The bullet riddled car in which bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde died at the hands of Texas Rangers and Louisana police at Gibsland, Louisiana on May 23, 1934.
When it comes to gangster couples, none could ever surpass the popularity of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. All throughout pop culture, the media has often romanticize and glamorize the story of these two criminals who made a name through their violent robbery and killing sprees during the Great Depression. Although the couple was a part of a larger gang, it was Bonnie’s and Clyde’s story that captured the world’s attention.
Born on October 1, 1910, in Rowena, Texas, Bonnie married Roy Thornton at tender age of 16. However, it was short-lived and less than three years after their union, they separated ways. They never divorced even when Bonnie was already traveling with Clyde.
The other half of the duo was Clyde, who was born on March 24, 1909, in Ellis County, Texas. Probably due to their impoverished life, Clyde turned to a life of crime at an early age. By the time he was 17, he was already arrested for stealing. Even while Clyde was working in decent jobs, he also performed robbery and stealing jobs on the side. In 1930, he killed an inmate in prison, after the latter sexually assaulted him.
The couple met on January 25, 1930, in the house of Clarence Clay. It was believed to have been love at first sight. Accounts said that Bonnie followed Clyde as she was besotted by him and all throughout their lives, she remained loyal to him.
After Clyde’s release from prison in 1932, he and Ralph Fults established a gang with rotating members. At this time, Clyde wanted to raid and liberate prisoners from the Eastham Prison where he was recently detained. To achieve this, the group robbed stores and gas station to raise enough money towards their goal. On April 19, Ralph and Bonnie robbed a hardware store and were arrested. Following her release after a few months in prison, Bonnie immediately reunited with Clyde.
August 5 of that same year, Clyde killed his first lawman when he and a companion open fired in a parking lot after being apprehended by the sheriff and his deputy. In that year alone, Clyde killed five people, including Doyle Johnson, a victim of car robbery, and Sheriff Malcolm Davis of Tarrant County.
The couple was again apprehended by the police the year after, this time being joined by Clyde’s brother Buck and his wife Blanche, and another companion. The police did not immediately identify the groups as outlaws, but rather, a bunch of wild, alcohol-fueled individuals who were causing trouble in their vicinity. Add to that, Clyde accidentally discharged a Browning Automatic Rifle. It triggered suspicions and the neighbors informed the Joplin Police District. The five-man team of policemen confronted the group on April 13 and Clyde killed Detective McGinnis and wounded the constable. They flew from the scene but left a trail of personal belongings behind them, including rolls of undeveloped films. When the photos came out, the criminals’ faces were published in the American newspapers.
They became known as the “Barrow Gang.” For several months, the gang continued to rob banks, steal cars and even kidnapped two of their robbery victims. Their exploits became known in the country as a cold-blooded group with no qualms in killing anyone who got in their way. As their notoriety became known, the group became restless, they were always on the run, and they found it difficult to live without being discovered. In June of that year, while on a trip to Wellington, Texas, the group encountered a car accident where Bonnie sustained third-degree burns on her right leg.
Even while being chased, it was hard for the group to not draw attention. They were conspicuous and suspicious in their actions. Their clothing was not typical of the area and witnesses described the men to have “gangster style.” In a tourist court in Missouri, where they stayed while on the run, the group covered the windows with newspapers, and Blanche only paid for three guests when there were five of them. Concerned, the owner alerted the police of this suspicious group. When Bonnie went to town to find a remedy for her burnt leg, the pharmacist also contacted the Sheriff. At 11pm on the same day, lawmen came to the cabin and fired shots at the criminals.
The group managed to escape and set-up camp at Dexfield Park. As a result of the stand-off, Buck sustained a serious wound to his head while Blanche was nearly blinded. Soon after, locals alerted the police of the possibility of the gang’s whereabouts. The group came under fire as they were surrounded by the local police and more than a hundred spectators. Although Clyde, Bonnie, and W.D. Jones escaped, Buck and Blanche were captured. Buck died a few days after.
The trio continued their lawless ways in Colorado, Minnesota, and Mississippi. This time, the robberies were low-key as it was their means to survive. W.D. Jones left the couple in September. On November, they narrowly escaped a planned arrest in Texas. Although they were able to avoid the trap, both Bonnie and Clyde sustained leg wounds. In that same month, both were indicted for murder for the killing of Malcolm Davis in 1933.
Finally, on January 1934, Clyde conducted the long-planned raid of Eastham Prison through the infamous breakout of Raymond Hamilton and several other inmates. The jailbreak led to numerous encounters with the police as well as the infamous Grapevine killings. Exaggerated accounts as well as sensationalized news led to the public’s clamor to have the couple exterminated. Local authorities offered a reward of $1000 for the dead bodies of the supposed Grapevine killers while the Texas government placed a reward of $500 on the heads of both Bonnie and Clyde.
The death of the infamous couple came on the fateful day of May 23, 1934. Two Louisiana and four Texas officers, including Ted Hinton, a previous acquaintance of Bonnie, waited for the couple to pass by on their way to Henry Methvin’s parents’ house. At 9:15 am, in broad daylight, the authorities ambushed and killed Bonnie and Clyde with a total of 50 gunshot wounds. Shortly after, a huge crowd started to take parts and pieces of both Bonnie and Clyde’s clothing and even body parts to be sold off as souvenirs.
Controversies continued to envelop the ambush. Many believed that the couple was betrayed by their friend. In Ted Hinton’s book “Ambush” released in 1977, he recounted that Henry Methvin’s father framed the two so that he could renegotiate his son’s pardon. Eighty-two years after their deaths, the tale of the star-crossed lovers continues to fascinate the world.
