Volume 17 , Issue 38

Butch Cassidy Gave Harry Tracy His 1st Lessons In Crime (1902)

It was in The Inter Ocean, newspaper out of Chicago, Illinois, dated 10 August 1902, Sunday, page 35, that we found this research on "Butch Cassidy, who gave (Harry) Tracy his first lessons in crime."

Found on Newspapers.com

Butch Cassidy, one of the most notorious bandits in the West, is suspected of having planned the C. B. & Q. train robbery, near Marcus, Illinois, just a week before. It was known that Pinkerton detectives were working on this theory, although they had no hope of apprehending Cassidy. They were endeavoring to procure a clue to who carried out the plans of their leader.

It was Butch Cassidy who gave Harry Tracy his first schooling in crime. Tracy had been an ordinary crook in Boston and Cincinnati when he went to Colorado in 1896. There he became acquainted with Cassidy and other bandits, who were engaged in stealing cattle. Afterward they became train robbers.

Their rendezvous was in a weird spot in Wyoming, which was known as the "Hole in the Wall." Toward this spot Tracy was undoubtedly making his way when he was surrounded by a posse the Wednesday before last. Had he reached it he would have received a welcome from his tutor in crime. But he failed, and his death restored to Cassidy the title of "king of bandits," which had been wrested from him by his desperate pupil.

Although Tracy had a record of more murders than Butch Cassidy, he was not as desperate a man. Cassidy had not killed wantonly, but he had never hesitated to shoot when there was a point to be gained. Train robbery was his specialty, and his methods at this were exemplified in the Great Northern robbery near Wagner, Montana, July 2, 1901.

At 2:30 o'clock on the afternoon on the day of the Great Northern episode, a man boarded the express train at Malta, Montana, riding the "blind baggage." Shortly before reaching Malta he crawled over the tender, covered the engineer and fireman with a revolver, and forced them to stop the train near a bridge, from under which emerged three other men. Two held the passengers at bay while the other two blew open the safe in the express car with dynamite. They secured $83,000, including $40,000 in new unsigned bank notes, which were being shipped to a couple of Helena, Montana banks. The robbers then mounted horses, which were standing near, and rode away. Cassidy was known to have been the leader in this robbery and he or other members of his gang have participated in train and bank robberies from Indiana to Nevada, and from the Canadian border to Mexico. From their places of refuge in the "Hole in the Wall," "Robbers' Roost," and other localities they had set forth to rob banks in South Dakota, to smuggle goods from Mexico, or to hold up trains in Illinois or Montana. When the officers start in pursuit, they disappeared and were next heard from while committing a crime in some other part of the country. The active and associate members of the gang number over a hundred, but the most desperate deeds were usually under the leadership of Butch Cassidy, whose real name was George Parker, who was the son of a respectable and devout Mormon farmer, and who was sometimes known as George Cassidy or George Ingerfield. Among those who were associated with him in the Great Northern robbery and who may have been in the Burlington holdup of the week before were: Harry Longbaugh, alias "Kid" Longbaugh alias Harry Alouzo, Cassidy's principal lieutenant, and O. C. Hanks, also known as Camilla Hanks.

One of the gang that participated in the Great Northern robbery was in the penitentiary a week later, and another was dead. "Ben" Kilpatrick was surprised and captured with a woman in St. Louis November 5, 1901. He was then serving a term in prison. Harvey Logan was caught after a battle with officers near Jefferson City, Tennessee, 15 December 1901. Next to Cassidy he was considered the most dangerous of the gang. He took part in a number of train robberies, killed Pike Sandusky at Sandusky, Montana on Christmas Day, 1894, committed other murders, and was with Butch Cassidy and other outlaws in the battles which resulted in the killing of Sheriff Hazen of Converse County, Wyoming, June 2, 1899, and of the sheriff of Grand county, Utah, in May, 1900. His own death had followed these murders.

It was not at all unlikely that members of this gang held up the Denver & Rio Grande train at Salida, Colorado, a few days before. A majority of the daring train robberies which had been committed in recent years could be traced to some member of the crowd. Tracy was only a lay member of the "Robbers' Roost" gang, which contained more than one man as desperate as he. A steady nerve, unerring aim, loyalty, and recklessness of consequences were essentials to membership.

For years this band, with Butch Cassidy at its head, had roamed over the entire Western country, rustling cattle, robbing banks and express trains, occasionally, when "hard up," washing gold from rich deposits on the Uintah Indian reservation in Utah, and killing men who betrayed them and the members of posses sent out to arrest them.

Now and then some member of the gang had been killed or caught napping and taken into custody, but his place had been filled by a recruit and the outlaw band had gone blithely on in its career of plunder and slaughter, regardless of the numbers rewards, amounting to many thousands of dollars, offered for members, dead or alive.

