The fate of numerous love letters exchanged by Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, have been a point of keen fascination, contention and wonder for decades. While liberally quoted from within Fugitives (the families' 1934 expose' concerning Bonnie & Clyde)-- the physical whereabouts of this revealing & heartfelt batch of correspondence has remained a mystery.
While others have searched for any trace of these wonderfully insightful letters-- in working with the families, I too have politely inquired-- only to be told no one knows. I would think Billie went a long way toward revealing the fate of at least Bonnie's personally held letters, with her telling of the Pat Plummer story. Remember Aunt Pat was present along with Edith Clay Parker and Emma-- when a Dallas based reporter phoned on May 23rd, '34 to tell Emma Bonnie had been killed. That Aunt Pat. Well according to Billie, after Bonnie's death-- she entrusted Bonnie's possessions to Aunt Pat for safekeeping. However based on a falling out between them, the unthinkable happened-- when Pat Plummer torched the shed where Bonnie's belongings were being stored.
My feeling is, whatever letters Bonnie kept went up in smoke during that incident-- so one would think Clyde's letters to Bonnie are gone. Now logically Bonnie's letters to Clyde, wouldn't have been included with Bonnie's possessions. So it "may" just be-- some of those letters still survive. There's one Barrow relative I haven't interviewed, who could know something about this. And as this is one of those loose ends I've hoped to re-visit at some point-- perhaps there's no time like the present to give it a go. Some research may be involved, in order to locate this individual to allow for an approach. However, so many have inquired here concerning Bonnie & Clyde's love letters-- I feel an obligation to address this mystery further.
Perhaps as it seems, these immortal pieces of Bonnie & Clyde History no longer exist-- except "fortunately" within transcriptions made in 1934. "But hey, you never know"-- as some remarkable Bonnie & Clyde artifacts have surfaced within just the past few years.
I'll keep you posted on any results.
Perhaps as it seems, these immortal pieces of Bonnie & Clyde History no longer exist-- except "fortunately" within transcriptions made in 1934. "But hey, you never know"-- as some remarkable Bonnie & Clyde artifacts have surfaced within just the past few years.
I'll keep you posted on any results.
3 comments:
I think it's a shame that the original letters appear to have been lost, but it's good that they were transcribed because I think that Bonnie's letters to Clyde while he was in prison go a long way toward dispelling the idea that she was just a good-time gal looking for a gangster guy to hang out with. Bonnie's letters to Clyde are full of her hopes that he would go straight and be an upright citizen after he was released - she wanted them to be happy like other boys and girls. There is no indication in any of Bonnie's letters that she wanted to be a gangster's moll; she just wanted to be happy with Clyde.
Hi Winston,
I hope that you are not as bad off, as some in New Jersey and New York are! Enjoyed your last articles. I had a computer crash, lost a lot of files but up and running now.Frances
BarefootOkieGal wrote: "it's good that they were transcribed because I think that Bonnie's letters to Clyde while he was in prison go a long way toward dispelling the idea that she was just a good-time gal looking for a gangster guy to hang out with."
Funny you say that, because that was Cumie's first impression of Bonnie, according to her unpublished memoir. She wasn't impressed with Bonnie's heavily made-up face and wrote that "Bonnie just cared for a good time and believed in spending money as she went."
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