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Old Mug Shot Photo Of Butch Cassidy Colorized And Restored
This is an old public domain photo of a mug shot of the famous old west outlaw Butch Cassidy that has been expertly hand restored and colorized. The original photo was believed to be taken in 1894 in Wyoming after Butch got busted for stealing a horse.
Some Fun Facts About Butch Cassidy and his life and career:
Real name was Robert LeRoy Parker. "Butch Cassidy" was a nickname he took from a cattle rustler named Mike Cassidy and his own work as a butcher's helper.
Born April 13, 1866, in Utah Territory; raised in a Mormon family.
Leader of the Wild Bunch, also called the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, a loosely organized group of outlaws who specialized in train and bank robberies in the 1890s and early 1900s.
Known for a nonviolent reputation: many contemporaries described him as preferring to avoid killing; his robberies often emphasized speed and escape over shootouts.
Partnered repeatedly with Harry Longabaugh, better known as the Sundance Kid. Their friendship and criminal partnership became legendary.
Used aliases and disguises frequently; a clever planner who favored scouting escape routes and safe houses like remote ranches and the Hole-in-the-Wall hideout in Wyoming.
Employed creative methods: the Wild Bunch sometimes used dynamite to blow open safes, and they once reportedly used explosives in a spectacular train robbery near Tipton, Wyoming.
Flew-era notoriety: Butch and his gang are credited with some of the most profitable robberies of the West, including a 1899 Union Pacific train hold-up that netted a large sum.
Escaped capture more than once: Butch avoided long prison sentences through successful escapes and by slipping into less-policed territories, including South America.
Emigrated to South America around 1901 with Sundance Kid and Sundance’s partner Etta Place; they attempted to run ranches in Argentina and Chile, but repeated rumors of robberies followed them.
Mysterious end: Accounts differ. One version (and popular legend) says Butch and Sundance were killed in a 1908 shootout with Bolivian authorities. Other theories suggest Parker survived and returned to the U.S. under another name, living quietly for years.
Cultural impact: His story inspired books, films, and songs—most famously the 1969 movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," which amplified the romantic outlaw image and invented several fictionalized elements.
Photographs exist: Several authentic photos of Robert LeRoy Parker survive, showing a sharply dressed man with a confident look, reinforcing that he was often more urbane than stereotypical Western outlaws.
Businesslike approach: Contemporary accounts and some of his own actions suggest he treated robberies as organized enterprises—planning logistics, timing, and getaway routes like an adroit project manager.
Nicknamed "the brains of the Wild Bunch" by some historians for his role in organizing and leading the gang’s operations.
Legacy in the West: Towns, tourist sites, and museums in Wyoming and Utah reference him and the Wild Bunch, and his story remains part of the mythology of the American frontier.
This is an old public domain photo of a mug shot of the famous old west outlaw Butch Cassidy that has been expertly hand restored and colorized. The original photo was believed to be taken in 1894 in Wyoming after Butch got busted for stealing a horse.
Some Fun Facts About Butch Cassidy and his life and career:
Real name was Robert LeRoy Parker. "Butch Cassidy" was a nickname he took from a cattle rustler named Mike Cassidy and his own work as a butcher's helper.
Born April 13, 1866, in Utah Territory; raised in a Mormon family.
Leader of the Wild Bunch, also called the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, a loosely organized group of outlaws who specialized in train and bank robberies in the 1890s and early 1900s.
Known for a nonviolent reputation: many contemporaries described him as preferring to avoid killing; his robberies often emphasized speed and escape over shootouts.
Partnered repeatedly with Harry Longabaugh, better known as the Sundance Kid. Their friendship and criminal partnership became legendary.
Used aliases and disguises frequently; a clever planner who favored scouting escape routes and safe houses like remote ranches and the Hole-in-the-Wall hideout in Wyoming.
Employed creative methods: the Wild Bunch sometimes used dynamite to blow open safes, and they once reportedly used explosives in a spectacular train robbery near Tipton, Wyoming.
Flew-era notoriety: Butch and his gang are credited with some of the most profitable robberies of the West, including a 1899 Union Pacific train hold-up that netted a large sum.
Escaped capture more than once: Butch avoided long prison sentences through successful escapes and by slipping into less-policed territories, including South America.
Emigrated to South America around 1901 with Sundance Kid and Sundance’s partner Etta Place; they attempted to run ranches in Argentina and Chile, but repeated rumors of robberies followed them.
Mysterious end: Accounts differ. One version (and popular legend) says Butch and Sundance were killed in a 1908 shootout with Bolivian authorities. Other theories suggest Parker survived and returned to the U.S. under another name, living quietly for years.
Cultural impact: His story inspired books, films, and songs—most famously the 1969 movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," which amplified the romantic outlaw image and invented several fictionalized elements.
Photographs exist: Several authentic photos of Robert LeRoy Parker survive, showing a sharply dressed man with a confident look, reinforcing that he was often more urbane than stereotypical Western outlaws.
Businesslike approach: Contemporary accounts and some of his own actions suggest he treated robberies as organized enterprises—planning logistics, timing, and getaway routes like an adroit project manager.
Nicknamed "the brains of the Wild Bunch" by some historians for his role in organizing and leading the gang’s operations.
Legacy in the West: Towns, tourist sites, and museums in Wyoming and Utah reference him and the Wild Bunch, and his story remains part of the mythology of the American frontier.