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More on the “Barrow’s”

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More on the "Barrow's" from Gazette historian, Lou Mallory, Mineola, Tx.

BONNIE AND CLYDE, THEIR TRUE STORY, PLUS TWO SIGHTINGS OF THEM IN MINEOLA, TEXAS

These two young people who came from poor families and in search of money and perhaps fame became murderers. The story of Bonnie and Clyde is one of love, devotion. murder, revenge and betrayal.

In a recent book by Jeff Guinn, entitled "Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde". Guinn, a journalist, is an excellent storyteller, has a reporter's eye for detail, yet tells the story in such a conversational style to make it a compelling read.

Many stories have been told through the years about them being sighted in one or another locale or town but were undocumented. Jeff Guinn wanting to be sure he told the whole story cross-checked his facts with various sources. In fact in his book are fifty-eight pages of end notes and a sixteen page bibliography that includes interviews with surviving family members and eye-witnesses, newspaper and magazine articles, and previously published books.

Guinn was also able to gain access to some unpublished manuscripts. To be sure he got his facts correct he visited all the locations where Bonnie and Clyde were known to have been. Unfortunately the book does not show any location in Wood County where Bonnie and Clyde robbed anyone or shot at any one.

There are some undocumented sightings of them in Winnsboro and there is now a local historical marker at the Winnsboro depot telling about the two being in Winnsboro.

There are three instances of Bonnie and Clyde being in Mineola according to local sources. One instance was told by Carl Little, who during that period in his life ran a small grocery store/café/service station on the corner of West Broad St. and Stone Street.

According to Mr. Little, the pair came into the café, apparently had breakfast and left by simply getting into their car and driving away. The second sighting was seen by a deaf and dumb man nicknamed "dummy" Jennings. At that period of time that was the way those with such a handicap were recognized and such nicknames used. Today one would not say such a thing.

Apparently "dummy" had opened his shoe repair shop on Broad Street that morning and had been attacked and robbed by Bonnie and Clyde. Dr. Robert Coleman coming home from a very early morning house call when athrough the plate glass window Dr. Coleman could see "dummy" on the floor bleeding. Dr. Coleman stopped and went in to check on him and as Dr. Coleman stated he might be a deaf mute but he definitely had a way of communicating in many ways, hands, squeals, and tears.

Dr. Coleman took "dummy" to his office, treated him and kept him there all day so that he could keep an eye on him. Some might like to glamorize such an event but the beating was an affirmation of the cruelty of these poor young peoples' rampage.

Their "notoriety" and rampage through Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana lasted only about two years.

After both had been killed in Louisiana in 1934 the bullet ridden car was brought to Mineola and put on display. In the next installment we will tell you more about Bonnie and Clyde and you will discover there is very little the real Bonnie and Clyde had with the portrayal of them in the Bonnie and Clyde movie of the 1960s.

In addition to excerpts from the book, most of the information contained in this article and the continuing articles was taken from stories in the Dallas Dispatch, an early Dallas, Texas newspaper.