San Miguel Valley Bank Robbery

San Miguel Valley Bank Robbery. June 24th 1889. Newspapers in 1889 reported this robbery to be the most brazen and daring bank robbery in the history of Colorado. It was the first robbery by two legends of the wild west. Matt Warner ( Willard Erastus Christiansen) would later pay his debt to society. He was pardoned in 1900, changed his ways and became a respected lawman. Butch Cassidy (Robert Leroy Parker) would become the Robin Hood of the west and leader of the famed Wild Bunch. He fled to South America with Harry Longabaugh in 1905 and his fate is forever shrouded with mystery., This robbery marks the point where these late 19th century cowboys crossed the line between being cowmen and rustlers and became some of the most wanted outlaws of their time. Both men took this route down the valley numerous times to get to southeastern Utah where Matt Warner was from, but after the robbery they headed over Lizard Head pass to hold up on Mancos Mountain and eventually made their way to the Robber's Roost area in eastern Utah. , Matt Warner and Butch Cassidy are now the namesakes of chapters of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, dedicated to the preservation of western history and protectors of widders and orphans.