In speaking with the Tynes family in preparation for my talk at Gibsland, I discovered some truly "remarkable" information, expressed by Bailey himself over the years-- regarding his covert activities with the U.S. Bureau of Investigation, in reporting on Bonnie and Clyde. These stories were relayed to me, by 4 Tynes family members. One of these individuals is a great nephew of Bailey's, who heard Bailey relate many of these accounts himself-- and thus 1st hand while alive. Bailey was known as a great story teller, and among the ghost stories and such he would tell the Tynes children-- he would also relate for the teenagers and adults, stories of his time working as a lawman-- and spying on his own family. No one knew whether Bailey's stories were "tall tales" or not until recently-- when in contacting his family, I was able to prove to them, that these remarkable accounts of his working with the FBI-- were indeed true. None of the accounts I will relate to you now, appear within the FBI's Dallas Field Office files-- which make them all the more insightful.
The Tynes family was well known to both B&C and other Barrow relatives including Cumie and Henry Barrow. B&C would visit various Tynes relatives, particularly in Waco, Texas-- from time to time. While there, Tynes relatives would help B&C reluctantly. They would sometimes meet under houses out of sight, and perform tasks for them, such as going to local stores for needed supplies. At least one Tynes family member didn't think much of Clyde. B. C. Tynes described Clyde as a "trashy thug"-- and would help him a little but not alot. He didn't want Clyde hanging around his kids. But when B&C showed up, what could the Tynes family members do??
Waco police were aware when B&C were in town. They would get phone calls informing them of Clyde's presence. But with such a small force on duty, the Waco police were apparently afraid of Clyde, Bonnie and the gang. Those on duty would call in off duty officers to bolster their force-- but never confronted B&C. This info was relayed by retired Waco police Capt. Bobby Joe Fulwhyler, (now deceased) who was a member of the Waco P.D. in 1933. My thanks to the Waco, Texas Police Dept.-- for these insights.
Bailey Tynes, who was originally from Center, Texas-- was involved with B&C much earlier than the FBI realized. Bailey was known to have met with Clyde, Bonnie, Clyde's brother, his wife-- and a man with initials (W. D. Jones) near the "big thicket" (The Davy Crockett National Forest)-- which is in East Texas, near Louisiana. With Bailey having met with this most famous incarnation of The Barrow Gang-- this would necessarily place this meeting, prior to Dexfield Park in July of 1933.
When Bailey went to the FBI building in Dallas, he would enter an adjacent building, go to the basement-- and go through an underground tunnel to enter FBI HQ's. "Boots" Hinton confirmed the existance of this tunnel and secret entrance, which he himself used along with his father Ted years ago-- to enter the same building.
B&C came to Bailey's house in Waco on certainly more than one occaiasion, to spend the night. B&C were said to have been paranoid and very sporadic. They kept no schedule. They would sleep some and leave in the middle of the night. Notes were left by Clyde for Bailey, thanking him for his hospitality. This of course left Bailey in quite a spot. For at the same time Bailey was working for the Bureau, in helping them with information about B&C-- B&C would show up asking Bailey for help. Bailey was said to have been in fear for his life-- in hoping Clyde didn't figure out he was working for Bureau, against them.
This leads to another story, where Bailey may have actually run with B&C for a short period to Southern Louisiana. It was said he camped out with B&C there. Apparently even Bailey wasn't trusted. As such it was reported, Bailey wasn't allowed to go to town alone-- without one of them being with him. At this point Bailey was said to be fearful, that he was suspected of being a spy. This story may be likely, as Clyde was said to have had relatives in Southern Louisiana-- at Baton Rouge or Fields.
But perhaps the most remarkable revelation expressed to me, was that Bailey told of yet another B&C ambush trap having been set-- by the U.S. Bureau of Investigation!! Bailey had planned to meet B&C near a Pecan orchard or wooded area-- and had alerted the Bureau in advance, in order to put B&C on the spot. According to Bailey, Bureau agents were stationed there, and were waiting in those woods for B&C. But as often happened with the elusive pair-- they never showed, for what could have been a deadly and fateful meeting. I asked John Fox about this. His take was if this trap had been set-- that Bureau Agents would likely have attempted to capture Bonnie, Clyde and whomever else was with them. I also asked about an interesting question asked of me-- as to whether an order had ever been issued by Bureau Director J. Edgar Hoover, not to kill a woman-- which could have come into play here, within a capture attempt of Bonnie Parker. Dr. Fox told me to his knowledge as FBI Historian-- no such orders were ever issued. I don't know about all of you-- but I get chills thinking of this newly uncovered revelation.
