Posted on Mon, Jun. 08, 2009

e-mail	print	RSS	reprint
AIM	Digg it	del.icio.us	Facebook

BONNIE AND CLYDE SOUGHT REFUGE IN KANSAS

Bonnie and Clyde sought refuge in Kansas

The Wichita Eagle

WICHITA - This is one in a series of vignettes celebrating Kansas history. The series' name comes from the state motto, Ad astra per aspera: "To the stars through difficulties."

BY BECCY TANNER

More than three-quarters of a century has passed since Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were declared national public enemies.

The Barrow gang became notorious for bank robberies and shootouts with the law throughout the central United States.

It's been 75 years since they died in an ambush on May 23, 1934, on a desolate road in Lousiana.

But many Kansans may not know that they sought refuge in Kansas.

The infamous couple met in Texas in 1930. For four years they robbed and shot their way across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Iowa.

The Barrow gang stole cars and held up banks, stores and filling stations. Gang members are reported to have killed at least 13 people.

In Kansas, Bonnie and Clyde assumed different identities.

In Stevens County, Bonnie is reported to have run Jewel's Cafe in Hugoton and Clyde worked for area farmers. The couple went by the names of Blackie and Jewel Underwood.

During the summer of 1933, the two stayed at the tourist courts in Great Bend while Bonnie recovered from major injuries she received in a car wreck. The accident happened on June 10, 1933. Clyde was driving, going 70 mph, when the car became airborne because a bridge had washed out. The car crashed and exploded in flames.

Bonnie was seriously burned. While she was recovering, Clyde took a Browning automatic rifle and cut off the barrel and stock so he could drive with a gun in his lap.

The couple are said to have also visited the spa at Geuda Springs and robbed a store in Baxter Springs.

In some of the impoverished, wind-blown prairie towns of Dust Bowl Kansas, Bonnie and Clyde developed a following, particularly when, after robbing banks, they'd burn the mortgages of farmers.

In 1934, they were driving a Ford 730 Deluxe Sedan they had stolen in Topeka when they were ambushed.

The FBI found receipts in the car from Jewel's Cafe.

Reach Beccy Tanner at 316-268-6336 or btanner@wichitaeagle.com.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@