Cassidy's Parents Mormons

George Parker, who was almost universally spoken of as Butch cased, was born in Utah thirty-seven years before (1875). His father was a sedate Mormon farmer, and members of his family were still living respectable lives in Utah.

When the present leader of the "Robbers' Roosters" was a flaxen-haired, inoffensive youth he went to work as a cowboy for a neighboring ranchman. Some cattle were stolen, and young Parker was accused of having some connection with the crime. His innocence was afterward proved, but too late. He escaped from custody. Angered at he unjust accusation, he plunged into a long career of crime. He rustled, or stole cattle. He held up stages. He joined the desperate characters who had fled for safety to the mountains of the West, going deeper and deeper into crime.

Nevertheless, he from time to time paid stealthy visits to his family and sent money to his mother and sisters. Cassidy was a quiet, reserved man, of medium height and built like an athlete. He had light hair and mustache and steady blue eyes. Unlike Tracy, the outlaw king was no blusterer. He would never stop at the farmhouses to relate bold deeds and boast of his slaughter. Although not Loquacious he could be genial on occasion, as the experience a few months before this article came of a Salt Lake wholesale merchant showed.

This man, with a companion, was on a hunting expedition in eastern Utah. One morning they met three men, who also looked like hunters, and promptly hailed the newcomers. The latter came up, although it was observed that they used unusual caution and watched closely for any hostile movement. The leader of the party of three opened conversation with the Salt Lakers, found out their purpose in visiting that region, and volunteered to show them where they could find some deer. All that day the five were together. The Salt Lakers found the blond leader an unusually pleasant and accommodating personage. He took them to a place in the hills where they shot a couple of deer, and then led them back and started them on the road to a ranch where they could put up for the night.

"I can't tell you how much we appreciate your courtesy," said the Salt Lake businessman as they shook hands in parting. "If you ever come to Salt Lake I should be glad to entertain you there. But you haven't told me your name. I should be glad to know it, as I shall remember you."

"Thank you," said the blond man. "My name's Parker. If I come to Salt Lake I'll look you up."

Then he smiled and went away.

That evening at the ranch house the Salt Laker related his experience and described the guide who gave the name of Parker.

"Why, that's Butch Cassidy," said the ranchman. Since Harvey Logan, better known as "Kid" Currie, was removed from active membership in the band Harry Longbaugh appeared to have been Cassidy's righthand man. Longbaugh started on desperate crimes before Cassidy, but the latter seemed to possess more of the qualities of leadership, and Longbaugh had allowed him to command. In direct contrast to the light haired, blue eyed king of the outlaws, Longbaugh had a swarthy complexion and coal black hair and mustache. He was between 35 and 40 years of age, an American by birth, and a cowboy before he became a professional criminal.

If Harry Tracy could have gone just a little farther, he would have reached the haunts of "the Robber's Roosters," and would have had probably safety. Could have crossed into Idaho he would probably have met with little opposition in traversing the unsettled central portion of the state, and could have lived on game and wild fruits. It would have been a comparatively easy matter then to get over tot he "Hole in the Wall" in Wyoming, the stronghold of the outlaws for which he headed, and the locality which was the scene of many of his early crimes. This robber fortress is high in the mountains of western Wyoming. It is considerably over 100 miles north of the Union Pacific, which was the nearest railroad, and was in the Utah-Wymoning oil belt, which had recently become the scene of extensive operations. Although farmers and stockmen were coming into this region in large numbers it was still sparsely settled, and the few who had taken up their abode there were kept under such subjection by the outlaws that they dare give scant information to the officers.

"Hole in the Wall" Impregnable

The only approach to the "Hole in the Wall" was a grove. This grew narrower and narrower as one ascends until it finally becomes a slit barely wide enough for a man to squeeze through. On both sides rise towering walls, so steep that nothing except a fly could stick to them. It was this narrow defile that gave the place its name. At the head of the gorge was an open space, surrounded by steep walls. These could be sacked in only one place, where a narrow path winds up the mountain side to a broad place, which was the location of the robbers' den. From this vantage point one man could conceal himself behind a rock commanding the narrow defile below, and, with a rifle, pick off his pursuers as they emerge, one by one, into the open space. Even should a posse get through into the opening without the loss of more than a few of their number, they would be almost sure to perish before they could complete the winding ascent in the face of a fire for men noted for their marksmanship. More than one sheriff had headed a posse in a desperate effort to dislodge a few outlaws from this impregnable eyrie, but all had been forced to give up after severe loss of life.

