The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-01-21
HORSE THIEVES.
MONTANA OvERRUH WITH BANDS
OF LAWLESS MEN.
An Eruption Of Violence Which Vigil
lance Committees are Treating
With DOses OF HEMP.

~ Of6hAud WIFI u 10
OF LAWLESS MEN.
An Eruption Of Violence Which Vigil
lance Committees are Treating
With Doses OF Hemp.
\ recent letter from Miles city, Mon
tana, to the New York Times says:
Never since the dark days of 1864 has
Montana been 80 overrun with horse
thieves, road agents and other bad
characters as at the present time. Both
whites and reds have taken a hand at
the business, as though e~ndeavoring to
see which could Guido the other in
deeds of villainy and acts of crime. As
it stands both parties are about even,
with no back counties to hear from. The
first act of the past year was committed
May Is, near Glendive, by a well organ
lied band of road agents, who made a
murderous attack on Major Whipple, q
regular army paymaster, in the hope of
securing some $18, 900 or $40, 900 which
that officer was carrying to pay off the
troops at Fort Buford. The scheme
failed, owing to the fact that the mules
became frightened at the rapid firing
and ran away with the ambulance in
which the funds were being transported.
A brave soldier, however, was killed,
Sergeant Aquila Coorod, and two others
were badly wounded.
About the same time Con Murphy, the
notorious road agent, made his escape
from the Deer Lodge penitentiary, where
he had been incarcerated for several
years, and commenced operations in the
western part of the Territory. On May
2G he made a bold attempt to "hold up"
the Benton coach, near Mitchell's ranch,
on which occasion passengers were
robbed in broad daylight. His partner,
George Mum, was detailed to 60 over
into Idaho and make o raid on Ricks's
ranch, and get what money he could.
Kicks was a wealthy cattleman and had
a great deal of ready cash on his prem
Uses. Kicks, however, was fully pre-
pared for the attack, and when the high
waymcn came in sight, Kicks, with
eighteen or twenty cowboys at his back,
rode boldly forth to meet them, and
''smote" the robber chieftain deadin his
tracks and put his band to flight.
Murphy was captured a few weeks later
and lodged in the jail at Helena, where
it was supposed he would be secure, but
on the night of July 81, he broke Jail,
through the aid of confederates, and is
now at liberty. lie was assisted mate
rally on regaining his freedom by the
kind consideration of Sheriff Fitzpatrick,
and his watchhen, who, on the evening
in question, were interested spectators
of q prize fight at the Academy Of Music.
While the sheriff and his aids were look
ing at the scientific display of the manly
art, their prisoner, whom they left
shackled, had gotten rid of his irons, and
was making his escape through a hole in
the ceiling of his cell.
Con Murphy, at the present writing, is
on an island inthe Missouri river, twenty
five miles from Helena, with q band of
twenty desperate outlaws around him.
He is in q position to defy 500 armed
men, and is so confident of his safety
that he has made no effort to get out of
the country. Recruits are constantly
joining him, and he is no doubt prepar-
ing to carry on q system of depreciation
and plumber the like of which never has
been heard of before in the Northwest.
Personally, Murphy is q brave man.
While being brought from Helena to
Butte when last arrested, although man
aclcd and handcuffed at the time, he
boldly jumped from a Utah and North
crn train while travelling at q speed Of
twenty miles an hour. The train was
stopped and the outlaw re%captured with
out difficulty.
On the Fourth of July two d~esperadoes
named respectively 'tRattlcsnake Jake"
and his partner, Steve O'Fallon, made a
descent on the little village of Cotton
wood, in the Dog Den mountains, with
the avowed intention of cleaning out the
town. They rode w to- the open door
way Of II. G Powers store and began
firing into the crowd inside without any
warning whatever. The citizens Of the
town were soon drawn into the fight. and
before many minutes had passed OFallon
fell with five shots in his body. While
in the last agonies of death he raised
himself upon his knees, and, taking de-
libcratc aim with his Winchester at q
young man named Smith, (an outsider
who was trying to get away from the
fracas,) shot him through the head, kill
ing him instantly. ''tattlesnake jake
took nine balls into his body before he
yielded up the ghost.
Early in the summer there was q grand
revival of horse stealing all over Mon
tana. 1t grew so rapidly in favor, and
has been participated in by so many
people of late, that it may be truly
classed at present among the prominent
industries Of the Territory. Up to within
a few weeks there was, between the
Muscle Shell and Judith rivers, the most
daring and powerful band of horse and
cattle thieves, regularly organized and
captaincd, that has ever existed in the
Northwest. The numerous d~cpredations
and outragcs committed by this band
numbering over one hundred) at last
called for the speedy organization of
safety and vigilance committees. Cattle
men, stock growers and sheep raisers
went at the thing in a busincss-like way.
From each roundup party 4 number of
cowboys was detailed, under fearless
leaders, to scour certain sections OF
country, and: when a nest was found
to clean out the same in short order.
Deputy sheritfs and their posses were
voted no good. They had been tried
and found to be wanting.
There has been a deal of hanging in
the northern country during the past
season, and no one will ever know who
or how many have gone to their death
through the courtesy of the vigilantcs or
cowboys. Every little while informa-
ton is brought in that 'another horse
thief has been set to stretching hemp"
Hunting parties out after buffalo, ante
lope and other game report the finding
of a human body every once in Il while
swinging from a cottonwood tree in
some lonely spot. Altogether, from
trustworthy sources, it is known that
close on a hundred outlaws have been
strung up by the different vigilance
committees who have been at work this
season, and the job is not half finished
yet. They have been driven across the
international boundary line into British
Manitoba also. over into Idaho and
south into Wyoming.
A Cure for the Sparrow Pest.
Sparrows were introduced from Eng
land for the purpose of destroying the
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