Original draft ‘Wanted’ poster for Depression-era outlaw Clyde Barrow, 8.5 x 13.5, hand made by D. E. Walsh, superintendent of the Bureau of Identification at the Dallas Police Department on June 21, 1933. The poster features three original photographs: a Dallas Police mug shot of Barrow, Barrow with his arm around his girlfriend and accomplice, Bonnie Parker, and another of Parker by herself; the latter two photos derive from a camera roll recovered by police following the deadly Joplin raid at 3347 1/2 Oakridge Drive on April 13, 1933. This draft poster served as the basis for the subsequent official ‘Wanted’ posters produced and issued by Dallas law enforcement.
The upper portion of the poster is headed “Wanted for Murder” and lists Barrow’s full name, “Clyde Champion Barrow,” and two aliases, “Jack Hale” and “Elvin Williams.” The lower portion features his physical description (“Age 23, Height 5-8. Weight 125. Hair Dark Blonde (reddish) Eyes Hazel. Complexion Light”), background (“Residence West Dallas, Dallas, Texas. Born in Ellis County Texas”), known company, transportation, and a list of crimes with dates and locations.
The lower section reads, in part: “Will likely be traveling in a ‘V’ Type Ford car in company with. His brother, Marvin Barrow and Bonnie Parker (19 year old girl) Clyde was granted a General Parole from the Texas State Penitentiary where he was serving a 14 year term for Burglary and Auto Theft by Gov. Ross Sterling on Feb. 2, 1932. All three of these parties are reported [to] by be excellent pistol shots and are always heavily armed, EXTREME CARE SHOULD BE USED IN ARRESTING THEM.
3-25-32, WANTED, Dallas, Texas; Robbery by Fire Arms.
4-30-32, WANTED, Hillsboro, Texas; Murder and Robbery by Fire Arms.
5-12-32, WANTED, Lufkin, Texas; Robbery by Fire Arms.
8-1-32, WANTED, Dallas, Texas; Robbery by Fire Arms.
8-5-32, WANTED, Atoka, Oklahoma; Murder and Assault to Murder.
8-30-32, WANTED, Abilene, Texas; Robbery by Fire Arms.
4-13-33, WANTED, Joplin, Missouri; Murder (2 charges)
6-1-33, WANTED, Wellington, Texas; Kidnapping of Sheriff and City Marshal.
Address any communication to United States Department of Justice, Dallas, Texas or Police Department, Dallas, Texas.”
Framed to an overall size of 13.5 x 19; frame backing annotated in the hand of the son of the original owner: “This is the original FBI poster. It was given to me by my father (JBD, SR) when the FBI cleaned out their files in the early 1950’s—The pictures are the ones taken from Bonnie & Clyde during the Joplin Raid.” In very good to fine condition, with intersecting folds (one passing through Clyde's mug shot), and a few short tears affecting nothing.
Accompanied by a copy of the front page of The Dallas Dispatch from Thursday, May 24, 1934, showing images of the slain bodies of Barrow and Parker above headline: “Bodies of Bonnie and Clyde Under Guard In Dallas.” Also accompanied by a letter of provenance from the grandson of the original owner, in full: “Enclosed is a Wanted Poster for Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow hand made by a Dallas Police Superintendent on June 21, 1933. This poster has been in my family since the early 1950’s. The handwriting on the back of the frame is my father’s, John B. Dunlap, Jr. He described how he received the poster from my grandfather. My grandfather, John B. Dunlap, was the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for President Truman. When Truman left office, he went back to a civil service job in Dallas as a U.S. Treasury Agent. While he was working in the Federal Building in Dallas, the FBI was cleaning out their old files and my grandfather grabbed this poster out of the trash. He then gave it to my father…As my father correctly notes on the back of the frame, the original photos were from the camera roll recovered by law enforcement after the Joplin, MO raid on the Barrow Gang’s hideout.”
