The Undisclosed History of the Wild West HELL’S HALF ACRE

BY MARY LIQUEUR

Hell’s Half Acre was an area of Fort Worth, Texas designated as the red-light district “where the West begins.” In the early to mid-1870s in the Old Wild West it was known for being a very brutish, lawless, town.

Filled with gamblers, prostitutes, and train robbers – it wasn’t a place “normal” people had many dealings in. It was nicknamed the “Bloody Third ward” because of the violence in the area. And over time, Hell’s Half Acre developed a reputation for bringing out the rebel in everyone that passed through the area.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS IN 1876

Fort Worth Texas’ legendary Hell’s Half Acre was an accumulation of bordellos, saloons, and gambling parlors during the 1870s. The most infamous red-light district of the old “Wild West” was frequented by outlaws like “Longhair Jim” Courtright, Luke Short, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Sam Bass. It also saw the likes of Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch.

The area was developed originally to serve as a rest stop on the cattle trails from Texas through Kansas. Saloons, brothels, and gambling, liquor, and prostitution establishments overtook the area. HELL’S LOCATION

Located between the tenth street to the fifteenth street boundaries – Hell’s Half Acre consisted of boarding houses, bordellos, gambling houses, hotels, saloons, and a couple other businesses. It was also a sort of “safe zone” for thieves and violent offenders.

The twenty-two thousand square foot area saw the likes of Old Western characters like Bat Masterson, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Doc Holliday, Etta Place, Luke Short, Sam Bass, Laura Bullion, and Wyatt Earp.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Eventually, the sheriff and local law enforcement began to crack down on prostitution, although they turned a blind eye to gambling and other vices. The Acre was an important economic powerhouse at the time, so shootouts and illegal activities rarely resulted in arrests or anything like that.

Home to the White Elephant Saloon, where the last shootout of the Wild West took place between Longhair Jim Courtright and Luke Short, the venue is still alive today. Known as much for its elegance, honest gambling, and live entertainment – as for its gunfights, illegal dealings, and harboring criminals on the run.

Unlike the brothels, the saloons rarely received complaints. The Chisholm Trail, and Pacific Railway were branded as the routes for economic expansion out West, leading to the rapid development of the red-light district and its reputation for being a gambling Mecca. This neglect to interfere with illegal activities for the sake of economic development also kept the area alive as long as it was. THE CRACKDOWN ON HELL’S HALF ACRE

But in 1919, Fort Worth’s “Third Ward” was labeled a den of iniquity. Due to the efforts of then sheriff, Longhair Jim Courtright, and the Protestant John Franklyn Norris – the area was slowly discredited and all that was left were a few small businesses and saloons. All the criminals were killed or imprisoned, and the area’s reputation died as quickly as it came about.

For more than 30 years, Hell’s Half Acre operated on a “sin-and-gin” model of supply and demand. It was a two-fisted, pistol-packin’, easy-lovin’ veritable mall of vice that helped develop and establish Fort Worth’s economy. Rules were broken, blood was spilt, and sharing a bottle of alcohol was their way of breaking bread.

The “Hole in the Wall” Gang was one organization comprised of several different gangs, all operating out of Hole in the Wall Pass. They were some of the most notorious criminals in the Wild West. The gangs formed a collective that used the Hole-in-the-Wall Pass as their base of operations.

Each planned and carried out its own robberies and stick-ups with very little interaction between gangs.

At times, members of one gang would ride along with other gangs, but usually, each gang operated separately, meeting only when they were at the hideout at the same time. CRIMINALS & OUTLAWS

Members of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang included such infamous criminals as Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch which consisted of Butch Cassidy (aka Robert Leroy Parker), the Sundance Kid (aka Harry A. Longabaugh), Elzy Lay, Tall Texan, ‘News’ Carver, Camilla ‘Deaf Charlie’ Hanks, Laura Bullion, George “Flat Nose” Curry, Harvey ‘Kid Curry’ Logan, Bob Meeks, Kid Curry’s brother Lonny Curry, Bob Smith, Al Smith, Bob Taylor, Tom O’Day, ‘Laughing’ Sam Carey, Black Jack Ketchum, and the Roberts Brothers, along with several lesser known outlaw gangs of the Old West. Jesse James was also mentioned to have visited the Hole-in-the-Wall hideout.

However, the most infamous characters were: Harry Longabaugh (Sundance Kid), Ben Kilpatrick (Tall Texan), and Butch Cassidy seated in front, left to right, and Will ‘News’ Carver (left) and Harvey ‘Kid Curry’ Logan (right) standing behind them.

'The Wild Bunch', also known as the 'Fort Worth Five,' posed for a portrait in downtown Fort Worth in 1900. (©John Swartz. Courtesy National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Pinkerton's, Inc.) Not very many women were allowed to enter the Hole-in-the-Wall Pass hideout, but there were a few special ladies.