When members of Butch Cassidy's gang had held up a Union Pacific train or robbed a bank or committed some other crime in this part of the country, they usually made for the "Hole in the Wall." If they once reached that place the pursuit was usually abandoned. They keep provisions there sufficient to last indefinitely, and they were kept supplied by confederates, so that there was no chance to starve them out, and a direct onslaught would result only in disaster tot he attacking party.

The outlaws' principal rendezvous farther south was even more famous, for it had given to the gang its name. This place was "Robber's Roost," in Emery county, Utah. This resort was south of the Rio Grande Western railroad, Price, Utah, being the nearest station of consequence. "Robber's Roost" was similar to the "Hole in the Wall" in its in accessibility. It was more extensive and more luxurious, however. The Utah den was reached by a long trip up a dry "wash," or draw. This lead into a narrow canyon. At a certain place in the canyon, recognizable only by those familiar with he place, the path turned and followed a little mountain stream which came in at the side. The path entered a narrow gorge, followed a shelf along the side of the mountain,a nd finally winds around to another shelf from which cave ran into the mountain. There was room enough in this cabe for 200 men.

Marvelous stories were told of the way the "Roost" was fitted up. It was said that all manner of luxuries were provided for the comfort of the denizens, for they were in closer touch with civilization than might be supposed. Comfortable beds, rugs, lounges, handsome furniture, and pictures were said to be among the contents of the cave, while cozy cabins nestle in the rocks near the cave, adding to the accommodations.

Farther south, near the Arizona border, was "Blue John's Cave," This was a place of refuge on the line of escape. The entrance was so concealed by rocks that nobody not in the secret could find it. "Blue John's Cave" was really amine. It took its name from the robber who made his headquarters there, waiting with fresh ponies, food and ammunition to speed any fleeing member of the gang on his way north or south. While he had been waiting there he had been busy running a tunnel into the mountain on a vein of gold bearing quartz which he discovered. The quartz was so rich that it could be readily made to yield up gold by crushing and washing, and "Blue John" spend most of his time mining and treating the ore in a primitive way. The proceeds were sent to some member of the gang in civilization to be disposed of.

The "Robber's Roosters," while "in retreat," kept in touch with the outside world through many channels. In the first place, the settlers in the region were anxious to be on good terms with he outlaws, for that meant immunity from depredations and comparative safety. The results of an opposite course were strikingly shown a few months before this. Some residents of Brown's park, Colorado, near the region where President Roosevelt went on his latest Western hunting trip, gave information to the authorities regarding some members of the gang. Not long afterward a series of murders came to light. Whole families were slain in their homes. The families visited were those which had given information. Thus did the "Robber's Roosters" wreak their revenge. For this reason many personally honest ranchmen would help the outlaws through motives of fear.

Cassidy and his cohorts did not have to depend to any great extent for their information on men outside the gang. There were too many who were loyal because of their share in the plunder. Apparently inoffensive ranchmen were really members of the gang whole where they do so as to supply horses, arms, ammunition, food, and information when needed. Sometimes the keeper of a stage station was there to scent possible booty. The owner of more than one store was on the lookout for "tips." Even in cities like Salt Lake and Denver there were agents to work off stolen money and goods. It was not long after a big robbery where large bills were stolen before these same bills were noticed coming into Salt Lake and Denver banks. It was usually impossible to trace them. Occasionally, it was learned that they came from some store or saloon in Green River, Wyoming; Price or Vernal, Utah; Rifle or Grand Junction, Colorado, or some other town occasionally visited quietly by outlaws.

The members of the band included criminals of every description. A large proportion were ex-convicts. Burglars, holdup men, and murderers formed a majority of the active membership. The agents in the towns were similar to the ordinary "fences" found in Chicago and Other cities. Many had prices on their heads. The stories of the individuals would fill a book. Some were plain tales of sordid crime. Some were tinged with romance. The strange story of "Bald Ed" was a case in point. A man in eastern Utah who knew him well when he was a respected citizen vouched for the story, although he would not tell the man's real name, nor his society name. Years before "Bald Ed" held a responsible position in a town in the middle West. He disappeared suddenly, and it was found that he had embezzled a large sum of money. Word came later that he was dead. His wife died of a broken heart, leaving two little girls.

The children were sent to an orphan asylum. Three or four years later, a quiet, well-dressed man inquired at the asylum for the girls. He said he was their uncle. The children were turned over thorium and he put them in a convent. Since then the girls had graduated from one of the best seminaries in the country,a nd they were then in college. They did not know of the blood over their father's career. They think he died while in the West on business. Once a year they received a visit from their "uncle," this same quiet, refined man, who "is in business in the West." This man was none other than "Bald Ed," a leading spirit in the "Robber's Roost" gang of train robbers and murderers.
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