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Sunday, July 13, 2008
4 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Fort Worth
The legend: After robbing a bank in Nevada, outlaw Butch Cassidy and his "Wild Bunch" came to Fort Worth in 1900. On a post-robbery high, they celebrated their success with some fancy new clothes, then had their picture taken at a local studio.
As the story goes, the gang liked the photo so much, they ordered 50 copies. Then, in a moment of overconfidence, they sent a copy to that bank they'd robbed in Nevada, just to taunt their victims. And — well, who didn’t see this coming? - the photo was soon plastered on "Wanted" posters all over. With the law coming after them, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fled to South America. It was the beginning of the end; within a couple of years, much of the gang was dead or in prison. And Cassidy and Sundance were killed in a shootout in Bolivia in 1908 - or were they? No one knows for sure.
Is it true? The trip to Fort Worth was real. We have photographic evidence, after all. A turn-of-the-century photo of Cassidy and his "Wild Bunch" - bearing the imprint of John Swartz’s studio - sold for $85,000 at an auction in 2000. The photo shows five men - including Butch Cassidy (Robert LeRoy Parker) and the Sundance Kid (Henry Longabaugh) - looking dapper in new suits and derby hats. It seems they knew exactly how to pose for their own "Wanted" poster.
See it: In the early 1900s, the John Swartz studio was at 705 1/2 Main St. But nearby, an entire downtown district — Sundance Square - has been named to commemorate the legend. - Via Star-Telegram.com
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