Old West Female Outlaws

Lesson 3: The Wild Bunch Women

The Elusive Etta Place

Etta Place was by far the most famous of the Wild Bunch Women. It is believed Etta Place was not her real name, for this alias was used by several different outlaw women. Etta also often signed her name as Ethel Thayne or Ethel Ingerfield, and it is believed one of these was her true name.

This beautiful woman who was friends of both The Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy lived a life shrouded in mystery. Her true name and origins have never been traced. It is believed that before joining up with the Wild Bunch gang, she had either been a schoolteacher or a Texas prostitute. According to some rumors Butch Cassidy found her working in Fannie Porter's brothel either as a prostitute or chambermaid and set her up as teacher so she could start a new life.

According to medical records from a doctor visit Etta Place had gray or blue eyes, medium dark hair and weighed around 110 pounds.

Outlaw Women http://www.outlawwomen.com/EttaPlace.htm Click here to view photograph of Etta and the Sundance Kid.

This photograph, taken in New York prior to the couple's emigration along with Butch Cassidy to Argentina, is the only known photograph of Etta Place.

Etta first appeared at the Robber's Roost hideout in 1896. At the time, she was in her early twenties. She was a woman of great beauty as well as being a good horsewoman and crack rifle shot, traits that were no doubt assets to an outlaw girlfriend and accomplice.

Historians believe that Butch Cassidy first brought Etta into the fold, and that she started out as his mistress. Later, she switched her affections to The Sundance Kid. Though no records have ever been found, it is believed she and Harry Longabaugh (the Sundance Kid) might have been married. At any rate, they often passed themselves off as man and wife.

The last name Place was actually Harry's mother's name. No one knows what Etta's real name was. Compounding the matter, several other women used the name Etta Place as an alias. Some think Etta Place was an alias for Ann Bassett from Brown's Hole, who was also known to associate with the Wild Bunch gang. The two women bore a close physical description, and were both described in various accounts written about them as being intelligent and good with a horse and gun. Furthermore, Ann was often absent on dates when Etta appeared. However, there were enough discrepancies between the two that most historians do not believe the women were one and the same. (see below for more information about Ann Bassett.)

In 1901 Etta, The Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy rented a room together in a boarding house in New York. She passed herself off as Harry's wife and Butch's sister. Etta visited the outlaw gang hideouts frequently, but there was no record of her participation in any of the Wild Bunch crimes, though she certainly was aware of her companions' activity. It is unknown whether she was involved in the actual robberies the gang was responsible for throughout the earlier years. It is believed that she did participate in some robberies with Cassidy and the Sundance kid once the three of them moved to South America. In 1907 she disappeared from history. Her haunting beauty and the fact that so little is known about her life makes her legend live on. Whoever she was, Etta Place remains one of the most mysterious females of the Old West.

Food for Thought:
Could Etta Place and Ann Bassett have been the same person?

For more information about Etta Place, read The Wild Bunch Women. Rutter, Michael. Twodot Publishing, Globe Piquet Press, Helena, MT. 2003 and Ladies of the Lamplight Blair, Kay Reynolds. Western Reflections Publishing, Ouray, CO. 2000. (chapter on Etta Place)

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