Namely, Etta Place (Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid’s girlfriend), Will Carver’s girlfriend Josie Bassett was allowed. Josie’s sister and Parker’s longtime girlfriend Ann Bassett, Elzy Lay’s girlfriend Maude Davis; and gang member Laura Bullion were allowed in the hideout. THE INFAMOUS LIVES OF THE WILD BUNCH GANG

Of all Western outlaws, Butch Cassidy is arguably the crowd favorite. Known as the “Robin Hood of the West,” he was raised by Mormon pioneers on a ranch in Utah. In his teenage years, he left home to live life as an outlaw.

Moving from cattle rustler to master planner of train, bank, and mine robberies – Cassidy couldn’t stay out of trouble. He was known for being charming, fearless, brave, and witty.

His gang called themselves the “Wild Bunch” and ran the longest sequence of successful bank and train robberies in the history of the Wild West.

One of the first major crimes attributed to him is the robbery of the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride, 1889. Taking a whopping $20,750 (about $488,000 back in 1889) to a hideout in Brown’s Hole on the Utah-Wyoming border.

The first robbery credited to the Wild Bunch outlaws was a bank stickup in Montpelier, Idaho. They took home $7,165 between five people – worth about $150,000 today. PLEASANT VALLEY COAL COMPANY

When they stole $8,800 from the Pleasant Valley Coal Company, the telegraph wires along the trail were cut to prevent news of the robbery from spreading. They then retreated to Robbers Roost where they’d continue planning robberies for the next several years. The

OVERLAND FLYER TRAIN

The gang stole $60,000, there was a shootout, and the gang escaped to their hideout in the middle of a savage, inhospitable piece of land authorities wouldn’t dare travel across.

THE RIO GRANDE TRAIN

The gang made a hit which would become their largest prize to date at $70,000 – about $1.7M today.

THE UNION PACIFIC TRAIN

The gang made $55,000.

BANK ROBBERY IN WINNEMUCCA, NEVADA

They stole $32,640.

NORTHERN PACIFIC TRAIN

They made a whopping $65,000. This was the gang’s last recorded hit.

After that Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Etta Place went to Argentina where they purchased a ranch. The rest of the gang went on with their lives in different directions. It wasn’t long before the trio was back to their old ways.

They began robbing South American banks, and their fate is unknown. What happened to Longabaugh (the Sundance Kid) and Cassidy in or after South America is now both a mystery and a legend. OTHER WESTERN FIGURES

Kid Curry: Harvey Logan, aka “Kid Curry” was the most feared killer in the Old West. He was a cattle rustler, charged with crimes like robbery and murder. He was quick to shoot, and constantly on the run. In 1904 he was found with other outlaws trapped in a box canyon in Colorado – after evading authorities and being shot in the shoulder, he committed suicide to avoid capture.

News Carver: William Carver, aka “News Carver” was a bank robber who was murdered shortly after the photo of the “Fort Worth Five” was taken.

The Tall Texan: Ben Kilpatrick, aka “The Tall Texan” was killed in an attempted robbery of the Southern Pacific’s Sunset Flyer. He was 36 years old.

Etta Place: She spent the winter of 1896 in the Wild Bunch hideaway located at Robbers Roost. Only 20 years old at the time, she was beautiful, poised, and something that contradicted the brutish, savagery of the Old West. The girlfriend of Butch Cassidy, and eventual wife of the Sundance Kid, she was known to have a good shot. ROBBERS ROOST

Robbers Roost was a popular outlaw hideout for 30 years. It is located in southeastern Utah. Amazingly, the original Wild Bunch corral remains in Robbers Roost with a stone chimney, caves, and original carvings. The terrain is rough. To get there, you must travel through a maze of canyons, in extreme heat. Because of this, it was never breached by authorities.

Robbers Roost had hundreds of hiding spots on what became known as the Outlaw Trail. It was defended by a 200-man gang complete with tunnels, landmines, and a fully weaponized posse of outlaws. Here’s a fun fact: Moonshine was one of the only ways to make money during the Great Depression, and Robbers Roost saw a surge of illegal moonshine bartering during the period of economic struggle.

The hideout has been abandoned for almost a century but has become commonplace for illegal activity during times of struggle. Could this mean that the Wild West was an era of street-smart entrepreneurship, rather than violence and lawlessness? Does this rebel nature still exist in the depths of humanity, and only expose itself when necessary?

The famous Wild Bunch photograph was taken in Fort Worth, Texas in the year 1900. The turn-of-the-century photo became a sort of caricature of what life was like in the Wild, Wild West. The only thing that’s missing from the photo is the women who kept these men motivated in such a rebellious lifestyle off the beaten path.

