Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Retired Minister Fascinated By Outlaws
DOUGHTY PASTORED CHURCH NEAR FATAL AMBUSH OF BONNIE AND CLYDE
FARMINGTON — Donald Doughty of Farmington, a retired Baptist minister, was born one year after the death of famous outlaws and gangsters Bonnie and Clyde, but he became fascinated with their story while pastoring a church in Louisiana.
Clyde Champion Barrow and his companion, Bonnie Parker, were shot to death by Louisiana and Texas law officials May 23, 1934, in an ambush near Sailes, Bienville Parish, La. Barrow was wanted for murder, robbery and charges of kidnapping.
Doughty pastored First Baptist Church of Gibsland, La., from 19741978 and Gibsland is located about 7 miles from the site of the ambush. While in Gibsland, Doughty was given copies of photos developed from a camera that belonged to Barrow and Parker.
Bert Davis, who along with his wife was a member of Doughty’s church in Gibsland, owned a shoe shop in Gibsland and after law officers opened fire and killed Bonnie and Clyde, a Texas ranger went into Gibsland to send a telegram about the deaths. Davis’ shoe shop was located across the street from the Western Union office. Another man, Blue Sutton, owned a gas station nearby.
“Both of these men knew something was going on,” Doughty said, recounting information given to him by Davis when he was pastoring the Gibsland church. Doughty guesses that Davis was probably 80 years old at the time. “They asked the Texas Ranger and were told what happened. Mr. Sutton got in his car and followed the Ranger. Mr. Davis got in his car and followed behind them.”
When they came upon the ambush site, Davis walked around the area and opened the door to Barrow’s vehicle. Davis recalled that Bonnie was slumped over in the vehicle and he helped to set her upright in the car. Davis saw a halfeaten egg sandwich in her lap.
He also saw a camera on the seat. Davis picked up the camera and began to snap pictures at the scene and then had the pictures developed. He found that the photos included pictures of Bonnie and Clyde themselves and Davis gave Doughty copies of these prints during his tenure as pastor in Gibsland.
When the ambush occurred, Barrow and Parker were on their way to one of their hideouts, a farm owned by Ivy Methvin in Mount Lebanon, La. Methvin’s son, Henry Methvin, was in prison and
a companion at times with Bonnie and Clyde. Ivy Methvin made a deal with law officers to aid them in an ambush if they would spare his son, Henry.
With Texas Rangers and other officers hiding behind a large tree uprooted during a recent storm, Methvin stopped his vehicle on Highway 154 between Gibsland and Sailes, pretending to have a flat tire.
When Barrow and Parker stopped to help Methvin, Methvin identified the couple and then ducked in a ditch. Barrow and Parker were killed in a hail of gunfire, their vehicle riddled with bullet holes.
According to newspaper accounts, Barrow was first arrested in 1926 in Dallas, Texas, for auto theft and in 1930, was still considered a small- time crook. He and Parker met in 1930 and their criminal acts increased. At the time of their deaths, they were wanted for 13 murders and several robberies and burglaries.
Doughty has gathered information about Barrow and Parker over the years, including newspaper accounts, copies of their death certificates, maps of the area where they were ambushed and other photos of the couple.
He talked to members of his church in the 1970s who were around during the ambush. Church member John Paul Fields was in third grade at the Gibsland school and the wrecker that towed Barrow’s car after the ambush drove by Fields’ school. As a child, Fields remembered seeing bodies covered up but then he and his friends returned to playing together at recess. It was not a “big deal” to them.
“This was all interesting to me because of being pastor of the Gibsland church,” Doughty said.
Over the years, Bonnie and Clyde have been glamorized. Their crime spree occurred during the Great Depression and many people resented banks and financial institutions during that time.
The couple became folk heroes. Since their death, their popularity has increased through songs, books, films and even a Broadway musical.
“They didn’t rob rich to give to the poor,” Doughty said. “They took care of themselves.”
Doughty is an author and has pastored churches for more than 50 years. He and his wife, Jimmie, moved to northwest Arkansas to be closer to their daughter, Reba Holmes, principal of Prairie Grove Middle School. They now live at Peachtree Village in Farmington.
Doughty said he is putting together a program on Bonnie and Clyde and hopes to present it at Peachtree Village and also is available to talk about it to other groups, if they want.