Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-10-09
a GENEROUS KENTUcklAN.
How He Saved the Necks of Thieves Who
Had Robbed Their Benefactor.

Had Robbed Their Benefactor.
In the recent examination here of
Frank Howard for the killing of
Charles Williams at Lander, Wyoming
Territory, one of the witnesses called
was George Baker. The appearance
of this man wildly recalled to your
correspondent a dramatic criminal in
cident that TRANSFERRED in the Big Horn
country two years ago.
In the spring of 1882 the Baker
family, numbering some fifteen per-
sons, all told, with three wagons, |
crossed the Big Horn Mountains from
the neighboI nood of the town of Buff
falo, where they had wintered, and
struck the Big Horn River just above
the home ranch of the mammoth cat
tie firm of Mason & Lowell. They
pulled into tae ranch with tired teams,
and almost in a starving condition
themselves. Mr.. Clay Anderson, in
charge of the Mason & Lowell outfit at
that point, recognized Baker as a man
he had known in the old Kentucky
State, and, though the reputation he
had borne there was none of the best,
the princely hospitality of the ranch to
all corners was extended to him. The
lrich, inclosed pastures along the river
bottoms were proffered for their tired
stock, the shelter of the ranch ac-
corded, provisions furnished in album
dance, and when, after a stay of ten
days, the family once more moved on,
they did so with an ample supply of
everything they needed from the stores
of the rsnch. In the fall of 1883 the
Bakers were again on the trail. This
time they were headed up the Big
Horn, tetracing the way they had in
the spring of 1882. They had spent tho
intervening time in a section further
to the west, and had left only before
they were driven off, leaving be-
hind them a most unsavory reputation.
On arriving again at the h~ospitable
ranch Of Mason & Lowell that they had
such good cause to remember with
gratitude, they found no one there.
Anderson and his outfit We're absent on
the annual spring cattle gather. Here
was an opportunity congenial to the
Baker character and one which the
Baker family did not neglect. The
ranch was Quilted at once of everything
portable and the plumber stored in the
wagons, that were soon rolling again
up the valley of the Big Horn. But
Nemesis, in the shape of an outraged
lot Of cowboys, was already astir. An
derson, the day of the theft, sent man
to the ranch for q few articles stored
there. The messenger discovered the
robbery before it was six hours old,
and at one rode at breakneck speed
to the cowboy camp to report. The
mornings sun found the boys on the
ground, and the trail was at once taken
up, and as it followed the main wagon
road of the country, was followed at a
lope. The Bakers had pushed on all
light, and had succeeded in placing
the Big Horn River between them and
the %pursuers. Striking the ferry where
the marauders had crossed the river,
Anderson found the boat on the other
side. Without a pause Anderson
spurred into the fierce current and,
breasting the icy waters, reached the
other shore. He was Instantly and
calamity followed, and soon the
cowboys were riding straight upon
their quarry, now in sight. Uttering
a few hurried but comprehensive
orders, Anderson dashed at once to
the lead wagon, driven by Baker him
self, and, with garments still dripping
with the waters of the Big Horn, threw
down a heavy Colts on the old thief.
with the stern command: GLANDS up"
He was obeyed with little parley, the
old woman only whining: "Don't kill
my old man, Clay. You can have your
things" BY this time the other wag-
ons, under the guard of pistol muzzles,
had approached, and the whole party
were speedily hustled to the ground
while the wagons were searched for
the stolen goods. These were all
found, and the demand of the cowboys
now was that the robbers should be
hung to the end of their own wagon
tongues. The women and children
broke into screams and cries of en-
treaty for mercy, while the men, with
bleached faces but sullen mien, awaited
their fate. Anderson quieted the tumult
by telling the women that their hus-
bands would be spared, and then ad-
dressing his cowboys called their at
tention to the helpless beings who
would be left should they carry out
their determination to hang the men.
The boys at once gave way and told
Anderson to settle the affair as he
thought best. This was speedily &C
companied by the payment of a round
sum in money for damage done the
ranch, the immediate return of the
stolen goods to where they were taken
from. and a stern warning to the en-
tire gang that they would stretch hemp
if yer caught on Mason & Lovell's
range again, supplemented with the
assurance that their women and chill.
dren were all that saved their worthless
lives on the present occasion.-CoT. st.
Louis Globe-D Democrat.
Said Bobby to the cashier, when
they met on the street: ''Can a bank
whistler" 'Why do you ask?'
"'Cause my pa owes the bank a thou
sand dollars, and he says he's going e
La &l>., Io-lx ,l:.A1o 60