The April B&C Polls-- "Hey"-- Where Can I Find Those Answers"?!?

Every once in a while with the B&C Polls, it's good to wheel out some obscure questions & insider queries. Questions such as these help keep things interesting, and aid in leveling the playing field-- among those who are attempting to answer such an eclectic group of challenging wringers. Besides-- questions such as these can be most useful in revealing B&C insights, which is a desired by-product of the fun which are the B&C Polls. So away we go in revealing April's poll answers--

Some were correct in figuring out, that the late 60's early 70's research you were looking for-- was the groundbreaking B&C research conducted by Professor Carroll Rich. As such concerning question 1-- I would have accepted either answer C or D as being correct. Based on his review of Dr. Wade's coroner's notes, in one of Dr. Rich's articles-- he describes some 27 bullet holes in Clyde and over 50 in Bonnie. However within another of his B&C articles, Carroll Rich calls attention to no specific number in Clyde-- but 52 bullet holes and glass cuts in Bonnie.

Question 2 concerned the mileage put on the Warren car, between the time it was stolen-- and the day of the ambush. More than 7500 miles were noted to have been added to the the odometer, in just 23 days-- thus the calculation of 326 miles per day. That's a lot of driving in such a short time. This particular number came from Carroll Rich's article titled Clyde Barrow's Last Ford. There are similar accounts of Clyde's Warren Car mileage, noted in other B&C books.

Ah-- now on to Clyde's tie. The importance of Professor Rich's research, is that it was documented based on numerous interviews-- with many who witnessed the tumultuous events of May 23rd, 1934. There are a couple of references to Clyde's tie within Carroll Rich's articles, and one in particular-- where Clyde's tie was said to have been hanging from the rear view mirror.

I knew questions 4 and 5 would be a challenge for most, in that these were the "insider" questions. Both of these queries were furnished by L.J. "Boots" Hinton, based on information from "Boots" and his father Ted Hinton. If there was a toughest question of the lot this go round, it was likely question 4. I don't believe this info has ever been published. "Smoot" Schmid chartered a plane from Dallas, in order to get to Arcadia, LA quickly after the ambush. The owner of the plane was Dallas Aviation's W. R. Bill Long. And traveling on the plane along with Sheriff Schmid-- were Dallas Herald photographer Denny Hayes and Denver Seale-- an investigator from the Dallas District Attorney's Office.

Ted Hinton did indeed perform all the duties within the choices for question 5. However the job he assumed immediately following his tenure as a Dallas Deputy Sheriff-- was that of working for Red Wright as a Deputy U.S. Marshal. A bit of trivia-- while working for the Marshal's Service, Dallas Aviation was in need of a flight instructor. As Ted Hinton had been a certified pilot since 1929, Red Wright came to Ted concerning this position. Ted asked Red how he could perform both the duties of a flight instructor and Deputy Marshal simultaneously. Red Wright solved that problem, by placing Ted on indefinite leave from the Marshal's Service-- thus allowing him the unusual circumstance of maintaining his Deputy Marshal's status, while working another job. Interestingly as it turned out-- Ted Hinton maintained his position as a Deputy U. S. Marshal on indefinite leave, for all the remaining days of his life. When he died in 1977, Ted Hinton was still technically a Deputy U.S. Marshal.

Questions 6 and 7 were geared toward those familiar with Bienville Parish, LA and the ambush location. It's the John Gardner Cole House, which has often been identified as B&C's hideout. Although maps leading to this house and photos of this residence were published in 1934, a debate rages to this day-- concerning the actual location of Bonnie and Clyde's Hideout, as well as the John Cole house which no longer stands. I've visited both locations where this hideout is thought to have been located, and have also visited the Otis Cole house (John's son's place). This home still stands, although each year the woods are enveloping more and more of it. Just last year, I feel I may have found physical evidence of the John Cole house-- right where the 1934 maps and photos of the house had shown it to be. I've also had some guidance from knowledgeable individuals, who visited this location some 40 years ago-- in addition to utilizing information, from some who visited this home shortly after the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde. All of this supporting info matches the location I visited last May.

For those of you familiar with the trek from the ambush site to Arcadia, it's about 7 miles from the ambush site to the turn for Route 80 in Gibsland--- then another 8 1/2 miles from Gibsland to Arcadia. So allowing for the proper mathematical rounding-- 16 miles was the correct answer for question 7. Perhaps the easiest of the April B&C Polls was question 8. Many know that Ross Dyer who used the alias Everett Milligan, accompanied Clyde and Ray Hamilton to the dance at Stringtown, Oklahoma. However by the time the shooting stopped leaving Under Sheriff Eugene Moore dead and Sheriff C.G. Maxwell wounded-- Dyer became separated from Clyde and Ray who had made their escape by car. Dyer was later arrested trying to board a bus to McKinney, Texas.

So there you have it-- the April B&C Polls. I hope these polls shed new light on this history for some. Thanks as always for your participation in this monthly B&CHB event. Look for the all new May B&C polls-- to be posted soon.