A Letter From Ruth M. Davison
I have enclosed a copy of my picture of the 25 caliber Colt Automatic that once belonged to Bonnie Parker. As a recap: The gun was given to my mother, Marie Davis Hyde, by Bonnie Parker of the famous outlaw gand Bonnie and Clyde. From what my mother and my half-brother, M.D. Regions, has told me; Bonnie and Clyde were accustomed to getting their gas from a little Station at Chandlers' Camp on Black Lake above Campti, LA. My brother who would have been Around 8 1/2 or 9 years old would pump gas fro them when they came to the station. It is believed they would hide out in that area. He also stated that they would get their cold drinks there and leave the bottles beside the gas pump for him to have the deposit from them.
One day, my mother and dad (Albert M. Hyde who was M.D.'s stepfather) and M.D. was having A fish fry for lunch at Chandler's Camp. Bonnie and Clyde drove up nearby. My brother walked over to invite them to come over and have lunch with them. Bonnie and Clyde did and before they left, Bonnie took a small pocket knife that my brother had and scratched her initials on the gun and gave it to my mother. If you look closely to the handle of the gun where part of the handle is broken, you can seethe initials BP that she scratched on the gun. I also have the little pocket knife that belonged to my brother. M.D. carried carried a picture of the gun and a description of the event to the Hunstville Prison Museum. M.D. passed away in October of 2001, however his wife is still living in south Houston. She will verify what 1 have told you. She gave me the gun the night my brother passed away because it once belonged to my mother. Mother was always secretive about the gun. I suppose she felt she might get in trouble for having it since we believe it was just one of their stolen guns. My dad passed away in December of 1957 and my mother passed away and was buried in June 1988. As far as I know, my sister-in-law and I are the only two who know about the gun. As I stated before, my mother was a very shy and retiring person.