The general attitude in the country at the time was against government, and Bonnie and Clyde used that to their advantage. Bonnie and Clyde were a madly in love couple that were escaping the big, bad law together. Although they had killed people (they committed 13 murders), they were better known for kidnapping policemen who had caught up with them. They would drive them around for hours, and then they would release them hundreds of miles away, unharmed. Bonnie and Clyde lived in their car, but they never cared about that as long as they were together. They robbed many banks but never seemed to walk away with very much money. What they feared the most was dying without being in each other's arms, in a field of bullets from the police.
Bonnie dropped out of school at age 16 and married Roy Thornton. The marriage wasn't very good, and Roy began to spend most of his time away from home not long after they got married. Two years later, Roy was caught for robbery and sentenced to five years in prison. They never got a divorce, however they remained separated, without contact. While Roy was away, Bonnie worked as a waitress; however, she had no job just as the Great Depression was beginning. At that time, West Dallas was a very rough and hard neighborhood that helped Clyde fit right in. Clyde and his older brother, Marvin "Buck" Barrow, were often in trouble with the law for they were frequently stealing things like turkeys and cars. He had two serious girlfriends before he met Bonnie, but he was never married.
In January 1930, Bonnie and Clyde met at a mutual friend's house. The attraction was instantaneous. A few weeks after they met, Clyde was sentenced to two years in prison for past crimes. Bonnie was devastated at his arrest. On March 11, 1930, Clyde escaped from jail, using the gun Bonnie had snuck in to him. A week later he was recaptured and was then to serve a 14-year sentence in the Eastham Prison Farm near Weldon, Texas. On April 21, 1930, Clyde arrived at the prison farm. He hoped that if he was physically ill, he might get away from the farm, so he asked a prisoner to chop off some of his toes with an axe. This didn't help him to get transferred, but Clyde was granted an early parole. After Clyde was released on February 2, 1932, he vowed that he would rather die than ever go back to that prison. On one of Clyde's first robberies after he was released, Bonnie went with her new love. The plan was for the Barrow Gang to rob a hardware store. The members of the Barrow Gang changed often, but at different times included Bonnie and Clyde, Ray Hamilton, W.D. Jones, Buck Barrow, Blanche Barrow, and Henry Methvin. Even though she stayed in the car during the robbery, Bonnie was caught and put in the Kaufman, Texas jail. She was released for not having enough evidence. Even after she got out of jail, Bonnie still had a chance to leave Clyde, but she loved him.. She knew that they would be caught and killed very soon, but she felt she was destined to be with Clyde.
At one time they were in a bad car accident. They went to a farm house because Bonnie was burned and injured very badly. But then the police showed up.
Buck and Clyde started opening fire at the cops. Buck, unable to move far, kept shooting. Buck was hit several times while Blanche stayed by his side. Clyde hopped into one of their two cars, but he was then shot in the arm and crashed the car into a tree. Bonnie, Clyde, and Jones ended up running and then swimming across a river. As soon as he could, Clyde stole another car from a farm and drove them away.
Buck died from his wounds a few days after the shootout. Blanche was captured while at Buck's side. Clyde had been shot four times, and Bonnie had been hit by numerous buckshot pellets. Jones had also received a head wound. After the shootout, Jones took off from the group, never to return.
Bonnie and Clyde took several months to heal, but by November of 1933, they were back out doing what they did best. They now had to be extra careful because they now realized that locals might recognize them and turn them in.
Soon to come was their final shootout. They never thought that it would be their last moments together. The police had used one of Clyde's friend's trucks to bring Clyde in because they knew that when Clyde saw it that he'd stop. Well, Clyde stopped when he saw the tan Ford, and when he did, the police opened fire. Bonnie and Clyde died almost instantly from 130 bullets flying at their bodies. When the shooting ended, the policemen found the back of Clyde's head in piece's and part of Bonnie's right hand shot off.
I think that this has to be one of the most true love stories you could find. That doesn't make it right, of course. But this is an emotional, yet exciting story to read. They have romance, as well as crime, and adventure. All that combined = total excitement!
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/bonnieandclyde.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/bonnie-and-clyde
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