Butch Cassidy #19
• Ceramic
• 11 oz mug dimensions: 3.8″ (9.6 cm) in height, 3.2″ (8.2 cm) in diameter
• 15 oz mug dimensions: 4.7″ (11.9 cm) in height, 3.3″ (8.5 cm) in diameter
• 20 oz mug dimensions: 4.3″ (10.9 cm) in height, 3.7″ (9.3 cm) in diameter
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Blank product sourced from China
• Ceramic
• 11 oz mug dimensions: 3.8″ (9.6 cm) in height, 3.2″ (8.2 cm) in diameter
• 15 oz mug dimensions: 4.7″ (11.9 cm) in height, 3.3″ (8.5 cm) in diameter
• 20 oz mug dimensions: 4.3″ (10.9 cm) in height, 3.7″ (9.3 cm) in diameter
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Blank product sourced from China
• Ceramic
• 11 oz mug dimensions: 3.8″ (9.6 cm) in height, 3.2″ (8.2 cm) in diameter
• 15 oz mug dimensions: 4.7″ (11.9 cm) in height, 3.3″ (8.5 cm) in diameter
• 20 oz mug dimensions: 4.3″ (10.9 cm) in height, 3.7″ (9.3 cm) in diameter
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Blank product sourced from China
Early Life and Beginnings
Robert LeRoy Parker was born to a Mormon family and was the oldest of 13 children. He grew up on a ranch, where he learned the skills of a cowboy. As a teenager, Parker became involved in cattle rustling and other petty crimes, influenced by a local rancher and outlaw named Mike Cassidy. In honor of his mentor, Parker adopted the alias "Butch Cassidy."
Rise to Notoriety
Cassidy's criminal career began with small-time cattle rustling and horse theft, but he soon graduated to more serious crimes. By the late 1880s, he was involved in several bank and train robberies. His first significant robbery took place in 1889 when he and several accomplices stole $20,000 from the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride, Colorado.
In the 1890s, Cassidy formed the Wild Bunch, a gang of outlaws that included figures such as the Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh), Kid Curry (Harvey Logan), and others. The Wild Bunch became notorious for their string of successful bank and train robberies across the American West, including Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and Nevada.
Arrests and Legal Troubles
Despite his outlaw status, Cassidy was not frequently arrested, largely due to his strategic planning and careful avoidance of violence during robberies. However, he did have a few notable encounters with the law:
1894 Arrest: Butch Cassidy was arrested in 1894 for horse theft and spent 18 months in the Wyoming State Penitentiary. This was one of his few documented periods of incarceration. After his release in 1896, Cassidy claimed he wanted to reform, but he quickly returned to a life of crime.
1900s Pursuit: Throughout the early 1900s, Cassidy and the Wild Bunch were relentlessly pursued by law enforcement and Pinkerton detectives. The gang's activities made them some of the most wanted criminals in the United States, but Cassidy managed to evade capture for several years by constantly moving and laying low between heists.
Flight to South America
By the early 1900s, the pressure from law enforcement became too intense, and Cassidy, along with the Sundance Kid and his girlfriend Etta Place, fled to South America in 1901. They settled in Argentina, where they initially tried to live a quiet, law-abiding life, purchasing a ranch. However, they eventually returned to their old ways, robbing banks and trains in South America.
Alleged Death
The exact circumstances of Butch Cassidy's death remain shrouded in mystery and have become part of the outlaw's legend. According to the most widely accepted account, Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were cornered by Bolivian soldiers in the town of San Vicente in November 1908 after a botched robbery. In the ensuing shootout, both men were reportedly killed. However, some believe that Cassidy survived and lived out his life under an assumed identity, with numerous unverified sightings reported over the years.
Legacy
Butch Cassidy remains one of the most legendary outlaws of the American West, symbolizing the romanticized image of the renegade cowboy who defies authority. His life and exploits have been the subject of countless books, films, and television shows, most famously the 1969 movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The film helped cement Cassidy's status as a cultural icon.
Cassidy's legacy is a blend of fact and folklore, representing both the harsh realities and the enduring myths of the American frontier. His ability to elude capture and his relatively nonviolent approach to crime, combined with his charisma and leadership of the Wild Bunch, have made him a central figure in the story of the Old West.