Carver married Callie May Hunt in early December.
About November 23, 1900, Motley men dressed up to have their portrait taken at John Swartz’s Gallery located at 705 ½ Main. The 700 block was on the edge of Hell’s Half Acre, an area of cheap saloons and bawdy houses; the ½ of the address indicates it was upstairs.
Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch are from left to right; Harry Longabaugh (alias Sundance Kid), Ben Kilpatrick, Butch Cassidy. Standing, left to right: Will Carver, Harvey Logan (alias Kid Curry).
The photographer was so impressed by his portrait of the five strangers that he made the fateful decision to display a copy in a prominent place in his waiting room. This pictures would later become the most famous photographs in Western history.
Ironically, the local law enforcement had contracted with this photography studio to take mug shots of individuals incarcerated in an effort to keep a record of every perpetrator booked in town. Offenders would be brought to the studio and then escorted back to jail after getting a professional mugshot taken. Charles R. Scott, a 21 year veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department was the first to recognize the importance of the photo. Scott was on a mugshot run with an inmate when he caught sight of the Wild Bunch photo on display in the waiting room. Scott had once boasted to a newspaper reporter “There is not a thief or smooth man in the country who can drop in here (Fort Worth) without being spotted at once.” Upon seeing the picture, Scott recognized the two men standing in the picture – Harvey Logan (Kid Curry) and Will Carver. He then notified the Pinkerton Agency who later said this was their “first real break.” The Pinkerton Agency now had current quality photographs of these outlaws that they were able to spread nationwide in an attempt to apprehend the Wild Bunch Gang.
Front row: Harry A Longabaugh (AKA Sundance Kid), Ben Kilpatrick (AKA the Tall Texan), Robert Leroy Parker (AKA Butch Cassidy).
Standing: Will Carver & Harvey Logan (AKA Kid Curry)
History Moment 18 of 20
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