The Telluride Bank Robbery

Telluride, Colo circa 1890


On June 24th, 1889, between three and five men robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride, Colorado of between $10,000 and $22,000.  Although not identified for at least two years, the planning of the robbery, his reported first, was committed by Butch Cassidy along with, Tom McCarty, Matt Warner, and others.

Butch Cassidy would go on to become the “Gentlemen Bandit”.  The supposed generous outlaw that never killed a man.


I have argued for the past 20 years that it is unlikely that Butch Cassidy robbed Telluride, just as it is impossible for Butch Cassidy to have robbed the Denver Bank in 1889.

Admittedly, I have no smoking gun to prove that Cassidy, Robert Leroy Parker, did not rob the bank in Telluride.  I do have what I think is a compelling argument that Parker was not involved. 

Over the next several weeks I will add pieces that lay out my argument.  Please do debate the conclusion until I am done. Please debate the details of my individual premise.

At the end of my argument, I will present a history-changing opinion some may see coming.

Fasten your belt buckle!



Did Butch Cassidy rob Telluride, his most famous and first bank robbery?

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