Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-05-31
The Arizora Cowboy.

The outlaws OF Arizona are known IS
rustlers. They are the same breed,
however, as the cowboys of Colorado
and Texas. Being further away from
civilization and in country singularly
well adapted to business such as theirs,
they have become habituaily vicious.
Wherever the cowboy may be put and
be met, he will be found to be the same
animal; lazy, foul mouthed, desperate,
Incorporate full of swagger and brava-
do and careless as we'll of his own life
and property as of those Of others. He
wears buckskIn suit. with hat hav-
ing a rim wide enough to cover bis ears
and neck and tuck it in at the collar
band. In his leather belt hang two large
and fine revolvers, generally self-cock-
ers, and in one boot leg. held in place
by two Sits in the leather, rests knife
of murderous pattern. The cowboys
range in age from IS to 80. The life
which they lead is not conducive to lon
gevity. and it is therefore very rare that
genuine cowboy more than thirty
years of age is found. Ii one succeeds
in lodging the bullets of Deputy
Sheriffs and the gibbet of Judge
Lynch until that period Is passed he
generally abandons that trade and takes
to train and stage robbmg as a profes-
sion.
The cowboys who make their appear
ance occasionally a; frontier towns In
Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado, devote
the greater part of their time to the cat
tie which they are employed to herd.
and in the shipping season drive them
to the nearest desirable railroad sta
ton. On the great ranches they find
no opportunity to indulge their lawless
propensities. They literally live among
their cattle, faring but little better than
tine brutes which they are hired to
guard. The little cooking which Is
necessary they dc themselves They
are their OVID tailors and doctors, and
once or twice year, when near a tine
stream, if the weather is not too cool,
their solitary shirt is washed after
/ fashion. When the round-ups occur
and the great cattle drive is begun, the
COW boys life begins to take on differ
ent aspect. The drive is oftsn long and
always dangerous and laborious. The
bows are splendidly mounted, their
horses and saddles being, with the ex-
ception of their revolvers, the posses
sions 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 part.ken freely of frontier whisky
the trouble begins. Ii there is dance
house near at hand they head for it and
signalize their presence by attempting
to ''shoot OUT the candles or lamps rs
the case may be. As rule, they ale
not disturbed in pastimes such as this;
if they conclude before morning to
'take the town." then war is declared
and somebody will be killed.
The Arizona rustIers are simply north
era cowboys on an unending spree.
They are wild men. No Apache that
ever lived has less regard for life than
they. They pretend TO pay some attsn-
ton to cattle. but az that industry IN
Arizona is not yet large one there Is
not much in that line for them to do.
Their occupation is pillage and murder.
They travel in small parties and rob
everybody they meet The other day a
cowboy entered little settlement and
purchased can of corned beef. Tax
ing the meat and keg out in the road,
he sat down on the keg and opened the
can. When everything was ready he
called TO man, stranger standing III
front of the store, to como and help
him eat 1t. The man was not hungry.
slou've got to eat," came the com
mand, accompanied by movement OF
the hand, which rested on revolver
The stranger advanced slowly and par
took of the meat, evidently in an unhap
py frame of mind, but his host seemed
, TO enjoy the repast and the society o.
his newly made acquain ance not lit
tie.
A cowboy entered a hotel dining
room, sat down opposite.tc young man
whom he addressed as a tenderfoot, anC
began to throw the dishes and theil
contents on the floor. The young MAJ
endeavored to remonstrate with him, bu
before he couId finish his first sentence
} he was pierced by a bullet from th'
despersdo's revolver Event. like TIM
, aboveare OF daily occurrence in Arizona