Bailey was said to have been a soft spoken and kind man, who felt B&C needed to be stopped. He was apparently not trying to be a hero, and was never admonished for spying on his own family. During this period, in realizing the danger to himself-- he handed his kids over to his brother Clarence Burean Tynes and wife Thelma, for safe keeping. Bailey was a single dad at the time, and made sure while spying on B&C-- that his kids wouldn't be placed in harm's way.
Based on this newly discovered family information on Bailey-- one is left to wonder about this fascinating and mysterious figure from B&C history. I now believe the B&C sighting account uncovered by the Bureau, while later investigating Bailey. According to info uncovered in trailing Bailey, he had told a relative that while reporting to the Bureau from the Barrow residence-- B&C showed up there. The date of this meeting as reported by the Bureau Agent, coincides with the date of one of Bailey's Barrow residence reports. Curiously, Bailey never notified the Bureau of this fact-- at least not on paper. As revealed in the Dallas FBI Files, Bailey provided quite good and detailed info to help capture B&C-- but there is evidence, that he also may have held back info, which could have been important. One is left to ask why?? In the end B&C were captured, and Bailey went on to live a long life. He passed away in 1977 at the age of 84.
My sincere thanks to the Tynes family (Laura, Mark, Daryl and Dennis)-- for sharing with me, these wonderful revelations regarding Bailey. Without a doubt, my favorite secretive info revealed within the newly released FBI files on Bonnie and Clyde, involves Bailey Tynes. What a story-- what revelations!! I feel for the Bureau to have placed an informant within the Barrow home, was nothing less than astounding. I have additional info on Bailey-- and hope to learn even more in the future. I hope you've enjoyed hearing-- about this fascinating figure from B&C history.
Bailey Tynes revelations and info-- Copyright © 2009 by A. Winston Woodward. All rights reserved. Thank you.
The Tynes family was well known to both B&C and other Barrow relatives including Cumie and Henry Barrow. B&C would visit various Tynes relatives, particularly in Waco, Texas-- from time to time. While there, Tynes relatives would help B&C reluctantly. They would sometimes meet under houses out of sight, and perform tasks for them, such as going to local stores for needed supplies. At least one Tynes family member didn't think much of Clyde. B. C. Tynes described Clyde as a "trashy thug"-- and would help him a little but not alot. He didn't want Clyde hanging around his kids. But when B&C showed up, what could the Tynes family members do??
Waco police were aware when B&C were in town. They would get phone calls informing them of Clyde's presence. But with such a small force on duty, the Waco police were apparently afraid of Clyde, Bonnie and the gang. Those on duty would call in off duty officers to bolster their force-- but never confronted B&C. This info was relayed by retired Waco police Capt. Bobby Joe Fulwhyler, (now deceased) who was a member of the Waco P.D. in 1933. My thanks to the Waco, Texas Police Dept.-- for these insights.
Bailey Tynes, who was originally from Center, Texas-- was involved with B&C much earlier than the FBI realized. Bailey was known to have met with Clyde, Bonnie, Clyde's brother, his wife-- and a man with initials (W. D. Jones) near the "big thicket" (The Davy Crockett National Forest)-- which is in East Texas, near Louisiana. With Bailey having met with this most famous incarnation of The Barrow Gang-- this would necessarily place this meeting, prior to Dexfield Park in July of 1933.
When Bailey went to the FBI building in Dallas, he would enter an adjacent building, go to the basement-- and go through an underground tunnel to enter FBI HQ's. "Boots" Hinton confirmed the existance of this tunnel and secret entrance, which he himself used along with his father Ted years ago-- to enter the same building.
