The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-18
A STORY FROM THE BORDER.
THE REMARKABLE MURDER TRIAL
JUST ENDED IN NEBRASKA.

cent fr1aOuern from = Shertm'a eunrd,
Hanging Them TO n Tree, and then Build
Ing u Fire Under the Swinging Bodies The
Cattle King and One OF his Herders Yes
terdny Sentenced TO Imprisonment for Life.
OMAHA, Neb, April 17.-At tho little town
OF Hastings. in Adams County. this State. there
was to-day. closed one OF the most interesting
trials in the history OF this country-the trial OF
wealthy man accused OF crime perhaps un-
paralleled in our criminal records
In the early part OF December last party Of
men journeying along the mail route that leads
from Plum Creek. Dawson County. into the
Loup country. came upon the bodies OF two
men hanging from tree at place called tho
DEVILS Gap. a drcary place at the mouth OF the
Black Canon. in Custer County. In the north
western part OF this State. Tho bodies were
chained together; there was a bullet hole in ono
OF them. and both were nude and horribly
burned and blackened. It was subsequently
learned that the bodies were those OF Ami
Ketchum and his father-inilaw. an old man by
The name OF Mitchell. both OF whom owned
homescads in the northern part OF the county.
They had been missing for several days. being
last seen in the custody OF the County Sheriff
who was driving them of to jail. they having
been apprehended for murder.
In order to make clear the causes OF the ar
rest and the murder OF these men an explana-
lion is necessary The larger part OF the un-
settled portions OF the State OF Nebraska has
been claimed for years by the cattle men" ex-
elusively as the grazing ground OF their herds
These cattle men have made 1t a point to dis
courage settlers from buying or taking up
claims in many fertile sections OF the State
They themselves have paid nothing for the
land they lay claim to. but simply hold 1t as n
divine right. turning loose their cattle to roam
at will until the latter part OF May OF each year
h which time occurs the annual round up"
when all the cattle are driven together, and
each man " cuts out the stock that bears his
brand. Resolute men have from time to time
taken up Government land. which they have
Tiled and put under cultivation. making a
brave fight to overcome every obstacle and seek
ing to build up homes for themselves and their
families. Strange cattle. singly or in little
lunches roaming at will. occasionally get into
the standing grain Of these settlers. there being
no fencing to hinder and trample IT, when II is
the custom OF the farmers to hold the stray
stock until the owners OF the same pay for the
damage done But the majority Uf the men
employed in herding cattle are rough fellows.
who have been driven from civilization on ac-
count Of their lawlessness. and the home
steaders" rs they are called. seldom meet with
Justice from them.
At present. one OF the best stock raising
parts OF the State is that denominated the Loup
country. lying upon the River Loup. northern
fork OF the great Platte River. large part
of this region WIS few months ago set of in
the organized territory Of Custer County. which
lies about forty miles north Of the line OF the
Union Paclht Railroad. and about $50 miles west
OF the Missouri River. Thther repaired some
time ago y little colony OF settlers. among whom
were Mitchell and Ketchum. Mitchell was an in
offensive old man, whom his nelghbors speak OF
with respect. ketchum. his son in law. had been
somewhat OF rover. having roughed L on the
doai rnot out witnai well meaning and NOV
meddlesome.
The king of the cattle men In the Loup coun-
try was l. +. Olive. formerly Of Texas ana act
IN as his foreman was man called stephens,
Some little time before the murder. stephens
was elected Sheriff Of the new county Begin
ing in the long standing difference between tho
cattle men and the "homesteaders." a quarrel
arose between Ketchum and Stephens which
grew until they became mortal enemies and il
was understood that they would shoot one au-
other on sight. As soon as the new Sherin got
il is said a warrant Tor Ketchum's arrest
for cattle stealing rs also for the arrest OF
Mitchell, Armed with this. Stephens with two
who with his old father in law was at work.
The two were covered with the guns OF the Wis;
Both Mitchell and Ketchum declared afterward
that they did as commanded, and held uD their
hands. but Notwithstanding Stephens and his
men began firing whereupon the two reached
for their guns and returned the fire; Stephens
fell but his conf pRnions rode on with him, stop
ping ut rancho some way further on the road,
where Stevens expired. cursinR Ketchum and
htcnell, VINO ne SAID nau 81 OF MIN IN cOlu DlOOd.
Teward OF $1,000 for the apprehension OF
Mitchell and Ketchum. for the murder of the
Sheriff. when. becoming frightened, the two
men surrendered themselves 70 the Sheriff OF
Howard, County upon condition that they
Sheriff Of Howard took them 10 Central City.
thee the county unit seat Oh, OF Merrlck County. to which
named Gillian. went for them.
The prisoners protested against removal but
they were yielded up to Gillian. who set out with
n "a EnstaF A
which lay on the route. a lawyer named Mona
mara WAS telegrapbed TO meet the journeying
oners to undertake their defence. He pro-
posed 70 accompany the party on their journey.
arations Gillian. with his prisoners started off.
The lawyer set out after them soon after in a
he drove hard. He came near to them, how;
ever, and kept them frequently In sight until
they were lost at "a fork Of tho road. As the
lawyer in despair was turning back he met
three men on horseback. whom he recognized
distinctly in the moonlight as OLIVE and two
drivers by the nnmes OF Green and Baldwin.
Soon afterward the news Of the murder spread
through the State. According to the story OF
Sheriff Gillian and Phil Dufrend who drove the
wagon their team was oyertaken by body Of
masked men, who took Mitchell and ketchum
points came out warranting the suspicion that
the murder had been committed by Olive and
Gillian and their associates A servant girl
oV"rnehrd drunken ejaculation that Oive
made TO his wife on the morning after the muir
der and which indicated that he had been con
pllhtei IN the same direction.
The question now was how TO arrest the sus-
pectrd men.
GOV, CARRIER offered reward OF 5000 each
tor ui" arrest OF the guilty parties the highest
sun allowed by the State. But this was not
sufficient ilducement in itself 10 cause any one
T. attempt the capture OF such men rs Olive and
h. gang who were well known as dangerous
charHtrrs. At length the people OF Plum
Creek b-stlrred themselves for they considered
That thelr credit ~ good citizens was at stake.
ana determined 10 capture Olive and his gang.
They got word Of what was going on. and by
anonymous letters and open brayado dared any
one 10 attempt their arrest Several citizns
were thus threatened. till they became al ARMED.
snd vigilance committee WAS formed,
The Sherrs Of three different counties had
refused To- attempt the capture OF Olive and his
gang when this committee WAS ready Tor ac-
hon. young Yirginian. named William
hehdt a resoiute. plucky fellow with plenty Of
sahd. as they have 1t in the West. who served
q good apprenticeship in the apprehension OF
Mlnn7hncrs in Southern revenue raids, un-
derppk 10 lead IN the capture. One Sabbath
morning ln the latter part Of December body
OF picked men guarded every portion Of tho
IOWA "nd Head, with Valentine, neTvy Mary
Ithlrr. Almy, "A NrrmOntrr. tho turnkey At tho
DHW-pn jail, md Nichols. the Deputy Sheriff,
II..NI M 10 fNG