Butch and Sundance: An Arrest Warrant Is Issued

Their plans to build a ranch and cattle, sheep and horse operation were very successful and they were working hard. Not only on the ranch but also working to fit into the local community.

They had earned the respect and friendship of the local community, even the local Sheriff.

Then disaster struck

All was going well and they had proven themselves to be honest and hardworking ranchers until a bank robbery was committed in the same region of the country which was made to look like their work.

The police chief in Buenos Aires had seen the wanted posters for Butch and Sundance and knew the bank robbers were Americans so he issued this statement:

"As their specialty is armed robbery of banks, trains and public buildings in broad daylight, and they were in the country it is presumed they are the perpetrators."

Here's one of the wanted posters issued for Butch. I have no idea why they didn't use the more recent photos of him:
source

Guilty until proven innocent

So that was it. No one even investigated who the real robbers were because they were convinced that it was Butch and Sundance.

Years later it was proven by neighbors, friends and business people that they were at their ranch or the local town at the time of the robbery including a receipt for supplies at a local store and a government agricultural census taken that month listed them as being at the ranch.

Not only that but the robbers didn't even match Butch and Sundance's physical features in age, height, etc.

A devious set up?

Several smart and savvy readers of my post suggested that this was the Pinkertons who pulled off this bank robbery to cast the blame on Butch and Sundance so they would have reason for the local authorities to go after them or join with them in the Pinkerton efforts to track them down.

This scenario makes perfect sense. Why else would the two imposters work so hard at being noticed and to let everyone know that they were Americans? The Pinkertons also had a big funding problem.

Their investigation was broke

They had run out of money in their quest for Butch and Sundance and had gone to the boys' victims, mainly banks and the railroad, asking for more money to pursue them.

But guess what? No one would fund their operation. I reckon they figured since things had cooled down and robberies were rare these days, it wasn't worth it to them. But this set up and bank heist would fully fund the Pinkertons for many years.

I think this is a logical and obvious conclusion. Thanks to the great @cryptoandcoffee, @themadgoat, and @quotes-haven for realizing this scam. If I left anyone out who suggested this I apologize. These guys are brilliant and I feel like a dunce for not thinking about it! lol.

The local Sheriff had the hots for Etta

When the local Sheriff was told to arrest the trio immediately he went and warned them instead. lol. It was rather well known that he had a major crush on Etta but was also good friends with Butch and Sundance. He was later fired for his refusal to arrest them. That's true friendship or true love, one or both of them!

Annie was a great lady

On a sad note, the day that the three made the decision to flee the country was the same day that Butch's mom, Annie, passed away. The faithful readers of this series will remember that she was a strong, God-fearing woman who was heart broken when Butch left home on that fateful morning 21 years earlier.

It was said that she never fully recovered from that loss so that is very sad. She was only 58 years old and I have to think that the heartache of Butch's leaving and his choice of lifestyle had to have cut her life short.

In the next post we'll talk about their next move.

Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy Texas
the gentleman redneck

PS- ya know...you might just be a redneck if:

You've used baling wire to attach a license plate! (guilty as charged!)