William Carver, also known as William “News” Carver (September 12, 1868 – April 2, 1901) was an American outlaw and member of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, a notorious gang in the American Old West during the late 19th century. Born in Coryell County, Texas, Carver initially worked as a cowboy in Texas and Oklahoma. After his wife, Viana E. Byler, died of fever shortly after their marriage, he drifted into a life of crime, joining the Wild Bunch around 1897.
Carver earned the nickname “News” due to his enjoyment of reading about the gang’s exploits in newspapers. He participated in several high-profile robberies, including the August 29, 1900, Union Pacific Express train heist near Rock Creek, Wyoming, where the gang stole $50,000. Known for his skills as a cowboy and marksman, Carver was a key member of the gang, often working alongside outlaws like Butch Cassidy and Ben Kilpatrick.
In 1901, while traveling with his companion Laura Bullion, another Wild Bunch member, Carver was ambushed and killed by Sheriff E. S. Briant and his posse in Sonora, Texas, on April 2, 1901. His death marked a significant blow to the Wild Bunch, which was already under pressure from law enforcement.
Early Life and Background
William Richard Carver, known as “News” Carver, was born on September 12, 1868, in Coryell County, Texas. Raised in the rugged post-Civil War South, Carver grew up in a world of cattle drives and frontier hardship. Little is documented about his early years, but he developed skills as a cowboy, working on ranches in Texas and Oklahoma. His life took a tragic turn when his young wife, Viana E. Byler, died of fever shortly after their marriage in the early 1890s. This loss marked a turning point, pushing Carver toward a transient lifestyle and, eventually, a life of crime.
By the mid-1890s, Carver’s skills as a horseman and marksman, coupled with his restless spirit, drew him into the orbit of the Wild Bunch, a notorious gang of outlaws led by Butch Cassidy and Harvey Logan (Kid Curry). Carver’s nickname, “News,” stemmed from his habit of eagerly reading newspaper accounts of the gang’s exploits, reveling in their growing infamy.
Joining the Wild Bunch
By 1897, Carver had fully integrated into the Wild Bunch, a loosely organized group of outlaws known for robbing banks, trains, and express companies across the American West. The gang, including figures like Ben Kilpatrick (“The Tall Texan”) and Laura Bullion, Carver’s later companion, operated out of remote hideouts like the Hole-in-the-Wall in Wyoming and Brown’s Park in Utah. Carver’s cowboy background made him a valuable asset, particularly in navigating the rough terrain of the West and handling the logistics of train and bank heists.
Time in Utah
Utah played a significant role in Carver’s outlaw career, as it was a key operational base for the Wild Bunch. The state’s rugged landscapes, particularly Brown’s Park in northeastern Utah near the Colorado and Wyoming borders, provided a natural fortress for the gang. Brown’s Park, a remote valley along the Green River, was a haven for outlaws, offering seclusion and access to escape routes across state lines. Carver and the Wild Bunch used this area as a staging ground for planning heists and evading law enforcement.
Activities in Utah
While specific records of Carver’s day-to-day activities in Utah are sparse, his time in the state was tied to the Wild Bunch’s broader operations. The gang frequented Brown’s Park in the late 1890s, using it to rest, recruit, and plan. Carver, known for his easygoing demeanor and sharpshooting skills, likely contributed to the group’s activities in the region, which included rustling cattle and preparing for major robberies. The Wild Bunch’s presence in Utah was part of a broader pattern of exploiting the state’s sparse population and law enforcement challenges to their advantage.
One notable event linked to the Wild Bunch during Carver’s tenure was the planning of train robberies, some of which were staged in or near Utah. For example, the gang’s 1899 robbery of the Union Pacific Express near Rock Creek, Wyoming, close to Utah’s border, likely involved preparations in Brown’s Park. Carver’s role in such heists would have included scouting, handling horses, or serving as a lookout, given his cowboy expertise.
Utah’s outlaw-friendly environment also attracted other criminals, and Carver likely interacted with local ranchers, some of whom were complicit in hiding or supplying the gang. The state’s Mormon communities, while generally law-abiding, were sometimes sympathetic to outlaws as a form of resistance against federal authorities, creating a complex social dynamic that the Wild Bunch exploited.
The Wild Bunch in Utah’s Outlaw Culture
Utah’s role in the Wild Bunch’s activities extended beyond Brown’s Park. The gang occasionally passed through towns like Vernal and Moab, where they could blend in with transient workers or cowboys. Carver, with his unassuming appearance and cowboy background, could move through these areas without drawing undue attention. However, by the late 1890s, the Wild Bunch’s increasing notoriety, fueled by newspaper coverage that Carver enjoyed, made anonymity harder to maintain.
The 1900 Union Pacific Heist and Beyond
Carver’s most infamous exploit with the Wild Bunch was the August 29, 1900, robbery of the Union Pacific Express train near Rock Creek, Wyoming, just across the Utah border. The gang, including Carver, Butch Cassidy, and Ben Kilpatrick, dynamited the train’s safe and escaped with approximately $50,000 (equivalent to over $1.5 million today). While the heist itself occurred in Wyoming, the gang likely retreated to Utah’s Brown’s Park to divide the loot and evade the pursuing Pinkerton detectives and posses. Carver’s role in the robbery, though not detailed in primary sources, likely leveraged his sharpshooting and horsemanship skills to ensure the gang’s escape.
After the Rock Creek heist, the Wild Bunch faced mounting pressure from law enforcement. Carver, now a wanted man, continued to operate with the gang but also spent time with Laura Bullion, a fellow Wild Bunch member and his romantic partner. The couple’s movements in 1900–1901 took them across the West, including periods in Utah, where they likely sought refuge in familiar hideouts.
Death and Legacy
Carver’s outlaw career ended abruptly in 1901. On April 2, while traveling with Laura Bullion in Sonora, Texas, he was ambushed and killed by Sheriff E. S. Briant and his posse. His death at age 32 marked the decline of the Wild Bunch, as relentless pursuit by law enforcement scattered its members. Bullion was later arrested with banknotes from the gang’s robberies, further disrupting their operations.
In Utah, Carver’s legacy is tied to the broader mythos of the Wild Bunch. Brown’s Park remains a historical site associated with the gang, and stories of their exploits linger in local folklore. Carver himself, while not as famous as Butch Cassidy or the Sundance Kid, was a key figure in the gang’s operations, embodying the transient, thrill-seeking spirit of the Old West’s final days.
Conclusion
William “News” Carver’s life was a brief but vivid chapter in the history of the American West. His time in Utah, centered around the outlaw haven of Brown’s Park, reflects the Wild Bunch’s strategic use of the state’s geography and social dynamics to sustain their criminal enterprises. From his early days as a Texas cowboy to his death as a wanted man, Carver’s story captures the fleeting, lawless romance of the frontier, immortalized in the newspaper clippings he so enjoyed reading.