Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1884-08-24
GOOD RUSTLERS.
Hard Times for Northwestern
Horse Thieves--How Cow
Boys Round Them Up.
A Serious Joke-A Broad Con-
tradiction of a Gauzy
Story.
Items of Interest to Wool
Growers, Stock Men and
People Everywhere.
War on Horse Thieves.


Existing reports from the Mussel-
shell and upper Missouri regarding
the horse thief round-ups and vague
limitations As to the active work the
COW boys have been doing have been
read with interest i'm all parts Of the
country. The following letter from
James Fergus. of Maginnis, Mont,
published in the Husbandman gives
the clearest idea of the operations
against the outlaws that has appeared
in print: "In your local column of
July 3lst, you mention the hanging Of
horse thieves at Rocky Point and say
Mr.. Fergus and some others who
were In the chase strayed away and
were out ten days While | doubt
the policy of giving names in matters
of this kind, I will say that there are
several Ferguses now in this part of
Montana and you don't say which,
but as am the oldest, have been long
est in the country and best known,
people ut a distance would naturally
suppose ii was me. which | am sorry
TO say is untrue. Old age and i'll
health alone kept me at home. But Is
il true that men have been hung and
shot in this so-called civilized country
without due process of law: Yes. no
doubt of it-and more will bc-and
why: Ali of eastern Montana, and
particularly along the upper Missouri,
is overrun with horse and cattle
thieves to whom nothing comes amiss.
Montana horses are stolen from ones
I and twos to whole bands, taken north
and sold In the British country.
Horses are brought from there and
sold here. or taken by boat or rail and
sold in the States. Cattle are taken
singly or by droves, killed and eaten
by these horse thieves, by bands OF
Haif.breeds and Indians, dried and
sold as buffalo meat, used as wolf bait
often shot for mere pastime. They
are mostly run off In bands during
winter in snow storms, taken into the
bad lands near the river and slaughter.
ed, and some have been taken into
the British country. One man boosted
of having shot seven on the range be-
fore he brought one down so he could
get s.eak for breakfast. Rather dear
steak. costing somebody at least $3.50.
Another said he had killed over seven
ty. Twenty-Five head are known to
have been killed In one ravine last
winter near Carol, and over forty at
another place. Wolves, horse thieves,
Half.breeds aud Indians. have all
been making common property OF
range cattle. One man noted above
all things for his honesty, has been
killing cattle OH the range for years
and hauling the beef to the Missouri
river for a market. Don't YOU keep
men on the range: Yes; but "A few
men cannot cover range seventy-flve
miles square, and they watch as well
as us.
Notwithstanding the natural increase
We brand but few more calves than We
did five years ago. Now what is to BE-
done" We must either gather W
what stock We have left and leave the
country or gather up these despera-
does and put them where they vii
kill and steal no mere; there Is no al
tentative, and We choose the latter
II is now simply state Of war. Wan
are often waged between people with
out provocation. Here We are waginl
war on thieves, bandits and despera-
does. II is true We are doing II inside
of an organized government, or gov
ernments, hut these organizations art
doing us no good-further than taking
our money for taxes, which may bs
good for them but bad for us. W.
have been here four years aud have
not seen an officer but the assessor; w
pay our taxes but get nothing In re
turn: We have no school, no road
money, no poor to be supported by
the county.
We have n military post near vi
Fort Maginnls) kept up at great ex
penss by the peoples money. In charge
Of men supposed to be above the aver
age In ability, educated at . govern
ment school ut public expense, fol
public use, who are no doubt suffering
from idIbneas, and who ! am Satisfied
would be willing to help Us hut IRE st
bound up with red tape. that when
they are needed, by thetime they tele
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