Faces of the Wild West: Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era, 1865-1900During the early days of mugshots, the American frontier was teeming with outlaws and bandits, making it a prime location for capturing their images.

This gallery of Wild West mugshots shows some of the most notorious criminals from the late 1800s and early 1900s, along with details of their daring exploits.

Criminals in the Wild West often found themselves incarcerated in harsh and unforgiving environments. One of the most infamous prisons was the Wyoming Frontier Prison.

Built in 1901, this facility lacked basic amenities such as electricity and indoor plumbing, making life inside exceptionally tough.

The prison was notorious for its brutal conditions, which included a torture dungeon where inmates were routinely subjected to beatings and whippings.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Bob Younger was part of the infamous Younger Brothers gang that terrorized the Midwest. Along with his brothers Cole and Jim, Bob Younger committed a string of daring robberies.

Even as the century turned, many Old West jails continued their barbaric ways.

The Wyoming Frontier Prison, for example, did not close until 1981, having housed approximately 13,500 inmates over its long history, including 11 women.

Another notorious facility in Wyoming was known for its cramped conditions, where two prisoners were confined to five-foot-wide cells and subjected to a strict no-talking policy.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

John Ellies was accused of stealing horses in September 1866.

Prisons of the Wild West housed some of the most infamous criminals in American history, outlaws who thrived in the lawless frontier.

The mugshots in the gallery above include notorious figures such as the Younger Gang, a band of brothers—Cole, Bob, and Jim Younger—who became infamous for their string of robberies across Missouri, Texas, and nearby states.

The Younger brothers eventually joined forces with another pair of outlaw siblings, Frank and Jesse James, forming the legendary James-Younger Gang. Together, they orchestrated daring robberies and eluded capture for years.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Mary Shannon was sentenced to two years in the Nebraska State Prison for mayhem in May 1925.

Jesse James, the charismatic leader, wrote letters to sympathetic newspaper editors, portraying the gang as modern-day Robin Hoods who robbed the rich to help the poor.

Their criminal exploits, however, came to a dramatic halt during a botched bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, in September 1876.

Outnumbered and faced with armed townspeople, the gang was forced to flee.

While the James brothers managed to escape and continue their criminal activities, the Younger brothers were captured by a determined posse in the nearby woods.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Emmett Dalton was known as a one-time gunslinger and the youngest brother of the Dalton Gang which robbed trains and banks in the late 1800s.

The concept of the modern mugshot dates back to 1840s Belgium, where police began photographing prisoners to ensure they could be identified if they reoffended after release.

By 1857, the practice had spread to New York, where police regularly took photos of suspects and displayed them in public galleries to enlist the help of citizens in capturing criminals.

By the 1860s, these mugshots were a common sight on wanted posters throughout America.

Initially, mugshots did not use the now-standard front and profile view format.

This dual-view format was pioneered in 1888 by French police officer Alphonse Bertillon, marking a significant advancement in criminal identification.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

In March 1931, Jake Vohland sneaked into the Stubblefield chicken house to snag some poultry. He was arrested after a homemade alarm system setup by the owners alerted them to his trespassing.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Juanita McKamey, 20, was arrested in San Diego and charged with criminal conspiracy after participating in a public labor protest in 1912.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Goldie Williams, alias Mag Murphy, was arrested in Nebraska for vagrancy on Jan. 29, 1898. In her photograph, Williams appears defiant upon her arrest.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Mattie Brown was sent to the Nebraska State Prison on Sept. 25, 1917, for pick-pocketing. She spent a year in prison.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Alv Lytle was sentenced to 12-15 years in the Nebraska State Prison for bank robbery.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

An unidentified inmate at the Washington State Reformatory which is part of the Monroe Correctional Complex.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

J.P. Robinson was arrested in Nebraska in 1901 for running a scam in which he bought beers with Mexican dollars, which looked very similar to American dollars, even though the Mexican currency was worth less than half the value.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

