Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-21
A MODERN ROB ROY.
Romantic story of the Career of a
Notorious Poacher.

From Lloyd's.
The story of the arrest of the poacher
MacCallum, accused of the murder of Po-
lice Constable King in Inverness-shire, Scot
land, is an exciting one and reads like the
romance of modern Rob Roy. A warrant
had been issued for this mans arrest, and
Constable Thomas King and Constable Nc
Niven on December 20 visited the lonely
cabin where MacCallum and his women
folk We're known to live.
BLACK May and her daughter informed
the constabes that MacCallum had gone TO
Loeb Garten Shortly afterward, however,
the officers of the law We're surprised to OBJ
serve the women take their departure from
the dwelling in rather hasty manner. The
conslabies received information that the
pCacher was in the house. Before entering
it was agreed that King should go into the
kitchen on the left and McNiven into bed
room on the right. There vas 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 a
shot fired. lie shouted to King, but re-
ceived no reply. After an unsuccessful
search of the apartment McNiven came to
the door and was told by a rural postman
who was standing the roadside, that
MacCailum had left 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 raiSedJ but MacCallum
mad got good START He had bolted minus
his boots, and later in the evening he visit
ed a crofter's house and procured a pair
That was the last that was seen of him
1t was about O'Clock on Tuesday, De-
cember 20, when the tragedy occurred. and
Tor the next siXty-foHr hours the wretched
outlaw was abroad in the hills of Straths-
pey, skullling behind bouiders hiding in
caves, shrouding himself among the mists
OF the mountains He was without food
without shelter, without friends Even his
dog, which at first followed him. had de-
serted him. Sixty men were at one time en-
gagged in the man hunt Now and then ru-
mors would come in that he had been seen
but they proved to be unfounded.
Not until Friday, December %, did au-
thentlc information of his Whereabouts
come to hand, and, as the fugitive was BY
this time exhausted by his prvations and
eXertions, and was known to be unarmed
measures We're taken to secure him. As
dawn was breaking Deputy Chief Constable
CHISHOLM, Sergeant Frazer and Constable
Macbeth ran him to earth in the neighbor-
mood OF Nethy bridge upon piece of rising
ground. which bears the ominous name of
the GalloWs Hill. MacCallum who bore
traces of the hardship which he had under
gone, was brought to Inverness and lodged
In the castle. A large crowd assembled on
ms arrival and watched the removal from
the station TO the castle with much inter-
est
MacCalIum has led a most remarkable
career, and during the last ten years he has
peen recognized as the most daring and no
torious poacher in the Highlands He was
porn at Loeb Ericht forty-four years ago
put MS boyhood was spent on the Braes of
Lochaber. where his father was head game
Keeper. From his boyhood MacCalIum had
stormy life, frequent conflicts taking
pace between him and the men under his
Iathers charge. The end was that he was
sent TO the Falkland Islands shepherd
out he led wild life. and seven years ago
returned ard settled down to his avocation
OF poacher in the wild mountains and wood
cd district known as Monadhlieth
Inc clever, agile and daring poacher ont
"llted the closest espionage of keepers and
ponce Tor years. He knew every mile of
the wild district, and he was the terror of
the gamekeepers around. and latterly they
permitted him to roam pretty much unmo-
Tested. His only companion was his big
dog, and the few people who came in con-
tact with him regarded him as insane from
the Isolated and wild mountainous life he
led. " S
Ihere Is no part in Scotland that affords
the poacher better opportunities for prose-
cuung MS calling than the mountainous
olstrlcts north of the Grampians stretching
from Banffshire on the east to Fort WIZ
nam on the west. MacCallum had studied
TOO. where to get the best markets for his
Spoli, ana many game dealers. both in Enc
name. VAIN 'ii'
MacCallum's commanding figure was well
known known to all the countryside. Standing
S\StA Inches HiSH, broad Shout
dered, deep chested, with powerful arms
anu legs, a bulldog type of neck, and a car
rage such as Rob Roy might have envied
ne ne is true son of the mountains, if ever
there was one. There is nothing in his fas
lures lhat suggests crime vice, but the
eyes are often fierce and full of fire, a..
Ma ii with the Slow and measured gait ne
cuIiaf TO the gamestalker and seems To
suspect everybody with whom he comes in
AS he was never married. there is NOT
Hiuch romance of the softer kind to cbron-
lcle about him, but the household of ,,hjnt
ne was the mainstay was a peculiar ono
consisting OF himself, an old woman known
DIS Black May" and her daughter.