Texas History Notebook

Greer Garson

On August 6, 1939, the Harlingen, Texas Valley Morning Star read “Donat Stars In New Film” followed by the sub heading ‘Goodbye Mr. Chips” in Mercedes, Texas. The article went on to describe the latest film of popular leading man Robert Donat. Based on the James Hilton novel of the same name, the film tells the story of the life and teaching career of Charles Edward Chipping, a Latin teacher at a British boys’ school. Donat’s character falls for and marries a beautiful and flashy young woman named Katherine, played by actress Greer Garson in her debut performance. Revealed in a series of flashbacks, the film portrays the events in Chipping’s life and the individuals who were part of it. Donat would go on to win an Oscar for Best Actor. The film was the first major role in the long and successful career of Garson. She was also nominated for an Oscar that year, but the award went instead to Vivian Leigh for her performance in “Gone With The Wind.”

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Bonnie and Clyde Posse: Hinton, Oakley, Alcorn and Jordan

The Associated Press headline read “Two Former Rangers and Deputies Trail Couple to Hideout – Desperadoes Die Without Firing Shot.” Special Texas Ranger Frank Hamer was quoted as saying, “The job is done.”

Ben Kilpatrick and the Fort Worth Five

(Image credit: Smithsonian Institute)

This famous photograph, sometimes called the “Fort Worth Five,” was taken in 1900 an the Schwartz Studio in old downtown Fort Worth. Pictured are the following: left to right, front row: Harry A. Longabaugh (aka the Sundance Kid), Ben Kilpatrick (aka the Tall Texan), Robert Leroy Parker (aka Butch Cassidy); standing: Will Carver and Harvey Logan (aka Kid Curry). The photo is said to have helped authorities later to identify each of them and within twelve years, they would all be dead. Carver was killed in a shootout in Sonora, Texas the following year. Logan was killed in a shootout with a posse in Parachute, Colorado in 1904. He may have taken his own life rather than submit to being captured. Longabaugh and Parker are believed to have been killed in a shootout in Bolivia in 1908. Kilpatrick died in 1912.

The Immortal Ten

On January 22, 1927, the Associated Press headline read “Basketball Team of Baylor Victim of Grade Crossing Tragedy Near Round Rock.” The first reports indicated that of the twenty-one passengers comprised of players, coaches and guests, that there were as many as fourteen fatalities. The exact number was ten: James Clyde “Abe” Kelly, William Winchester, W. E. Murray, Merle Dudley, Sam Dillow, Jack Castellaw, L. R. “Ivey” Foster, Bob Hailey, R. L. Hannah and James Walker.

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H. S. Lebman

If you were to do an internet search any day for “Lebman saddles for sale,” you would probably find a number of saddles that are available to be used as working saddles, held as collector’s items or as family keepsakes. They were made in a San Antonio saddle shop a few blocks from the San Antonio River on Flores Street. The former location is now a restaurant, but for many years, it was a busy store for leather goods.