Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-17
ON TRAIL OF The ROBBERS
Detail of MiIitip. Accompanied by
Bloodhounds. IS on the Scent
Again.

CHEYENNE, Wyo., June 16.-(Special
Telegram Captain w J. Thom, in charge
of the detail of militia hunting Union Pa
cifc train robbers, wired Governor Rich
ards this evening that the officers found the
trail OF the bandits last evening and are
again likely to overtake them. The fugi-
tives had crossed the main range of the
Big Horn mountains and reached the No
wood valley and were following Nowood
creek, one of the tributaries of the Big
horn river, evidently heading for the Mon
tana state line. The posse has bloodhounds
on the trail and the danger of ambush is
on this account very much lessened
posse of officers from Montana left Red
Lodge yesterday to intercept the robbers If
possible. The authorities here are conf
dent that the robbers will be captured as
they are now reaching region where the
TanCbmen will aid the officers. Governor
Richards tonight directed the prosecuting
attorneys of Johnson and Big Horn counties
to effect the arrest of persons who have
aided the robbers in their flight by fur
nishing them horses and food.
The Hole-in-the- OF which so much
has been said recently, is situated in the
Big Horn mountains, about eighty miles
northwest of Casper, Wyo., and about fifty
miles due south of Buffalo, Wyo. 1t is a
the mountains. high cliff extends along
the east side of the mountain in a north
and south direction for over forty miles.
This cliff is perpendicular and between 400
and 500 feet in height. Save for one small
break in its towering sides the wall is i'm
passable. The break which Is very mar
row gorge cut through the solid rock by the
action of the water of Red Fork, Middle
Fork and Buffalo creeks, which join and
form Powder river just inside the cliff, is
the Hole-in- the Wall. This gorge is almost
impossible, being so narrow in places that
horses are ridden through it with difficulty.
| Once inside the high cliff a beautiful sight
meets the eyes of the visitor. A basin
twenty miles wide and thirty to forty miles
| long spreads out, and Is covered with
luxuriant growth OF tender grasses, with
| occasional clumps OF scrub pine and grease
wood. Directly to the west is the main
range OF the Big Horn mountains, towering
above the valley to height of 1900 feet.
Along the face OF the range are countless
narrow and deep ravines which lead to the
depths of the mountains. There are numer-
Gus caves and the entire region affords ex-
cellent hiding places for outlaws. It is here
that the rustlers, horse thieves and hold
ups OF the region have found refuge after
committing depredations, it may be, hun
dreds OF miles distant.
The Lest known members OF this band
Of outlaws are George Currie Buch Cassidy,
Charlie Stevenson, known as white River
Charlie" George, and Tom Dickson, alias the
Roberts brothers, and Walt Putney.
Currie was, until few years ago. a we'll
known cowboy OF Crook county Wyoming.
where his parents now live He has been
rustling cattle and stealing horses for seye-
raj years and helped the Roberts brothers
in the Belle Fourche bank robbery and other
depredations. The two Roberts brothers
were born near Denver. Their mother was a
half-breed Cherokee Indian. They have
worked from the Hole in the Wall to the
Robbers Roost country in Utah, and are
both desperate characters. Charlie Steven
son is an old man, probably 30. He has been
an outlaw for years and has turned tricks"
along the frontier all the way from the Brit
ish possessions to Mexico
During the last two years some of the
outht have been concerned in the robbery Of
the Powderville. Mont, pOstoffiCe, where the
postmaster was killed; they robbed the
Belle Fourche, S. D., bank; robbed the store
at Wolton, Wyo.; the pest fTce at Big Ptnev
Wyo; the Fort Bridger store. ana COM
mitted depredations without number upon
sheep camps and ranches. Their latest
JOB the hold-up and dynamiting OF the
Union Pacific fast mail, on June Q Is the
! boldest outrage they have yet attemoted
"hile they have led the officers a long chase
ana are still at large their escape from ultl-
mate capture is impossible With the COM
bination OF the general government the
state government and the Union pocino
railroad company, determined to hunt them
down, their punishment is simnlv a rat4or
of time.