The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-14

BOISE, Idaho. June 13.-It was morbid
curiosity that led Leonard Mckinney to
The Hole in the Wall in Wyoming; 1t
was fear that caused him to creep away
down the narrow gorge leading from the
hole and make his way to the nearest
railway point. He heard of the plans of
the men who robbed the Union Pacific
train. He knew they would return to
the Hole that a posse would likely
follow. He did not want to be mixed in
the affair, so he fed in the darkness, beat
ing his way to Boise and going hence no
one knows whittier. He came here for
assistance from friend who is news
paper man and the latter obtained per-
mission to relate after McGinney's de-
parture some of the things he told him
of the Hole and its inhabitants.
Mckinney drifted into Wyoming. and
having heard of the Hole" decided to
visit it on a hunting expedition. AS
stranger he found it a law-abiding dis
trict. AS friendship sprung up between
him and the residents there he dlscoV-
cred it to be the harbor of refuge OF
thieves and murderers of the most vi
cious type. H found they were prepared
while apparently leading the most peace
full lives, to resist by force OF arms IN
vasion by minions of the law He found
the narrow gorge leading to the Hole
an arsenal, and the hole itself fort,
filled with arms, concealed, but always
ready to the hands of dead shots.
Mckinney says the plot to rob the
Union Pacific train was Matched In the
Hole by shreWd criminals and executed
by daring desperadoes in the employ as
cowboys of the instigators of the crime.
If he knew the names of those VINO Qld
the work he refused to disclose them he
said they were to return to the Hole
to divide the spells with those who sent
them out He further said the robbery
was the first of a series planned ana that
another outfit was at present out from
1.-THE Hole preparing to strike again at
the first opportunity.
The men, Mckinney said, who robbed
forced by all the inhabitants of the
Hole" and he declared it would require
small army to rout the desperadoes'
Not only was the gorge closely watched,
but the secret trails as well. Few persons
knew of these trails but some of those
who had been in 1.-The Hole" had left un-
tremendously and those left pehind
feared they would sell out to the railroad
and give information that would bring
disaster to the crowd of criminals.
AS to the inhabitants of the Hole, Nc
Chimney did not believe an honest man
lived there, and said if the men there
could all be captured number of noto-
rious criminals would be found in the
lot None of them are known by their
is A. e. Abbott. who is a well-to-do and
apparently peaceful and innocent STOCK
man, but who is really one of the leaders
and desperate character.
A
wanted in Philadelphia for crime that
shocked the Quaker City twenty, years
ago wealthy man named Clugston
was mysteriously murdered, robbery be-
ing the motive. The .ofhcers found an
overcoat in the house in which was a
pawn-ticket bearing the name of Abb
bolt The latter disappeared and no trace
has since been had of him, although a
$4,000 reward was offered. Abbott had
worked himself into the good graces of
many persons, to whom he frequently
sold articles of value, which he claimed
he had picked up at pawnshops In Phil
adelphia and elsewhere. He was never
suspected of crookedness until after the
murder when 1t was discovered that he
was one of the selling agents of crowd
of clever thieves operating in all the large
cities.
Mckinney says the man and others fire.
and criminals, often dropping hints that
TO him were significant He believed ray
or the Missouri murderer, was a man
who went by the name of BOB Mat
TAYLOR murder and of other Missouri
| crimes and on one occasion, when the
| possibility of Taylor's capture was men
| toned, he sprang up and excltedly
| roared:
They'll never take Taylor alive-you
| can bet on that!'
Mckinney says there are a number OF
men there who have escaped from West
der. The leaders, he says, are all fairly
well off, and their employees. who do their
| bidding, dropped so many hints, especial
! ~ when drinking. that, Mckinney was
| able to pick up a great deal of informa-
ton. He frankly said he feared some of
the crowd would kill him, and he pro-
posed to go far enough away to be out
! of danger. The leaders had correspond
| ents on the outside who kept them in
formed, and the circumstances. of his de-
parture were such that watch would be