Etta Place was the girlfriend of the American outlaws Butch Cassidy (Robert LeRoy Parker) and the Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh), who were both group members of the famous outlaw gang, the Wild Bunch.

Even though little is known about her, she is thought to have been born in Texas, and to have fled to Argentina at some point before returning to the US. She also dated the Sundance Kid during his infamy. But as the saying goes, “behind every great man, there stands a great woman” (Bill Clinton). So that brings into question, who exactly was Etta Place? MRS. SUNDANCE KID

Now whichever name Etta went by, she was always known for telling everyone her racy encounters. Even though she changed her name many times, and relocated almost every year, her story remained alive.

She also went by the name Ethel Bishop (an unemployed, 22- year old music teacher who lived at a similar establishment to a brothel in Fort Worth). According to historical records, the name Ethel Bishop is associated with a prostitute and music teacher living in Fort Worth at the same time as Etta. Thus it’s thought that Etta Place maintained a double life, prior to hooking up with the Wild Bunch.

OTHER NAMES & LIVES

She also went by Eunice Gray (a bordello owner), and Madaline Wilson (a girl who worked in Fannie Porter’s brothel). Apparently, there were five girls in Fannie’s “boarding house,” and most were 22-year-old immigrants without official birth records. These recounts vary in how realistic they are. But there is no contemporary account of her existence at all.

Not until she appeared at Sundance’s side in a photo taken in 1901. Both her birthplace and her fate are still shrouded in mystery. The Sundance Kid’s famous companion isn’t mentioned much throughout history, and that’s likely because she was a woman.

At the time women weren’t allowed to work regular jobs, or allowed into bars, or gambling houses. They were basically housewives, widows, or prostitutes. Because of this, there are tons of fanciful tales about Place being the “leader” of the Wild Bunch, a prostitute, and even a dominatrix.

FACT OR FICTION?

According to historians, the only holdup she actually took part in occurred in December 1905. The robbery of the Banco de la Nación in Villa Mercedes in west-central Argentina was carried out by Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and “Ethel” or Etta Place – just before she fled back to the United States.

One specific recount claims she was running a brothel in Fort Worth; then marries a boxing promoter while living in Paraguay. Then she marries a diplomat while still living there after her career with the Wild Bunch ended. Another tale claims that she dated Pancho Villa or Emilio Zapata after Butch Cassidy. According to a rumor spread by a traveling salesman, Etta’s life ended alongside Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in a shoot-out with police. Here’s why she’s so important…

According to a memorandum, the Pinkerton Detective Agency found Etta Place linked to the Sundance Kid from 1899 to 1907. That means that for 8 years, the most dangerous criminal around had a lover. It would be nearly impossible for Sundance’s girlfriend to avoid participation in gang activities, or to have different friends. Etta Place probably had an incredible amount of influence over the decisions the Sundance Kid made. She was the apple of his eye, and therefore must’ve been motivated by love to some degree.

With so much speculation around the pair, and very little factual information about Etta Place, it’s hard to discern what info about her is real. Ultimately, we know one thing – she was one of five women allowed to enter the “Hole-in-theWall” hideout or the “Wild Bunch” hideout at Robber’s Roost. ROBBERS ROOST

Right between the Colorado River, Dirty Devil River, and the Green River is a savage, barren piece of land. That piece of land served as a hideout for outlaws for more than 30- years. Robbers Roost was a second home to the Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy’s gang of bank robbers, train robbers, and cattle rustlers.

Other than Place, Will Carver’s girlfriend Josie Bassett was allowed. Josie’s sister and Parker’s longtime girlfriend Ann Bassett, Elzy Lay’s girlfriend Maude Davis; and gang member Laura Bullion were also allowed in the hideout.

We know that Etta Place played a very important role in the Sundance Kid’s life, and therefore in Western history around the turn of the century. However, her exact story, and what became of her after she returned to the USA is still unknown… A HALF ACRE OF HELL

Hell’s Half Acre was something like one big criminal hideout, visible in plain site. Located in Fort Worth, Texas – the White Elephant Saloon has been revered as one of the wildest bars of the Old West and is simultaneously one of the most iconic. Hell’s Half Acre has hosted many cowboys, criminals, and tourists since the late 1890s – but this specific venue at the Stockyards lives in infamy. By all accounts, Fort Worth’s White Elephant has seen more gunfights, sketchy dealings, prostitution, and entrepreneurship than most venues in the Wild West.

But what’s so special about the White Elephant bar?

Well, that’s easy… The last gunfight of the Wild West took place at the White Elephant. The bar’s owner Luke Short, and Sheriff “Longhair” Jim Courtright – one of Fort Worth’s most corrupt lawmen – had their final duel here. A rare site, this bar has survived over 125 years of economic and technological advances, closures, and legal disputes.

