Parachute in Garfield County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

The Robbery - The Getaway

Parachute Colorado

Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018

1. The Robbery - The Getaway Marker

Inscription.

The Robbery - The Getaway. Parachute Colorado. The Robbery. On June 7, 1904, an outlaw named Harvey Logan attempted one of the west's last train robberies near here. Also known as Kid Curry, Logan was a member of Butch Cassidy's notorious "Hole in the Wall" gang., When the westbound Denver and Rio Grande train made its scheduled 1:15 a.m. stop in Parachute on that Tuesday morning, a man scrambled on board. He ordered the engineer at gun point to proceed to Streit Flats, roughly 3 miles west of here. There he was joined by two accomplices., The three outlaws forced the Baggage Master to open the doors of the baggage car and blew open the safe with a charge of dynamite. They were expecting to find a shipment of gold. Historians never established that they actually did. In fact, it is believed by many that the gold had been sent through on a earlier train., After blowing the safe, the outlaws headed directly for the Colorado River. They crossed the river and mounted horses which they had hidden on the south side. They headed for Battlement Mesa, stealing fresh mounts as they went., In the meantime, lawmen from Grand Junction and Parachute, along with several local ranchers, formed a posse to pursue the outlaws. For the story of "The Getaway" and the confrontation between posse and outlaw, please see the historical marker on Battlement Mesa. Cross I-70 and the Colorado River, then follow signs to the Battlement Mesa Information Center., The Getaway. On June 7, 1904, Kid Curry crossed Battlement Mesa near here after robbing a train west of Parachute. He was accompanied by two fellow members of Butch Cassidy's notorious "Hole in the Wall" gang., In hot pursuit was a posse composed of lawmen from both Parachute and Grand Junction and several ranchers., After crossing Battlement Mesa, the posse caught up with and exchanged fire with the robbers on Mamm Creek east of here. The outlaws escaped unharmed and rode on to Divide Creek where they stole horses and continued east., Finally, on East Divide Creek, the posse again overtook the outlaws. Hidden behind rocks, the desperadoes warned the lawmen and ranchers to "go back or get hurt." Ignoring this warning, the posse went for their guns. In the ensuing battle, one of the robbers was heard to say that he had been hit and that he was going to finish the job. A single, final shot rang out, then all was quiet. Cautiously, the posse approached the rocks behind which the outlaws had been hiding. They found one man dead with wounds in his chest and head. The latter were plainly self-inflicted., The other two outlaws whose horses were causalities of the battle, fled on foot into the cedar trees along East Divide Creek. They were never identified and they were never seen again., The dead man, later positively identified by the Pinkerton Detective Agency as Harvey Logan, alias "Kid Curry", was taken to Glenwood Springs. There he was buried near the site of Doc Holliday's grave., The money or gold -- if any -- that the robber obtained from their ill-fated crime has never been found or accounted for.

The Robbery On June 7, 1904, an outlaw named Harvey Logan attempted one of the west's last train robberies near here. Also known as Kid Curry, Logan was a member of Butch Cassidy's notorious "Hole in the Wall" gang.

When the westbound Denver & Rio Grande train made its scheduled 1:15 a.m. stop in Parachute on that Tuesday morning, a man scrambled on board. He ordered the engineer at gun point to proceed to Streit Flats, roughly 3 miles west of here. There he was joined by two accomplices.

The three outlaws forced the Baggage Master to open the doors of the baggage car and blew open the safe with a charge of dynamite. They were expecting to find a shipment of gold. Historians never established that they actually did. In fact, it is believed by many that the gold had been sent through on a earlier train.

After blowing the safe, the outlaws headed directly for the Colorado River. They crossed the river and mounted horses which they had hidden on the south side. They headed for Battlement Mesa, stealing fresh mounts as they went.

In the meantime, lawmen from Grand Junction and Parachute, along with several local ranchers, formed a posse to pursue the outlaws. For the story of "The Getaway" and the confrontation between posse and outlaw, please see the historical marker

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on Battlement Mesa. Cross I-70 and the Colorado River, then follow signs to the Battlement Mesa Information Center.

The Getaway On June 7, 1904, Kid Curry crossed Battlement Mesa near here after robbing a train west of Parachute. He was accompanied by two fellow members of Butch Cassidy's notorious "Hole in the Wall" gang.

In hot pursuit was a posse composed of lawmen from both Parachute and Grand Junction and several ranchers.

After crossing Battlement Mesa, the posse caught up with and exchanged fire with the robbers on Mamm Creek east of here. The outlaws escaped unharmed and rode on to Divide Creek where they stole horses and continued east.

Finally, on East Divide Creek, the posse again overtook the outlaws. Hidden behind rocks, the desperadoes warned the lawmen and ranchers to "go back or get hurt." Ignoring this warning, the posse went for their guns. In the ensuing battle, one of the robbers was heard to say that he had been hit and that he was going to finish the job. A single, final shot rang out, then all was quiet. Cautiously, the posse approached the rocks behind which the outlaws had been hiding. They found one man dead with wounds in his chest and head. The latter were plainly self-inflicted.

The other two outlaws whose horses were causalities of the battle, fled on foot into the

View from marker towards the Battlement Mesa. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018

2. View from marker towards the Battlement Mesa.

cedar trees along East Divide Creek. They were never identified and they were never seen again.

The dead man, later positively identified by the Pinkerton Detective Agency as Harvey Logan, alias "Kid Curry", was taken to Glenwood Springs. There he was buried near the site of Doc Holliday's grave.

The money or gold -- if any -- that the robber obtained from their ill-fated crime has never been found or accounted for.

Erected by Garfield County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1832.

Location. 39° 27.337′ N, 108° 3.006′ W. Marker is in Parachute, Colorado, in Garfield County. Marker is at the intersection of Green Street and East 1st Street, on the right when traveling north on Green Street. Located in the Parachute Rest Area off Interstate 70. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 410 East 2nd Street, Parachute CO 81635, United States of America. Touch for directions.

More about this marker. The right hand second marker "The Getaway" was added to "The Robbery" marker on 10/28/2010. It is the one referred to in the first marker text.

Also see . . . Kid Curry's Last Gunfight. True West website entry (Submitted on August 20, 2013.)

Harvey Alexander Logan (1867 – June 17, 1904), also known as Kid Curry. image. Click for full size.

Public domain

3. Harvey Alexander Logan (1867 – June 17, 1904), also known as Kid Curry.

View of marker at the Parachute Rest Area. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018

4. View of marker at the Parachute Rest Area.

The 3 solar arrays, to the right of the marker, were installed in August 2012 and will generate 23 kilowatts of clean electricity for the rest stop.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 18, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2013, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,756 times since then and 148 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 7, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 3. submitted on October 24, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 4. submitted on July 7, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.