Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-01
ARIZONA COWBOYS.
A Graphic Picture of the Lazy and
Desperate RUN ans.
Philadelphia Times.

The outlaws of Arizona, who have
been the subject of proclamation by
President Arthur, are known as rustlers.
They are the same breed, however, as
the cowboys of Colorado and Texas.
Being further away from civilization,
and in a country singularly well adapted
to business such as theirs. they have be-
come habitually vicious. Wherever the
cowboy may be put, and under what
ever circumstances he may be met, he
will be found to be the same animal,
lazy, fOul-mouthed, desperate, intemper-
ate, full of swagger and bravado, and
careless as we'll of his own life and
property as of those of others. He wears
a buckskin suit, with a hat having a
rim wide enough to cover his ears and
neck, and tuck in at the collar band. In
his leather belt hang two large and fine
revolvers, generally self-cockers, and in
one bootleg, held in place by TWO Sits
in the leather rests a knife of murder
Gus pattern. The cowboys range in age
from eighteen to thirty. The life which
they lead is not conducive to longevity,
and it is therefore very rare that a genu-
inc cowboy more than thirty years of
age is found. If one succeeds in dodg-
lug luG JULIUS Vi OCpuIJ OnCllllS anu
the gibbet of Judge Lynch until that
period is passed, he generally abandons
that trade and takes to train and stage
rObbing as profession.
The cowboys, who make their appear
ance occasionally at frontier towns in
Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado, devote
the greater part of their time to the cattle
which they are employed to herd, and in
the shipping season drive them to the
nearest desirable railroad station. On
the great ranches they find no oppOrtu-
nifty to indulge their lawless propensities.
They literally live among the cattle,
faring but little better than the brutes
which they are hired to guard. The little
cooking which is necessary they do
themselves. They are their own tailors
and doctors, and once or twice year,
when near fine stream, if the weatheris
not too cool, their solitary shirt is washed
after fashion. When the round-ups oc-
cur and the great cattle drive is begun,
the cowboys life begins to take on diff
ferent aspect. The drive is often long,
and always DANGEROUS and laborious.
The boys are splendidly mounted, their
horses and saddles being, with the excep-
ton of their revolvers, the possession in
which they take the most pride. They
ride among the cattle at imminent risk
of being trampled to death, and at night
sleep on the ground. When the herd
has been delivered and the boys have
partaken freely of frontier whisky the
trouble begins If there is a dance house
near at hand they head for it and signal
ize their presence by attempting to
''shoot out" the candles or lamps, as the
case may be. AS a rule they are not dis
turbed in pastimes such as this. If they
conclude before morning to take the
town." then war is declared and some
body will be killed.
The Arizona rustlers are simply north
ern cowboys on an unending spree.
They are wild men. No Apache that
ever lived had less regard for life than
they. They pretend to pay some atten-
ton to cattle, but as that industry in
Arizoua is not yet large enc. there is
not much in that line for them to do
Their occupation is pillage and murder
They travel in small parties and rob
every one they meet. The other day a
cowboy entered little settlement and
purchased can Of coined beef Taking
the meat and keg out into the road.
he sat down on the keg and
opened the can. When everything
was ready he called to a mao, a stranger
standing in front of the store, to come
and help him eat it. The man was not
hungry. you've got to eat, came the
command, accompanied by movement
Of the hand, which rested on revolver
The stranger advanced slowly and par
took of the meal, evidently in an I'M
happy frame of mind, but his host
seemed to enjoy the repast and the
society of his newly made acquaintance
not little.
A cowboy entered hotel dining room,
sat down opposite to young man whom
he addressed as a tenderfoot, and began
to throw the dishes and their contents on
the floor. The young man endeavored
to demonstrate with him, but before he
could finish his first sentence he was
pierced by bullet from the desperado's
revolver Events like the above are of
daily occurrence in Arizona.