An unidentified member of the Omaha police force holds Herbert Cockran in a headlock during his mugshot in November 1899. Cockran was arrested on burglary charges.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

When Wyoming authorities briefly captured the infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy and took this mugshot for horse theft in 1894, his most notorious crimes were yet to come. After his release from jail, he formed the Wild Bunch, recruited The Sundance Kid, and went on to rob banks and trains across the Old West. Cassidy ultimately met his end in a dramatic gunfight in Bolivia.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

An unidentified boy arrested for stealing a car, despite being just 11 years old.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Jim Younger was one of the three Younger brothers who robbed banks and trains in the Midwest.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

George Leonard, an Omaha bookkeeper, was arrested for burglary on Dec. 23, 1901.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

In 1901, Nora Courier, 22, was known to the police as “Red Nora.” She was arrested on March 31 of that year for stealing a horse.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Frank Carter, known as the “Omaha Sniper,” was finally arrested in February 1926. He was convicted of killing two men, though he confessed to 43 other murders, many of which couldn’t be substantiated. His lawyers used the insanity defense in court, but he was executed a year later.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Cole Younger was the eldest of the three Younger brothers who terrorized the midwest by robbing banks and trains.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Dave Marshal was a suspected “moll buzzer.” That is, a thief who pickpockets or steals women’s purses.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

An unidentified inmate at the Washington State Reformatory, also known as the Monroe Correctional Complex.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

In November 1916, Stephen Shock was sentenced to two years at the Nebraska State Prison for grand larceny. According to his prison records, he enlisted in the US Army shortly after his release in 1918 to serve in World War I.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Unidentified offender, 35. His mugshot and measurements were taken on April 10, 1912.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

H.C. Adams was arrested in Omaha on April 12, 1900, for blackmail.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

William Lee was arrested in 1919 following Nebraska’s prohibition law for “bootlegging” which is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

George Ray’s 1890s mugshot is rare in that the prisoner is smiling.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

The description on the back of John Jordan’s photo describes him as a “whore house pimp” and a “bagman.” He was booked by the St. Louis police.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Bertha Liebbeke was known as one of the Midwest’s most notorious pickpockets. She targeted well-dressed men, ideally those with diamond-studded lapel pins, by stumbling into them and pretending to faint, falling into their arms. This trick earned her the nickname “Fainting Bertha.” Her scam came to a halt when she was arrested in May 1903.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

In 1899, Frank L. Dinsmore was arrested in Buffalo County, Nebraska, for the double murder of his wife and their boarding house landlord.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Alberto Interciago was sentenced to one to 20 years at the Nebraska State Prison for “assault to wound” in February 1914. His thick mustache and hair were shaved off before a second photo was taken.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Jim Ling was arrested for running an opium joint on June 3, 1898.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Charley Jones, alias Williams, was arrested in Missouri in 1858 for picking pockets.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Working with another inmate named Ruby Fox, Myrtle Hetrick escaped from Nebraska’s State Reformatory for Women in a car.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Ruby Fox worked with Myrtle Hetrick to escape from Nebraska’s State Reformatory for Women.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Minnie Bradley was arrested for “larceny from a person” in Omaha on Dec. 13, 1902.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Charles Martin was among the three burglars who blew up a safe in a bank vault in Sheridan, Missouri, on Feb. 15, 1898.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Thomas Whitney was arrested by Omaha police in December 1915. A grifter, Whitney made money by advertising his clairvoyance and palm reading abilities in local newspapers. One unsatisfied customer reported him to authorities, leading to charges of collecting money under false pretenses.

Mugshots from the Notorious Outlaw Era

Lola Lopez was arrested after her partner, Cicerio Estrada, robbed and killed a man in the Null Rooming House of Sidney, Nebraska, on January 9, 1922. The pair fled but were caught in Colorado. During the trial, Lopez, through an interpreter, pleaded not guilty but admitted she knew about the murder. She served a little over two years.

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons / American Wild West in Photos via Flickr / Images upscaled and improved by RHP).