A San Antonio collector of rare photographs believes she has discovered a previously unknown tintype portrait of Butch Cassidy, the notorious Old West bank robber.
Although Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were famed as the most wanted train and bank robbers at the turn of the century, only two photographs clearly depicting Cassidy's face have ever been recognized by historians.The tintype discovered by Gail Garrett, a motel chain sales director, would be the third and best-detailed portrait ever of the legendary gentleman bandit, she said.
The tintype offers details about Cassidy that historians only could guess at before, she said. For instance it clearly shows scarring across his brow and left eye.
Garrett said she believes Cassidy, who was evasive about having his picture taken, agreed to the New York photo in hopes of again throwing lawmen off his trail just before leaving for Argentina.
"He had his picture taken with the Wild Bunch (his gang) in Fort Worth, had thousands of copies of it made and distributed, then fled to New York," she said
"I believe he had the photograph distributed to draw lawmen to Texas. He may have thought the New York photograph would be distributed, too. But it wasn't. It's been hidden for 91 years."
Garrett believes the tintype was taken in 1902. It shows Cassidy sitting at a table and drinking with two other men, purportedly two unidentified members of the Wild Bunch. In the tintype, he appears to be wearing the same derby and watch fob he wore in the Fort Worth picture.