What do banks in Denver, Telluride and Delta have in common? Tom McCarty robbed them in the late 1800s.

Tom was the oldest child of Dr. Alex McCarty and his wife, Mary. The family of six started out in Iowa then moved west with other Mormon migrants and settled near La Sal, Utah. The family’s legitimate business was ranching, but the McCarty boys began to steal cattle and horses from nearby ranches and public grazing lands. Soon robbing banks became their specialty.

The renowned and feared McCar...