Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-18
THE HOLE-IN-THE-WAL
The Famous Retreat of Desperate
Gangs of Western Outlaws.

The Famous Retreat of Desperate
Gangs of Western Outlaws.
From the Philadelphia Times.
The Hole-in-the-Wall country is receiv-
ing good deal of attention just at present
because of the daring work of one of the
outlaw gangs which make their home there,
dynamiting the overland express and loot
ing it of several thousand dollars. As a
matter of fact, this natural fortress has
figured very largely in the criminal history
of Wyoming for a quarter of century.
Around it has clustered scenes Of violence
for two generations. No wonder the ccr-
porations and stock men made superhuman
efforts to head off the road agent band
after they had looted the treasure safe of
the Union Pacific and started 10 retreat TO
their lair in the fastness of the Hole-in-
the-Wail. They knew the difficulties of
routing them out of that outlaws refuge
when once they got back. But 800 of the
most experienced man hunters in the west
failed to prevent the six desperate train
robbers returning to their dens IN the de-
files of northwestern Wyoming, and now
they are depending upon state troops and
100 rough riders and professional man
hunters to go into the Hole-in-.he-W Wall
and force the game out There is a price
OF 5000 on the head of each man who par
ticipated in the hold-up.
Every ma is known. The leader Is
Laughing Sam" Carey. the most notorious
bandit cut-throat and desperate in the
west, who has a career of crime extending
back TO the palmy days of Deadwoods
fame as treasure camp. Several times
have lis bands been wiped out but he ap-
pears to bear II charmed life. His COM
panions are the two Roberts brothers
wanted for many murders; Jack Kennedy
a gambler, horse thief and man killer with
bad record, and Mexican 10, a half-breed
who has been chased over several western
states by vigilantes and who would be hang
ara 81
kindred characters in the area known as
the Hole-in-the-Wall. The few honest
ranehmen in that section are forced to
give protection and food to these rough
characters or suffer the loss of their herds
and their lives The place is full of des-
perate fuglt.ves from many states. Most
of the men know they must fight be
hanged when captured. and for that rea-
son all efforts to take them alive are met
with bloodshed.
The Hoie-in-the-Wall lies south Of the
Montana state line, west of the Big Horn
mountains. cast of the Yellowstone Park
and north of the great wall of granite from
which it takes its name. This natural bar
rier of stone runs east and west from the
Powder river range to the Little Big Horn
mountains, and it is one of the freaks of
nature of which this section is full. The
southern entrance to the Hole is through
narrow defile which can be easily guarded
by dozen expert rifiemen and an army de-
fled. From Montana it is entered by
somewhat similar trail. over the rough
wall of stone surrounding the place as a
whole no horseman can ride. The Indians
and haif-breed outcasts from civilization
have used this place a refuge when
hotly chased by officers of the law for two
generations. 1t was into this natural fort
ress regiment of Sioux fled after the
Custer massacre. and Guy V. Henry and
his fighting cayalrymen followed them so
closely that they did not make a stand
but pushed on straight through to the Brit
ish possessions.
Here the Belle Fourche bank robbers We're
followed, but the stone wall stopped the
man hunters. The valley beyond the wall
of stone does not present such an uninvit-
ing aspect. Nature has been very kind in
some spots, and splendid meadows, with
many natural living springs, dot the inter-
ior of the Hole Here the outlaws raise
cattle, sheep and horses, and agriculture
has made some progress. The inmates of
the territory know the hand of every man
beyond the mountain barrier is against
Them and they help each other largely as
matter of self preservation. If one is
threatened all are in danger, and they rally
to the support of one another on the slight
est sign of trouble. The majority of these
outlaws lead very migratory existence
and can move as quickly and as rapidly as
Indians. Every man is dead shot. In
fact, their very existence depends upon
their dexterity with the rifle and revolver
The law of the state has no standing
there, and the authority of the nation Is
held in the utmost contempt Very primi-
tive frontier justice is the rule, and the gun
settles all disputes. The men live in har-
mony as a rule. because they do not dare
to quarrel. Outlaws from many states
have gathered there year by year, until the
colony now numbers perhaps one hundred
as desperate a band of hunted men as was
ever gathered in any spot in the world
No officer has ever been known to venture
into the place. Death would be certain and
swift. The nearest approach to a raid in
that direction was the effort of the stock
| men to clean out the raiding parties from
the Hole in 1892. when they employed 100
Texas killers" to go into that section and
shoot every man they met. The killers
were well armed and mounted. but they
had killed but eight or ten of the tough
citizens of that community when they were
surrounded by the Hole-in-the-Wan element
and their sympathizers. and If the cavalry
from the adjacent posts had not been sent
to their relief none would have returned
to tell the story of the fierce fighters they
had met.
That's the kind of material these fellows
are made of. and they thrive most when in
the saddle with rifle and revolver fighting
against great odds. They know every foot
of the country. and when fight is necessary
they know where to go. Some lively times
| are certain when the Hole Is raided.
In New Orleans last night Joseph P, Null
vey was killed by w. P. Roberts. They
a1ft IF fyol