B&C came to Bailey's house in Waco on certainly more than one occaiasion, to spend the night. B&C were said to have been paranoid and very sporadic. They kept no schedule. They would sleep some and leave in the middle of the night. Notes were left by Clyde for Bailey, thanking him for his hospitality. This of course left Bailey in quite a spot. For at the same time Bailey was working for the Bureau, in helping them with information about B&C-- B&C would show up asking Bailey for help. Bailey was said to have been in fear for his life-- in hoping Clyde didn't figure out he was working for Bureau, against them.
This leads to another story, where Bailey may have actually run with B&C for a short period to Southern Louisiana. It was said he camped out with B&C there. Apparently even Bailey wasn't trusted. As such it was reported, Bailey wasn't allowed to go to town alone-- without one of them being with him. At this point Bailey was said to be fearful, that he was suspected of being a spy. This story may be likely, as Clyde was said to have had relatives in Southern Louisiana-- at Baton Rouge or Fields.
But perhaps the most remarkable revelation expressed to me, was that Bailey told of yet another B&C ambush trap having been set-- by the U.S. Bureau of Investigation!! Bailey had planned to meet B&C near a Pecan orchard or wooded area-- and had alerted the Bureau in advance, in order to put B&C on the spot. According to Bailey, Bureau agents were stationed there, and were waiting in those woods for B&C. But as often happened with the elusive pair-- they never showed, for what could have been a deadly and fateful meeting. I asked John Fox about this. His take was if this trap had been set-- that Bureau Agents would likely have attempted to capture Bonnie, Clyde and whomever else was with them. I also asked about an interesting question asked of me-- as to whether an order had ever been issued by Bureau Director J. Edgar Hoover, not to kill a woman-- which could have come into play here, within a capture attempt of Bonnie Parker. Dr. Fox told me to his knowledge as FBI Historian-- no such orders were ever issued. I don't know about all of you-- but I get chills thinking of this newly uncovered revelation.
Bailey was said to have been a soft spoken and kind man, who felt B&C needed to be stopped. He was apparently not trying to be a hero, and was never admonished for spying on his own family. During this period, in realizing the danger to himself-- he handed his kids over to his brother Clarence Burean Tynes and wife Thelma, for safe keeping. Bailey was a single dad at the time, and made sure while spying on B&C-- that his kids wouldn't be placed in harm's way.
Based on this newly discovered family information on Bailey-- one is left to wonder about this fascinating and mysterious figure from B&C history. I now believe the B&C sighting account uncovered by the Bureau, while later investigating Bailey. According to info uncovered in trailing Bailey, he had told a relative that while reporting to the Bureau from the Barrow residence-- B&C showed up there. The date of this meeting as reported by the Bureau Agent, coincides with the date of one of Bailey's Barrow residence reports. Curiously, Bailey never notified the Bureau of this fact-- at least not on paper. As revealed in the Dallas FBI Files, Bailey provided quite good and detailed info to help capture B&C-- but there is evidence, that he also may have held back info, which could have been important. One is left to ask why?? In the end B&C were captured, and Bailey went on to live a long life. He passed away in 1977 at the age of 84.
My sincere thanks to the Tynes family (Laura, Mark, Daryl and Dennis)-- for sharing with me, these wonderful revelations regarding Bailey. Without a doubt, my favorite secretive info revealed within the newly released FBI files on Bonnie and Clyde, involves Bailey Tynes. What a story-- what revelations!! I feel for the Bureau to have placed an informant within the Barrow home, was nothing less than astounding. I have additional info on Bailey-- and hope to learn even more in the future. I hope you've enjoyed hearing-- about this fascinating figure from B&C history.
Bailey Tynes revelations and info-- Copyright © 2009 by A. Winston Woodward. All rights reserved. Thank you.
3 comments:
very, very interesting. thank's for sharing this important information. ted
now i wonder if bailey tynes could have been with clyde and bonnie in bell cheney springs, and the cheneyville,louisiana area as mentioned in the fbi files.
I wanted so much to visit Bell Chaney Springs this year. Tres Amigos drove past the Turkey Creek Area but couldn't stop. Much lead work would be needed, to sort out locations and attempt to find any remnants-- from the stories found in the Dallas FBI Files. Perhaps next year, we can search there. Thanks Ted, for the thoughts about Bell Chaney Springs.
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