The notorious outlaws and lovers Bonnie and Clyde are perhaps more famous today than they were while they were outlaws. Their widespread popularity and fame could be linked to the fact that they were lovers
and outlaws, or because they have been romanticized into Robin Hood-like figures, since they robbed banks during the Great Depression. Whatever the reason is people from across the country are so fascinated with them; there is no doubt the two lovers were law-breaking murderers and thieves.
On September 30, the guns and other items connected to the infamous gangsters will be auctioned off in
New Hampshire. Auction officials estimate that each Bonnie and
Clyde weapon could sell from anywhere between $100,000 and $200,000.
What were the weapons these two chose to carry?
Clyde carried a Colt .45-caliber pistol in his waistband, while Bonnie concealed a Colt .38-caliber revolver in her inner thigh. The two weapons were confiscated after they were ambushed by law enforcement officers in 1934. Along with the guns, other items that were found in the car after the ambush will be auctioned off. These include
Clyde’s gold pocket watch and Bonnie’s cosmetic case.
To learn more about Bonnie and
Clyde, we’ve provided our own list of books to read up on!
Gangster Tour of Texas (Texas A&M University Press, 2011): T. Lindsey Baker, who holds the W. K. Gordon Endowed Chair in Texas History at
Tarleton State University, is also author of the book
Gangster Tour of Texas.
Gangster Tour of Texas not only features criminals Bonnie and Clyde, but traces a trail of crime that had its beginnings in 1918, when the
Texas legislature outlawed alcohol, and persisted until 1957, when Texas Rangers closed down the infamous casinos of
Galveston. With detailed maps, photographs of the criminals, victims, and crime scenes, as well as in-depth historical research, this book offers a fun and comprehensive view of the lawless outlaws of
Texas.
“The Death of Bonnie and Clyde” and Other Stories (Texas Review Press, 2012): Author and associate professor/lecturer of writing at the University of Utah, Michael Gills, compiles together stories of the most wayward of characters—murderers, hitchhikers, thieves, as well as stories of UFO’s and killer tornados
Bonnie and Clyde and Marie: A Sister’s Perspective on the Notorious Barrow Gang (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, 2012): Author Jonathan Davis personally worked with Marie Barrow on documentary’s concerning the Barrow Gang. He gives a unique and interesting side of the story, that reveals a sister’s perspective of her brother’s and their gang, and what it was like to live in the media’s constant scrutiny and distortion.
