, 1884-09-14
MAN-HUNTING.
A Vigorous Campaign lnaugurated
Against Thieves in Montana.
Cowboys Pursuing the ScaIawags
as a Regular Occupation.
Vivid Descriptions of Some Very
Lively Adventures.

pOSsiDle 10 keep a COWBOY on the ranges
of Montana. The fraternity IS entirely
taken up with the man hunt, and the
boys who are forced to remain arc incapa-
bic of thinking of anything else but the
adventures of their fellows. Every scrap
of information from the front is eagerly
listened to and discussed with the great
est enthusiasm. Once or twice, when re-
Inducements have been sent for, it has
been with great difficulty that the bosses
could make their selections Of recruits and
prevail upon those not chosen TO remsin
behind. 1t is the prevailing opinion that
this is the last gland roundup that this
country will even witness, and the eager
ness of the boys to take part in it is thus
explained. Nothing approaching it in
thoroughness and determination has ever
been witnessed here, The punishment
meted out has been and will be SO sweep
ing and terrible that no one believes an
occasion will ever arise for 4 similar dem
onstration.
While this diversion was in progress
the cowboys became separated and mar
rowly escaped disaster. A dozen or more
of the p%ursuers, paying no attention to the
hanging episode, pushed on, and, having
some difficulty in finding the cutthroass,
concluded that the thieves had got away
from them. After the boys had ridden
four or five miles without discovering the
trail, they were surprised to see the des-
peradoes coming upon them from the
rear. They had stolen along the margin
Of 4 creek for some distance and
then crossed to a clump Of trees,
in which they hid, and from
which they saw the cowboys going by
on the other side. Having separated the
party they got in between them. and when
the hanging party came up they were
amazed to find the outlaws in their front
with no signs of their associates visible.
If both parties of cowboys had known
the ,xact situation they might have been
able to make n successful attack, but each
felt its own weakness, and being in doubt
as to the whereabouts Of the other, both
abandoned the trail temporarily. When
they Joined each other a day later the
thieves had fed.
Last Monday. just at dark, the cowboys
came upon a log house set well back in
the timber among the hills just this side
of the international boundary, and,
decming the place suspicious, they de-
oided to watch it closely. That night sew
eral men were seen to enter and leave the
house, and one of the boys who stole up
close to the place reported that thirty or
forty horses were picketed near by.
The next day further evidences of the
character ofthe rendezvous were obtained,
and it was decided that the house should
be attacked that night. About 10 o'clock
the boys, leaving their ponies at a safe
distance, crept up to within 100 feet of
the cabin, from the woody side. and
awaited orders. The thieves had a light
inside, and through the open door and
windows could be heard voices and laugh
ter. AT the word every rife in the cow
bo7s party was simultaneously discharged,
awakening the echoes for miles. 1t had
been agreed that a second volley should
be fired instantly, and this did fatal Z e
cution. On the first report the thieves
sliced their arms and rushed pellmell out
of doors, some of them jumping through
the windows. The second volley caught
them just as they emerged, and the few
who survived it took to their heels and es-
capped. The boys remained at the house
until daybreak. There we're nine dead
thieves in and around it, and the remnants
Of a half-fnished meal were scattered
about on the floor. The place was found
to be the headquarters for the thieves, and
many stolen articles were recovered from it.
After it had been thoroughly ransacked the
bodies Of the dead were piled up in the one
room, and the house was then set on fire.
From this point the lynching party
moved due west, with the idea of strik-
ing the original trail which they had been
following, and there search was rewarded
much sooner than they had expected.
They found at a point not more than five
miles from the burned house a camp Of
desperadoes much larger than any yet
encountered, and a hasty examination
convinced them that they were not strong
enough to capture it. The thieves had
some sort of a military organization, which
prevented any attempt at surprise. After
making a comprehensive survey Of the
situation, the boys determined to withdraw
and send for reinforcements. Three oil
the boys were sent back after recruits,
and from these the details of the opera.
tons at the front have been learned. One
relief party was made up in this vicinity
and another even stronger has just left
from the neighboorhood of Fort Keogh
1t is believed that a pitched battle hai
occurred before this, and information a
to its results Is a~nxiously awaited.
While Stuart boys have been operat
ing in the Musselshell valley and alon,
the international boundary several othei
bands have had big r%ound-ups in Judith
Teton, and Marias counties. Hunting il
small parties. these lynchers have beer
able to rake in a great many of the strag
glers from the Stuart campaign, and it il
thought that comparatively few have beer
able to get away. Two or three wounded
men have been lynched, but all efforts t.
make them tell under what circumstance
they were shot proved unavailing. Thes,