The daily sentinel., 1908-04-21
The Thief
is Caught
NEAR GREEN RIVER
In Dangerous "Hole-In-W
Whose History is Well
Known Here, a Noted Des-
perado Was Captured Sat
urday

After hiding for two years in the
Hole-in-the-Wall country, 30 miles
west of Green River, Utah, where
many desperate Colorado and Utah
criminals have found refuge, Oscar
Il. Wells (alias Lorell Gruell), and
alleged Oregon horse thief. was cap
tured last Saturday by Deputy Sher-
iff Steele of Salt Lake City, Sheriff
Pace of Emery county and Sheriff
Robert Odell of Vale, Ore. The pris-
oner was taken to Salt Lake City and
last night was taken to Oregon.
The fame of the Hole-in-the-Wall
country is well known in Grand
Junction. for more than once the To-
cal officers have traced fugitive Grim
inaIs to that wild section.
1t seems that under the name of
Oscar e. Wells, the man captured
Saturday lived for many years at
Vale. Ore. Several years ago horse
owners began to complain of the ac-
tivities of a horse thief. Valuable an
imals were constantly disappearing
and conditions became so bad that
the ranchers of the vicinity dared
not turn their horses out upon the
range without having some persons
stationed to watch them.
The operations of the horse thief
continued despite the watchfulness
of the ranchers. The daring robber
even entered pastures close to ranch
houses to carry off horses.
AT last suspicion fell upon Wells,
who seemed to have constant sup
ply of money from some mysterious
source, and who was known to make
frequent and unexplained trips away
from Vale. He was watched, and 1t
is alleged. evidence was obtained
against him which showed that he
had carried off Al head of work hors-
es He was arrested and indicted
by an Oregon grand jury. Before his
trial he was released on bail. He
promptly dropped out of sight.
Not long ago rumors reached Vale
that a man.resmbling Wells had been
seen in the Hole-in-the-Wal country
near Green River.
Sheriff Odell decided to go to
Utah and see the man who looked
SO much like the alleged horse thief.
In Salt Lake City he spoke of his
errand to Deputy Sheriff Axel II.
Steele, and the deputy sheriff ex-
pressed willingness to go with
Odell into the supposed hiding place
of the fugitive. At Green River they
were Joined by Sheriff Pace of En-
cry county.
The 80 miles into the interior were
made in wagon. The man hunters
were heavily armed, as they knew
that they were invading region that
harbored many daring and danger
Gus men. They also knew that there
was a possibility that Wells might
have friends who would rally to his
side If he undertook to resist arrest.
The trip into the Hole-in- the-Wall
country proved uneventful, so far as
shooting scrapes were concerned.
Wells was found upon small
ranch near the bad lands. He was
going under the name of Lorell Cru
ell.
He recognized Sheriff Odell as
soon as he saw the Oregon officer,
but made no attempt to escape. The
little party that set out, after him
was agreeably surprised at this and
took him to Green River as quickly
as possible, so that there would be
no possibility of an attempt to res
cue from the mans companions.
''You were long time coming,
remarked Wells. u thought you
had forgotten all about me.