Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-05-08
H OTHER SIDE.
What the Oregon Officers Say OF
Steele and the PrescOfts.

what the Oregon Officers Say of
Steele and the P~rescOfts.
Having published at some length the
story of the Steele and Prescott brothers,
in regard to their treatment by the Sheriff
and his officers at Baker City, Oregon, we
now publish what the latter have to say
about it, through the Elko Independent Of
last Monday:
n. A. Travillion, q brother Of the Sheriff
Of Baker county, Oregon, and Deputy
Sheriff William Harper arrived here from
Baker City by the train this morning for
the purpose of conveying the parties cap
tured by Willard and Triplett back to
Oregon to find that they were already on
their way there in charge Of the latter, the
parties having passed each other on the
Utah Northern road without the knowl-
edge of either. Our reporter this morning
interviewed Messrs. Harper and Travillion
with regard to the statements made here
by the captured men respecting their inno-
cence of the crimes charged against them
and their rough treatment by the officers
at the time Of and subsequent to their ar
I6bb III OIckOus DULL tuco0 kcubloUuou
most positively assert that there is very
little, if any, truth in the statements re-
ferred to. That the evidences of the guilt
of the seven men arrested, with possibly
one exception, is overwhelming. 1t is ad-
mitted that they were somewhat cramped
for space in the Jail, the building being
small, and six persons being confined
therein for minor offenses at the time the
seven mentioned were arrested, making
thirteen in all, but that the building was
filthy, or that they were denied any privil-
eyes or comforts compatible with their
safe keeping, is totally false. They state
that two extra guards we're supplied by
the Commissioners, and the prisoners were
| suffered to go outside with an attendant
whenever they asked the privilege. The
whole interior of the jail was also thor
! Oughly scrubbed and swept every day, in
order to keep it as clean and wholesome as
possible.
The supposed tramp whom they en-
ployed, and who, they charge, is their prin-
cipal accuser, was, in reality, a detective,
| employed by the stock associations for the
| purpose OF ferreting out the thefts Of which
these parties were suspected, and to pro-
| cure the proofs. The fact that the parties
| now under arrest had been furnishing n.
! p. railroad contractors with beef that ex-
cluded competition, and the further fact
| that their stock consisted of little else than
| horses, was we'll calculated to arouse sus-
| picion in the minds Of neighboring stock
| men. Their inability to discover from
whom the beef cattle were purchased con
| frmed the belief that they were not hon.
| estly obtained, and the plan of sending q
| detective in the guise Of a workingman in
search of work was adopted. he succeeded
in getting employment as a wo~od-chopper,
and being totally unsupported, made a
| thorough search of the premises without
| alarming the occupants and found buried
hides in several places; some with the
brands mutilated and others with the
| brand cut entirely out. A number Of
| others were found sunk in a slough from
which the brands had also been cut.
The horses that the prisoners had they
| gave to their counsel for fees. The law
yers are getting rid of these horses as rap
| idly as they can, for fear hat claimants
may come in, prove property. and take
them away.