Campfire Tales
January, 2005

Sundance Kid

Sundance, Wyoming

Another look at the Outlaw Trail

Of those who were called members of the Wild Bunch, Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh) was the most mysterious.  There is nothing to prove where he came from or who he was.  He first appeared in history on March 15^th of 1887 when a Wyoming rancher accused him of stealing a horse along with the bridle, saddle, a six shooter, and a pair of chaps.  Harry was not difficult to catch, however, holding onto him took a lot more work.

Sheriff Ryan of Sundance, Wyoming had a warrant out for Harry because of the stolen horse.  He soon received notice from the sheriff in Miles City, Montana saying they were holding Harry for him.  Sheriff Ryan went to Miles City and started back with his prisoner but along the way, Harry picked the lock on the handcuffs and escaped. 

Even though he had been arrested there once, Harry went back to Miles City.  He continued to cause trouble and was soon wanted for a variety of crimes.  Once again, he was arrested.  He almost got away again by picking the locks while the sheriff was asleep, but the sheriff woke up in time to stop him.  Harry wound up in the Miles City jail again.

Sheriff Ryan talked Miles City into letting him have Harry for a trial in Sundance.  This time the sheriff locked his ankle bracelets with rivets instead of a key.

On June 22, 1887, Harry Longabough was given an 18 month sentence in the Crook County Jail.  On his arrest papers, he claimed to be 26 years old and to be from Pennslyvania.  If both those claims are true, that is the only thing anyone can prove about his past, however, historians believe he lied about his age.

A book that sells at the museum in Sundance, Wy. was written by Mary Garman in 1977.  She claims to have found records of Harry’s parents in Pennslyvania.  She also claims that Harry was only 19 when he was convicted in Sundance.  If her research is correct, Harry’s mother’s name was Annie Place.  Could this be a lead as to where Etta Place came from?  If there is anyone in old west history that could rival the mystery around Sundance Kid, it is his girlfriend, Etta Place. 

It was because of the time he spent serving his time in the Sundance jail that Harry Longabough was forever known as the Sundance Kid.  It may have been the deciding factor that put him on the Outlaw Trail.  He was released from jail on Feb 4, 1889.  From that time on, his history is pretty well documented, but there seems to be no positive way to backtrack his life prior to his jail sentence in Sundance Wyoming.

That claim is contested by those who claim to be descendants of the family.  If you visit the web site   http://ourworld-top.cs.com/dnpernst/   you will find a history of events that the family believes to be proof.  Of course there are those who do not believe this is the same family as the one Sundance was born to.  Where the debate comes in is in all the different names that Sundance supposedly used.  Longabaugh, Alonzo, and Place were the favorites but there were many others such as Boyd and Brown.  Which one was his real name.  Better yet, were any of them his real name.  The tickets that were purchased to go to Bolivia were under the name of Mr. & Mrs. Place.  Was that Butch and Etta or not?  Proof or circumstantial?  It does not look like the Jury will ever come in on that one.

Another argument surrounds his death.  No one has ever proven Butch and Sundance died in that shoot-out.  The family on the Internet claims they lost contact with Sundance at that time so he must have died.  They actually believe Butch and Sundance committed suicide to keep from being captured.  Does suicide really fit the profile to these two outlaws.  Some historians don’t believe it.  Others do.

Cassidy’s family is verified by all as his real family.  They claimed Cassidy visited them years after the shootout.   If that was the case, then the outlaws were not killed in Bolivia.  Why would Cassidy’s family lie?  Were they tricked by an imposter or were they actually visited by Robert LeRoy Parker?  Lots of questions.  Lots of answers.

What about Etta Place?

Another mystery even greater than Sundance Kid is his girlfriend, Etta.  She has been described as Sundance’s cousin, a school teacher, a prostitute from Sundance’s favorite hangout in Texas, and most recently as a woman from Brown’s Hole in Colorado by the name of Ann Bassett.  I once met a family who claimed to be descendents of the same family as Etta Place but have lost contact with them.  Whoever Etta was, she simply vanished off the face of the Earth after Sundance was reported as killed.  Some might think it to be a strange coincidence that Sundance and Etta both disappeared at the same time.  According to that theory, the only way they could avoid the long arm of the law was if that law believed they were dead.  Any contact of any kind would start the chase all over again.  Once again.  Lots of theories.  All circumstantial.

What about Sundance, Wyoming?

Sundance was named after Sundance Mountain, a sacred place of worship for the Sioux Indians.  It’s first recorded existence was as a trading post in 1879.  By 1881, a mail stage connected it to Spearfish, S.D.  In 1884, the first Sundance Gazette Newspaper was printed.   The City of Sundance was incorporated on October 5, 1887  Harry Longabaugh had already been in the county jail. which was located in Sundance, for four months before Sundance officially became a city.

Sundance has made its way into the 21st century as a small quiet community.  Except for the time when the Sturgis Biker Rally is going on.  At that time, Sundance is wall to wall motorcycles.

The museum is a great place to spend some time.  It contains the original records of Harry Longabaugh’s trial.  There is even a display showing what the courthouse looked like in those days.  A city jail built in 1912 is across the street.  It is not the one Sundance Kid spent his time in, however, it is a good example of what a jail looked like in those days.  One look at is enough to imagine the boredom of staying in there for even 18 minutes.  18 months must have seemed like a lifetime.

A short distance east of Sundance is the Vore Buffalo Jump.  It consists of a sinkhole about the size of a four story building.  In times before Indians had rifles and horses, they would chase the buffalo into the sinkhole.  If the fall did not kill them, spears and knives would.

The sinkhole was discovered when I-90 construction was under way.  Workers planned to construct the highway over the sinkhole but when work began, they found the Buffalo bones at the bottom.  Some excavation and research has been done, however the site is undeveloped.  Donations are accepted by the non-profit organization that hopes to turn it in to a historic site. 

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