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March 30, 1889 -
First National Bank of Denver Robbery
As with any good bank robbery, the identities of the
men who robbed the First National Bank of Denver remain a controversy. The
most prevalent theory is that Tom McCarty and
Matt Warner pulled the job,
in others, Butch Cassidy joins the brothers-in-law in the heist. Tom
McCarty has denied participation in the robbery; Warner simply
never mentions the job in his autobiography. As for Cassidy’s
participation, if some people had their way, Cassidy would be personally
or indirectly responsible for every bank and train robbery in the United
States from the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s. Unfortunately
for us, Cassidy never wrote an autobiography like his compatriots. As a
result, verifying his participation in any robbery can turn into a
difficult task.
On the afternoon of March 30, 1889 the president of
the First National Bank of Denver, David Moffit, welcomed a customer into
his office. The man claimed to have some urgent information for the
president and it was imperative they discuss the matter privately. Much to
Moffit’s shock the customer, said to be Tom McCarty, advised him of a
plot to rob the bank. Moffit asked the man how he learned of such a plan.
“I planned it,” the man said, raising his gun,
“put up your hands.”
Moffit raised his hands and watched as the customer
turned robber produced a small vial of clear liquid. The robber claimed
the vial contained nitroglycerine and threatened to blow up the bank
unless Moffit wrote him a check for $21,000 and had his staff cash the
check.
Moffit did
as he was told, writing out the check and calling his cashier into the
office. The size of the transaction combined with Moffit’s demeanor made
the cashier suspicious, but still took the check and left the office to
cash it. While carrying out the request the cashier decided to slip a
$10,000 bill in with the money. Before slipping the large bill in with the
rest of the deposit, the cashier tore one of its corners off. Along with
the size of the bill, the ripped corner would make it easy to identify
should the cashier’s suspicions turn out to be justified.
The cashier returned to the office and handed the
money off to Moffit who in turn handed the money to the robber. The man
took the money and walked outside where he passed the money to a waiting
accomplice. The two men casually walked off in two different directions,
disappearing into the crowds. No one was hurt and no one was ever caught.
In the fall of 1889 Matt Warner and
Tom McCarty
purchased a cabin in Star Valley on the outskirts of Afton, Wyoming. On
one end of the cabin they built a bar to entertain friends. Many of
those friends later recalled seeing a $10,000 bill with a missing corner
tacked above the bar. Warner’s daughter claims that both Butch Cassidy
and her father admitted their involvement in the robbery to her.
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