Noted outlaw Butch Cassidy has been portrayed as both a dangerous criminal and the Robin Hood of the West.
Years ago, I compiled a “Post Card from the Past” from the files of the Bob Martin/Dick Perue collection which relates the gentler side of George Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy. The event takes place in Brown’s Park, aka Brown’s Hole, located in the remote corner of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, southwest of Baggs, Wyo.
One historic account notes that while Brown’s Park ranchers fought the wealthy for control of the range, there were others who took the battle a step farther.
Men like Butch Cassidy, Elzy Lay, Harry Longabaugh (the Sundance Kid), and Matt Warner became bandits, robbing banks and trains and giving at least some of the money to the poor. In terms of background and values, they were not much different from the besieged ranch folk.
Cassidy, Lay, and Warner had all cowboyed in Brown’s Park before becoming professional outlaws. Caught up in their own war with rich neighbors, it is no wonder that people in Brown’s Park found common cause with these outlaws and provided them a haven.
Sometimes called the "Wild Bunch," this loose aggregation of criminals plied their trade throughout the Mountain West from three remote bases: the Hole-in-the-Wall country of central Wyoming, the Robbers Roost area of central Utah, and Brown’s Park in northwest Colorado.
All were isolated and difficult for the law to penetrate. When things got too hot in one location, the outlaws just headed down the “Outlaw Trail” to another hideout.
Wherever they stayed, Butch Cassidy and his cohorts made it a point to get along.
Cassidy had a genial manner that enabled him to make friends easily, and he tried to avoid violence. When he needed a meal or a horse, he always paid for it. More importantly, he and his group actively aided the poor.
In part, this was a shrewd strategy that helped ensure aid and shelter from the community; but it also was motivated by a sense of belonging. Giving made the outlaws feel good and, in their minds, justified a life of crime.
Historians write of one fanciful event that took place about 1895 when the Bender Gang, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Elzy Lay treated the residents of the Brown’s Park to Thanksgiving dinner.
No expense was spared. The menu included blue point oyster cocktails, roast turkey with chestnut dressing, giblet gravy, cranberries, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, creamed peas, celery, olives, pickled walnuts, sweet pickles, fresh tomatoes on crisp lettuce, hot rolls with sweet butter, coffee, whipped cream, Roquefort cheese, pumpkin pie, plum pudding, brandy sauce, mints, and salted nuts.
Another account noted that Tom Davenport raised the turkeys and the “gang” bought them. The dishes, linens, and silver were furnished by the women of Browns Park.
Held at the Davenport ranch, the affair attracted some thirty-five people. Isom Dart presided in the kitchen, and the outlaws donned white aprons to serve dinner.
A diary recalled that Butch Cassidy got flustered pouring coffee and retreated from the dining room. "The boys went into a huddle in the kitchen and instructed Butch in the formal art of filling cups at the table. This just shows how etiquette can put fear into a brave man's heart.”
Of course, the women of the area were not forgotten.
One young lady by the name of Ann Bassett (the Martin/Perue files listed her name as “Ann, Anna, and Anne”) who attended the gala occasion, wrote (printed here with the faulty spelling and casual punctuation) to her friends:
“Men wore dark suits (vests were always worn), white shirts stiff starched collars, patent low cuts. No man would be seen minus a coat and a bow tie at the party—if it killed them and it almost did I am sure. If a mustach existed that must be waxed and curled.
“The women wore tight fitted long dress with leg-o-mutton sleeves and boned collars—hair done on top of the head either in a french twist or a bun and bangs curled into a friz. Girls in their teens wore dresses about 3 inches below the knees—spring heeled slippers and their hair in curls or braids tucked up with a big bow of ribbons at nap of neck.
“Esther Davenport had the pretty dress for the party. A yellow silk mull over yellow taffeta she looked very pretty. Now I will tell you what Ann wore at the party—silk mull powder blue accordion pleated from top to bottom, camesole and petticoat of taffeta, peter pan collar, buttoned in the back puff sleeves to the elbows, belted by a wide sash with a big bow in back. The mull pleated well and how it swished over the taffeta undies. A narrow black velvet ribbon around the neck a gold locket fastened in the front. . . .
“Now for the stockings—hold your hat on and smile—lace made of silk and lisle thread black to match shoes. They were precious and worn only for parties. We had to be careful with them they cost 3.00 per pair and lasted a long time.
“I wore my hair in three curles fastened at nap of neck held in place by large barrett beau catcher curl on forehead. Spring heeled shoes like the babydoll shoes shown in catalogues now.
“The older women wore black taffeta with tucking at the neck and sleeves. High button shoes often with white tops and high curved French heels (always too tight as were their corsets.) Josies dress for the party was a sage green wool (bunting). Many-gored skirt, tight to the knees then flared to the floor to sweep up the dirt.
“Josie was married, I was not and girls were not permitted to wear long dresses, put up their hair or wear high heels”
Ann also noted, “The party lasted about six hours. That evening we danced at the Davenport home, I say evening, I mean until sun up the next day. . . . Program at the dinner was put on by the guests. . . . The hosts waited table (outlaws and friends). . . . The other boys helped in the kitchen. All but the cook wore butcher aprons over their white shirts and suit trousers. . . . (The outlaws) received their guests then slipped on aprons to help serve the crowd of 35 or more, lots of work for the dinner was served in courses.
“By the way, Josie played a ‘Zither’ and rather well. . . . She was accompanied by Sam Bassett on the fiddle and Joe Davenport with a guitar. . . . I gave a short reading on the meaning of Thanksgiving after being coached by Mr. Jarvie for a couple of weeks. "
A note in the file concluded, “If a posse had come for any of these men, nobody would have hindered them in the performance of their sworn duty. However, since all these lawbreakers went into the towns openly and transacted their business with impunity while the sheriffs apparently looked the other way, it was unlikely that those same sheriffs would come all the way to Brown’s Park to make their arrests. And certainly none of the Brown’s Park people considered it their business to handcuff the culprits and take them in, especially since they were such agreeable neighbors.”
Dick Perue can be reached at rrichardperue@gmail.com