Initially, the establishment was a simple eatery, opened by F.A. Borodino in 1884. Within a year, it reopened as a ‘Saloon and Billiard Parlor’ under the ownership of Jewish businessmen. But they weren’t accepted into the local business fraternity and their profits remained anemic. Then Billy Ward came along and knew if the White Elephant was going to thrive – he would have to improve the gambling situation. He converted the upstairs into a lavish casino with cockfighting and $2,000 purses. Surprisingly, drinking and gambling were the main attractions as opposed to sex. FEATURES OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT

According to locals, it became one of the most popular dance houses in Cowtown. A well- stocked bar, good food & music, and home to one of the most famous shootouts during Westward expansion – made the White Elephant “a gentlemen’s saloon.” They carried ‘the best brands of old sour mash whiskeys in the state.’ Like many other saloons of the day, they had the traditional ‘free’ bar lunch if customers bought a 5-cent beer. They served home-style cooking, provided private clubrooms, and eventually branded themselves as a billiard bar.

In the Old West, the one thing that seemed to destroy a bar’s reputation faster than bad whiskey or prostitution was sketchy gambling.

IT WAS A “MEN-ONLY” ESTABLISHMENT

Ward’s improvements got the attention of the local press and the White Elephant became ‘an elegant place of resort with a reputation second to no place of the kind in the south.’

The Fort Worth Mail claimed that there was “no drink known to modern or ancient times they cannot concoct with all the [White Elephant’s] latest improvements.” Fancy saloons often turned over their gambling franchise to high-profile individuals, and in this case, Ward selected Luke Short.

Short had a reputation that spanned far and wide for being a gentleman. A smooth gambler, who never went anywhere unarmed. Ward sold the gambling concession to Short making him the third – and final – owner of the establishment during its prime.

RAGS TO RICHES

He spent no time building the White Elephant’s reputation for being an honest gambling establishment with excellent players, and a nice ambiance. The bar was never reported to the local authorities or frowned on for being disruptive like many other bars back in the day.

But Luke’s gambling reign was cut short in 1887. Former sheriff, Long-haired Jim Courtright – in a heated, drunken state – called Short outside onto the boardwalk. The two exchanged words, gunshots rang out, and when the authorities arrived Courtright bled to death in the doorway of a shooting gallery next to the White Elephant Saloon.

Apparently, the day prior, Short sold the White Elephant for $1,000. It’s suspected that he was attempting to leave town in a hurry, and was confronted by Courtright in route. The coroner concluded that the case was one of self-defense and Short fled. After the shootout, Bill Ward re-purchased the White Elephant and then sold a portion back to Short for the same amount ($1,000). Unfortunately this time, Short was an independent contractor working for Ward. He left for good in 1887. But over the next century, the saloon went in and out of business – maintaining its status only in the minds & hearts of the locals. THE DEADLY DRAW

Unfortunately, the shootout of February 8, 1887, broke the magic spell that kept trouble away from the White Elephant Saloon. A month after the shootout, there was another shootout, but no charges were filed. Five years later, bullets flew inside the White Elephant.

A ‘deadly misunderstanding,’ as the local newspaper called it, erupted between two gamblers. Luckily, nobody was injured, and no one pressed charges. Somehow, the White Elephant maintained it’s reputation for keeping prostitution out of its business model.

Several investors took interest in the venue, converting it into a recording studio, pool hall, celebrity hangout, and chili parlor before it quietly went out of business.

Today you can visit a revived version of the White Elephant Saloon right in the middle of the Stockyards. It’s regarded as “a place to see how the real West was, and still is.” As one of Fort Worth’s most legendary spots, the White Elephant Saloon is now under the ownership of celebrity chef & restauranteur, Tim Love. They see a variety of musicians and a weekly dancehall crowd that still rivals that of modern-day bars & casual drinking establishments.

Today, the historic “shootout” is reenacted each year on February 8th, outside of the White Elephant Saloon in the Stockyards. THE REAL HELL’S HALF ACRE

Hell’s Half Acre was something like an outlaw’s paradise. This had more to do with the open acceptance of criminal dealings, than it did anything else. It was a place where you could unleash your rebel spirit, and embrace a more rugged, authentic way of life. There was no internet, no pharmaceutical industry, no fast food, there wasn’t even air conditioning… We had to forgive each other, and live in the moment because there was no security or stability in general. People weren’t as picky or entitled. Everyday was a fight for survival.

Despite all the confusion and missing details about the Wild West, we know one thing for sure. It was fueled by the love for life itself - not violence, or hatred as depicted in most modern storytelling. It’s almost impossible to know exactly what happened in the 1880s; we can imagine, we pass along stories generation after generation - but inevitably, the details are left for us to imagine.