Harry Longabaugh
Encyclopedia : H : HA : HAR : Harry Longabaugh
Notoriety, riding with Butch Cassidy
Believed to have met sometime after Butch Cassidy's release from prison around 1896, Longabaugh and Cassidy formed what would be called The Wild Bunch gang. Together with the other members of the gang, they performed the longest string of successful bank robberies in American and old west history. Little is known of Longabaugh's exploits prior to his riding with Cassidy.
Although Longabaugh was reportedly fast with a gun, and often referred to as a gunfighter, Longabaugh is not known to have killed anyone prior to a later shootout in Bolivia, where he and Cassidy were alleged to have been killed themselves. The gang was best known for their lack of violence during the course of their robberies, relying heavily on intimidation and negotiation, but none the less if captured they would face hanging. "Wanted dead or alive" posters were posted throughout the country, with as much as a $30,000 reward for information leading to their capture, or their outright capture or death. [link]
They began hiding out at a place they called the Hole In The Wall, located near Baggs, Wyoming. From there they could strike, and retreat, with little fear of capture, as it was posted high on a mountain top, with a view in all directions of the surrounding territory. Pinkerton detectives, however, were steadily closing in, and hounded the gang for a couple of years. [link]
Cassidy and Longabaugh, evidently wanting to allow things to calm down a bit, and looking for fresher robbing grounds, left the United States on February 20, 1901. Longabaugh sailed with Butch Cassidy and Longabaugh's wife, Etta Place, aboard the British ship Herminius for Buenos Aires in Argentina. [link]
It is generally accepted that both Butch and Sundance were later killed by soldiers in Bolivia in November 1908, after the two of them heisted a Bolivian mining company payroll. According to reports, the two were involved in a lengthy gun battle with the soldiers, who had surrounded them inside a building in San Vicente, ending with their alleged death. [link]
However, there is some disputed evidence to suggest that one or both returned to the United States, with Sundance dying around 1936. The subject remains a matter of dispute to this day.
Aliases
- The Sundance Kid
- Frank Smith [link]
- H.A. Brown [link]
- Harry A. Place (his mother's maiden name was Annie Place)
- Harry Long
Trivia
- Swedish indie outfit Kent recorded a song entitled "Sundance Kid", about Harry Longabaugh. The song appears on the album Vapen & Ammunition.
- The Sundance Film Festival, created by Robert Redford was named after him.
- Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth, Texas was also named after him.
- He was popularly portrayed by Robert Redford in the 1969 revisionist film version of his story, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
External links
- [Was Henry Long Harry Longabaugh?]
- [Hacienda Virtual Realty Argentina] A virtual tour of the ranch of Harry Longabaugh and Etta Place in Patagonia
- [Harry Longabaugh on ButchandSundance.com]
- [Sundance Kid Kin Page]
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