Harry Longabaugh Jr. speech [transcript]

Collection

Identifier: MS 0025

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains one volume, 32 pages in length, of a transcript of a speech given by Harry Longabaugh Jr. on 25 June 1970, given at the Weber County Library, Ogden, Utah. A tape recording of the speech was made, and Pearl Baker transcribed it. The transcription was checked against the recording by Dr. Grant Redder of Bountiful, Utah. The transcript is imperfect. Shortly after Longabaugh began, he was interrupted by the a group of children settling on the front row of the hall; their voices carried over on the tape, often obscuring Longabaugh's voice. Baker left blanks, in the transcript, when she could not make out what Longabaugh said. The speech was probably given from interest generated by the recent motion picture, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Mr. Longabaugh claims to be the son of Harry Longabaugh, alias the Sundance Kid, although there is no record of the "Kid" ever being married. The talk centers on the mistakes made by various histories of the Wild Bunch; Longabaugh purports to clarify them. He claims to have been well acquainted with Butch Cassidy, and his gather, the Sundance Kid, receiving his information from them, or from other members of the Wild Bunch.

The speech recounts Longabaugh coming to Ogden to locate information on his mother, though he did not meet much success in this. Longabaugh spends much of the speach "debunking many legends" regarding Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. He talks about the Sundance Kid being buried in Casper, Wyoming, in 1958, at the age of ninety-eight. He speaks of the parentage of the Sundance Kid, and gives a brief account of the life of Elzy Lay. He explains how Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid first met in 1887 in Hole-in-the-Wall. He talks about members of the so-called "Super Posse," the first time he met his father, the formation of the gangs Hole-in-the-Wall and Wild Bunch, the death of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and other related stories. Often he makes references to Twentieth Century Fox's movie, comparing their story to his.

The following publications are mentioned in the text: Pearl Baker, The Wild Bunch at Robbers Roost; Carl Breihan, Outlaws f the Old West, and Bad Men of the Frontier Days; James D. Hendricks, Wildmen of the West, and The Wild Bunch; Charles Kelley, The Outlaw Trail; William Pinkerton, Train Robbers and Train Robberies; and Allan Swallow, The Wild Bunch. There is also mention of the motion picture, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, released by Twentieth Century Fox, and starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Katherine Ross.

Dates

1970

Creator

Longabaugh, Harry, Jr., 1901?- (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical / Historical

Little biographical information on Harry Longabaugh Jr. is available. Harry Longabaugh Jr. claimed to be the son of Harry Longabaugh, the so-called Sundance Kid. His mother was supposed to have been Annie Marie Thayne, a school teacher. However, there is no evidence that the Sundance Kid ever married. From this speech it would appear the Longabaugh did not meet his father until later in his life: the first time was supposed to have been in 1940 in the old Chicago Hotel in Spokane, Washington. He also claimed to have met his father for the last time in 1947.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (1 Folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Harry Longabaugh Jr. speech [transcript] (1970) was given by Longabaugh on 25 June 1970, at Weber County Library, Ogden, Utah. Longabaugh claims to be the son of Harry Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid. In this speech he talks about Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and their respective gang, and dispels some of the myths brought on by Twentieth Century Fox's movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.