The Meeker herald., 1899-03-25
A DARING DESPERATE
THE POACHER AND HIS DES-
PERATE DEEDS.
While Recently Trying to Evade Arrest
He Killed Constable. for Which
He Will Probably Pay the Penalty
with His Life.

The story OF the arrest OF the
poacher MacCallum, accused of the
murder of Police Constable King in
1nverness-shire, Scotland, is an ex-
citing one and reads like the romance
of modern Rob Roy. A warrant had
been issued for this mans arrest, AMI
Constable Thomas King and Con-
stable McNiven on December 20 vis-
tied the lonely cabin where McCallum
and his women folk were known to
live. BLACK May" and her daughter
informed the constables that MacCal-
lum had gone to Loeb Garten. Short
| ly afterward, however, the officers OF
the law were surprised to observe the
women take their departure from the
dwelling in rather a hasty manner.
| The constablea received information
| that the poacher was in the house. Be-
fore entering 1t was agreed that King
| should go into the kitchen OH the left
and McNiven into bed room on the
| right. There was no light in the
dwelling, and the officers had to feel
their way in the cleaning. McNiven
entered without difficulty, but had only
reached the bed when he heard shot
fired. He shouted to King, but re-
ceived no reply. After an unsuccess-
full search of the apartment McNiven
came to the door and was told by
rural postman who was standing on
the roadside that MacCallum had lett
the house. shortly after the report OF
the shot. In the kitchen he found
King lying on the floor with the gun
across his feet. With the assistance
Of the postman he had him removed
outside. Then they discovered that
King was dead, and the hue and cry
was raised, but MacCallum had got
good start. He had bolted minus his
boots, and later in the evening he Wis
| tied crofter's house and procured
pair. That was the last that was seen
of him.
1t was about o'clock on Tuesday.
December 90, when the tragedy occur
red. and for the next sixty-four hours
the wretched outlaw was abroad in the
hills Of Strathspey skulking behind
boulders, hiding in caves, shroudlhg
himself among the mists of the noun
tains. He was without food, without
shelter. without friends. Even his
dog. which at first followed him. had
deserted him. Sixty men were at one
| time engaged in the man hunt. NO"
and then rumors would come in that
he had been seen, but they proved TO
he unfounded. Not Until Friday, De-
cember %, did authentic Information
of his whereabouts come to hand, ana,
a., the fugitive was by this time ex-
hausted by his privations and eXer-
ttons. and was known to be unarmed,
measures were taken to secure him.
As dawn was breaking Deputy Chief
Constable Chisholm, Sergeant Frazer
and Constable Macbeth ran him to
earth in the neighborhood of Nethy
Bridge upon a piece of rising ground
which bears the ominous name OF the
Gallows Hill. MacCallum, who bore
traces of the hardship which he had
undergone, was brought to 1nvtrness
and lodged in the castle. A ll;ge
crowd assembled on his arrival, and
watched the removal from the station
to the castle with much interest Mac
Callum has led most remarkable ca
/ FeUI. anu uul ms Ni'S AoSe ''h s'ai az
has teen recognized as the most daring
and notorious poacher in the High
lands. He was born at Eoch Ericht
forty-four years ago, but his boyhood
was spent on the Braes of Lochaber.
where his father was head gamekeep-
er. From his boyhood MacCaIlur had
stormy life, frequent conflicts tax
ing place between him and the men
under his fathers charge. The end
was that he was sent to the Falkland
Islands as a shepherd. but he led
wild life, and seven years ago return
ed and settled down to his avocation
of poacher in the wild mountain and
wooded district known as Monadf iieth.
The clever, agile and daring poacher
outwitted the closest espionage of
keepers and police for years. He
knew every mile OF the wild district,
| yas the terror of the gamekeerers
around, and latterly they penn itted
him to roam pretty much unmole sted.
His only companion was his dog, and
the few people who came in contact
with him regarded him as insane from
the. isolated and wild, mountainous, life
| he led. There is no part of Scotland
that affords the poacher better oppor-
tunities for prosecuting his calling
| than the mountainous districts rorth
| of the Grampians, stretching from
Bantfshire on the east to Fort William
on the west. MacCallum. had studied.
too, where to get the best markets for
his spoil, and many game dealers. both
in England and Scotland, are familiar
with his name MacCallum's command
ing figure was well known to all the
countryside. Standing five feet eleven
inches high, broad shouldered, deep
chested with nnu,arfrl arnr and laua