The Hole in the Wall Gang was an outlaw gang in the American Wild West that took their name from their hideout located in the Hole in the Wall Pass in Wyoming. Many outlaws made this place their home and it became infamous.
The gang itself was not one large, organized group of outlaws but several different gangs all of which operated out of the same pass. The various gangs formed a coalition but rarely operated together. Very occasionally the different gangs would ride alongside each other but would usually only meet up when they were all in the hideout at the same time.
The Pass and the Gangs
The pass geographically was a perfect place for the outlaws to hide from and evade the authorities. It was easy to defend and was impossible to anyone to enter without being detected by those who were already there, waiting.
In the pass, the outlaws created an infrastructure and stashed supplies that allowed them to keep their own horses, livestock, and food. The outlaws also constructed a corral, a livery stable, and many cabins. It has been estimated that each gang would have at least one or two of each of these constructions, spread out across the territory.
Ironically, the gangs who used Hole in the Wall were more respectful of their own laws they created there than they ever were outside. Gangs who were operating out of the pass were told that they had to adhere to the rules of the camp.
These rules included how to handle disputes with other gangs and to make sure that they did not steal from another gang’s supplies. This was based on a shared agreement and mutual respect; there was no overall leader of the gang’s pass.
Each of the gangs would instead follow their own chain of command and it was expected that the gang leader of each particular gang would be responsible for its members. As well as this, the gangs would hide out in the winter here as the winters of Wyoming were particularly harsh.
Gang Members
There have been many famous people in the Hole in the Wall Gang. Some of the biggest names include Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch, and Jesse James.
In the Wild Bunch, there was of course Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Elzy Lay, Tal Texan, Laura Bullion, Bon Meeks, and the Roberts Brothers. Many other gangs were here but few had as many famous faces. Notoriety came with longevity, and most outlaws had short, violent lives.
One occasion talks of a cattle rancher who fought back against the rife cattle rustling that had been affecting the area. This became known as the Hole in the Wall Fight. The rancher had become aware that the outlaws were hiding in the Hole in the Wall pass.
Things came to a head in 1897 when Bob Divine, a worker of the CY Cattle Company, gathered a roundup of people from the nearby ranches to tackle the Hole in the Wall gangs. Bob Divine gathered stock from nearby ranchers in order to help with his assault. However, word got to the gangs in the hole in the wall and they sent a note saying:
“don’t stick that damned old gray head of yours in this country again if you don’t want it shot off.”
Despite this, Devine was not put off and encouraged his supporters to stick with him. He gathered support from the CY Ranch Cowboys and men from Ogallala Land and Cattle Company as well as the Circle L Ranch, Jim Drummond from Montana, a livestock inspector and a US Deputy Marshal named Joe LaFors.
The force entered the Hole in the Wall Pass by coming through the pass on the southern edge known as the Bar C gap. They passed the ranch most commonly used by the Hole in the Wall Gang and after traipsing around three miles (5km) came upon three men, Bob and Al Smith and Bob Taylor, all known members of the Hole in the Wall Gang.
Divine and Smith already had a history, and tension was building between them. Divine asked if they had seen any of his cattle in the nearby area. One of the Smith brothers is said to have replied by saying “Not a Damn One”. Smith is said to have believed that Divine was going for his gun and so he opened fire. This led to an open shootout and everything descended into chaos: dust flew up and horses wheeled about, screaming.
When the shooting had stopped and the smoke cleared, Bob Smith was lying dead on the floor with a bullet in his back. Bon Devine had survived but his horse had been shot and his son had been injured. Al Smith managed to escape suffering only a minor wound to his gun hand. Bob Taylor was captured and taken to the nearby Natrona County jail before being released.
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But the Hole in the Wall had not protected the outlaws and the spell was broken. Encouraged by his own success, Divine returned at the head of a contingent of heavily armed men alongside two deputies to the Hole in the Wall Gang.
This raid was also a success, and the posse managed to salvage several hundred cattle. Many of the Gang members watched while this happened, powerless to prevent it.
The End of the Hole in the Wall
From the 1860s to approximately 1910, the pass was used by numerous gangs. However, it faded as the law was able to penetrate the territory effectively, learning its secrets. Nowadays, the Hole in the Wall Pass and the Middle Fork Region surrounding it has around 80,000 acres (32,500 hectares) of public land which is managed by the State of Wyoming and Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
It is easily found and can be explored, located around 35 miles (56km) southwest of the Kaycee and around 60 miles (100km) North of the Red Wall Back Country Scenic Byway.
The Hole in the Wall Gang has kept its infamy through the years featuring in numerous Western movies, such as The Three Outlaws, Cat Ballou, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It has even been featured in animated series such as The Good, the Bad and the Tigger, and the Scooby-Doo! Mystery Adventures game.
This is not to say you can simply walk into the Hole in the Wall today, and the pass remains a remote, hard-to-reach, and secluded spot which can be dangerous to the unprepared. It has a steep climb over loose rock to the top of the wall and overlooks the country below.
Standing there today, it is not difficult to see why the outlaws chose this place as a hideout for their gang. A difficult and easy-to-defend rock in such an isolated spot would put them out of reach of all but the most determined of lawmen. Or a cattle rancher with a score to settle.
Top Image: Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch used Hole in the Wall as a hideout. Clockwise from top left: Will Carver; Kid Curry; Cassidy, the Tall Texan and the Sundance Kid. Source: Unknown Author / Public Domain.
By Kurt Readman
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