Harvey Logan, aka “Kid Curry” – The Wildest of the Wild Bunch
Harvey Logan, forever etched in the annals of the American West as "Kid Curry," was a figure of stark contrasts and unrelenting violence. Born into humble beginnings, his life spiraled into a vortex of outlawry, earning him the reputation as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable members of Butch Cassidy’s notorious Wild Bunch gang. William Pinkerton, head of the famed Pinkerton Detective Agency, famously remarked that Harvey Logan possessed "not one single redeeming feature," labeling him the only criminal he knew without a single good quality. This damning assessment paints a portrait of a man driven by a ruthless streak, a reputation forged in the fires of countless gunfights and daring robberies.
Early Life and Transformation:
Born in 1867 in Tama County, Iowa, Harvey Alexander Logan’s early life offered little hint of the path he would eventually tread. He was the third of six children born to William A. and Eliza J. Logan. The family’s tranquility was shattered by the death of his father, prompting his mother to relocate the family to Dodson, Missouri, a small town just outside Kansas City. Tragedy struck again in 1876 with the passing of his mother, leaving the children orphaned. They subsequently lived with their aunt and uncle, Lizzie and Hiram Lee, before Harvey Logan and three of his brothers ventured to Texas, seeking their fortune.
In Texas, the young Logan honed his skills as a horse breaker at the "Cross L Ranch" near Big Spring. It was during this period that he befriended a man known as "Flat Nose" George Curry. This association proved pivotal, as Harvey adopted Curry’s last name, a decision soon followed by his brothers. This seemingly innocuous name change marked a significant turning point, signaling a departure from his past and an embrace of a new identity, one that would become synonymous with lawlessness and violence.
The Path to Outlawry:
The year 1883 saw a 16-year-old Harvey Logan participating in a cattle drive to Pueblo, Colorado, an event that foreshadowed his future transgressions. A saloon brawl led him to flee the law, seeking refuge in southern Wyoming. The following year, he and his brothers Johnnie and Lonnie established a horse ranch in Chouteau County, Montana, south of the Landusky Mining Camp. However, this attempt at settling down proved short-lived.
The incident that truly set Harvey Logan on his path to outlawry occurred on October 2, 1894. An altercation with a neighbor named James Ross resulted in Logan being charged with assault with a deadly weapon. This was just the beginning of a series of events that would ultimately define his life.
A subsequent confrontation with local miner Powell "Pike" Landusky further cemented Logan’s descent into lawlessness. Landusky, believing Logan was involved with his daughter, attacked him. Logan, getting the upper hand, was nevertheless charged with assault. Despite a judge’s initial assessment suggesting self-defense, a formal trial was scheduled. When Logan encountered Landusky in a saloon, a dispute erupted, escalating into a fistfight. As Logan attempted to leave, Landusky drew a gun. In the ensuing gunfight, Landusky’s weapon jammed, and Logan fatally shot him in the head.
Fearing a biased trial, Logan fled, becoming a fugitive from justice. Compounding the situation, Landusky’s daughter later announced her pregnancy, claiming that Logan’s brother Lonnie was the father. With a bounty on his head, Logan sought refuge in New Mexico, joining the notorious Black Jack Ketchum Gang.
The Wild Bunch and a Reign of Terror:
After a brief return to Montana, where his brother Johnnie was killed in a shootout with a rancher, Harvey Logan rejoined the Black Jack Ketchum Gang. However, disagreements over the spoils of a train robbery led him and his brother to leave the gang. They then drifted to Colorado, working on a ranch before Logan formed his own gang, including his brother Lonnie, Walt Putman, Tom O’Day, and his old friend George Curry.
In April 1897, Logan and his gang were implicated in the killing of Deputy Sheriff William Deane of Powder River, Wyoming, while rustling horses. Just a few months later, they robbed a bank in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, resulting in the capture of Tom O’Day. The remaining gang members were apprehended in Fergus County, Montana, after a shootout in which Logan was wounded. They were jailed in Deadwood, South Dakota, but managed to escape on October 31, 1897.
In July 1898, Logan partnered with the Sundance Kid and George Curry in robbing a Southern Pacific train in Humboldt, Nevada. While successful, the haul was meager, netting them only $450.
The Wild Bunch, with Logan as a key member, escalated their activities, becoming a terror across the West. On June 2, 1899, they robbed a Union Pacific Railroad train near Wilcox, Wyoming. The aggressive pursuit by law enforcement led to a gunfight in which Sheriff Joe Hazen was killed. The gang escaped to the Hole-in-the-Wall hideout on the Colorado/Utah border, prompting the Pinkerton Detective Agency to assign Charles Siringo to bring them to justice.
Further escalating his criminal career, Logan, along with Butch Cassidy and others, robbed a train near Folsom, New Mexico, on July 11, 1899. A posse led by Sheriff Ed Farr cornered the gang, resulting in a deadly shootout that left Sheriff Farr dead and several others wounded. Logan and Cassidy escaped.
Romance and Revenge:
Fleeing to San Antonio, Texas, Logan found refuge in Fannie Porter’s Brothel, where he met Della Moore, better known as Annie Rogers. Their affair would last for several years, adding another layer of complexity to Logan’s already tumultuous life.
The deaths of his brother Lonnie and his friend George Curry fueled Logan’s thirst for revenge. In March 1900, Logan and Will Carver killed two deputies in Arizona. He then ambushed and killed Sheriff George Scarborough in New Mexico. In May, he murdered Grand County Sheriff John Tyler and his deputy, Sam Jenkins, in Moab, Utah.
The Final Years and Legacy:
After rejoining the Wild Bunch and participating in a train robbery near Tipton, Wyoming, in August 1900, Logan and Ben Kilpatrick headed to Fort Worth, Texas. A photograph taken in Fort Worth with other members of the Wild Bunch proved to be a crucial piece of evidence for the Pinkerton Agency, who disseminated it on wanted posters across the nation.
In April 1901, Will Carver was killed in an ambush. Logan and other Wild Bunch members robbed a Union Pacific train near Wagner, Montana, in July 1901. Logan then killed Jim Winters, the man who killed his brother John in 1896.
In December 1901, Logan killed two Knoxville policemen. After a period of pursuit, Logan was captured in a pool hall in Knoxville in November 1902. Convicted of robbery, he was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. However, he escaped in June 1903.
On June 7, 1904, Logan participated in a train robbery near Parachute, Colorado. Two days later, he was wounded in a confrontation with a posse. Rather than face capture, Harvey Logan, aka Kid Curry, took his own life on June 9, 1904, at the age of 37.
Harvey Logan, also known as Kid Curry, was a man wanted on warrants for 15 murders, though some historians believe he killed closer to nine. His legacy remains a dark chapter in the history of the American West, a testament to the violence and lawlessness that defined a turbulent era. He is buried in Pioneer (Linwood) Cemetery overlooking Glenwood Springs, Colorado, near the memorial of Doc Holliday, another infamous figure of the Old West. His story serves as a chilling reminder of the destructive power of revenge and the brutal realities of life on the fringes of society.