Harry A. Longabaugh (p.3)

Nine months later, Sundance, George “Flat Nose” Currie and Harvey Logan found themselves in Humboldt, Nevada preparing for another crime. On July 14, 1898, the trio robbed a Southern Pacific passenger train just outside Humboldt House. The outlaws managed to escape with $450 dollars. Two local men were arrested for the robbery, but released due to alibis.

The following April, the outlaws teamed up again to rob the Club Saloon on April 3, 1899. Three masked gunmen entered the gambling hall just after closing and quickly relieved the place of up to $3,000. Once the gathered the money, the outlaws fled into the night. Again, local men were arrested for the crime but soon released due to lack of evidence.

Two months later, on June 2, 1899, the Sundance Kid may have participated with members of the Wild Bunch in the robbery of a Union Pacific train near Wilcox, Wyoming. After stopping the train just outside of Wilcox, the outlaws boarded and forced the employees to separate the passenger cars from the express, mail and engine cars. Dynamite was used to blow the safe in the express car. Too much dynamite. The explosion blew apart not only the safe, but the express car as well scattering money throughout the area. The outlaws spent the next two hours gathering the money. Their efforts were not in vain as the bandits gathered between $30,000 and $60,000 for their efforts.

Following the Wilcox robbery, the Wild Bunch pulled off two more jobs in quick succession. First was the Tipton, Wyoming robbery of a Union Pacific train on August 29, 1900. This was immediately followed by the September 19, 1900 robbery of the First National Bank of Winnemucca in Winnemucca, Nevada. The two robberies netted the outlaws an estimated $87,000.

Because of the distance between the two locations, it is believed that the outlaws could not have committed the crimes without splitting into two groups. The Sundance Kid is said to have participated in the Winnemucca robbery, however his name is often associated with the Tipton robbery as well. George Nixon, co-owner of the First National Bank of Winnemucca, was shown a photograph of the Wild Bunch and confirmed Sundance’s presence at the Winnemucca robbery.

Following the two robberies, the Wild Bunch headed for Fort Worth, Texas to the notorious Hell’s Half Acre district for a celebration. The cause of celebration may have been their newfound riches, but the real reason may have been Will Carver’s upcoming nuptials to Callie May Hunt.

While in Fort Worth, Sundance, along with Butch Cassidy, Harvey Logan, “The Tall Texan” Ben Kilpatrick and Will Carver posed for a portrait together at John Swartz’s photography studio on November 21, 1900. This turned out to be a very bad idea. A passing Wells Fargo agent spotted the photograph and soon the image made its way onto thousands of wanted posters plastered across the nation.

It is believed that it was during their stay in Fort Worth that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made the decision to leave the states for South America. Following Fort Worth, the outlaws set off on their separate ways.

Longabaugh and his paramour, Etta Place, headed for New Orleans, Louisiana where they rang in the New Year together. From New Orleans, Sundance and Etta traveled on to Pennsylvania to visit the Kid’s relatives. While visiting his family, Sundance introduced Etta Place as his wife, implying they may have gotten married sometime between Texas and Pennsylvania.

After spending time with family, the couple moved on to Buffalo, New York where they checked in to Dr. Pierce’s Invalids Hotel sometime in January 1901. It is unknown what ailments the couple sought treatment for – the rumors range from a gunshot wound for Sundance to STD’s for both of them. After they were released, the couple made a quick stop in Niagara Falls before rendezvousing with Cassidy in New York City.