St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-01

resident of Butte city, a fish
ing trip was planned, and the two
went to Anaconda to fit out
for the trip. A ranchman living near, a
friend of both. agreed to furnish them two
saddle horses, proposition which was ac-
eepted, and the day named when the
ranchman should send the horses into the
city. Their pack animals ready, the two
horses arrived as expected, and mounting
them the two GilbertS set out for a journey
over the mOuntains-known as the Warm
Spring range-tO Rock creek for their
sport.
When about fifteen miles from town, in
a wild mountain trail, they met two men
on foot. The men looked like
tramps, but as nearly everyone
does in that country nothing was
thought of this until one of the strangers
planted himself square in front of Rev. MI.
Gilbert. exclaiming, That's my horse"
Mr.. Gilbert told him he was mistaken,
and as he had no time to handy words with
him. requested the privilege of the road.
ThereupOn the stranger attempted to clutch
the rein. which Mr.. Gilbert avoided and
drove past him. Nothing more was thought
of the incident. and the fishing party
camped on a little prairie in the mountains
for the night. Late in the evening they
were Joined by another member whom they
had expected and for his accommodation
they did not break camp until late the next
day.
About 10 o'clock, when preparing to
leave, they saw two horSemen gallopng to-
ward them and soon the Rev. Mr.. Gilbert
recognized deputy sheriff whom he had
known while preaching there. He re-
marked to his brother, What do you sup
pose Dickinson is riding around out here
for?" The two hOrsemen drew up and
dismOunted, the officer fumblng in his
pockets for something. While doing this
he got good look at the faces of the two
Gilberts, with whom he was acquainted,
but whose rough dress had prevented him
from recognizing. Taking second look
he dropped on the ground and roared with
laughter. He was so convulsed that it was
a good while before he was able to explain
the cause of his merriment, his companion
meanwhile looking on, much astonished at
seeing an officer of the law act so strangely.
However, Dickinson recovered, shook
hands with Mr. Gilbert, and showed war
rant for the arrest of John Doe on the
charge of horse stealing. Then everybody
laughed except the man who claimed the
horse, who couldn't see anything comieal in
the situation. The officer explained that
late the night before the man had rushed
into Anaconda and told that he had seen
man riding his horse, which had been St0-
len several months before; a warrant had
been issued and the pursuit begun immedl-
ately. The man insisted on having his
horse, while Mr.. Gilbert explained that the
horse belonged to a friend of theirs, and
they could not possibly give
it up without consulting him, and
moreover they wanted to go on their fish
ing trip unmolested. and they needed the
horse. After considerable argument the
deputy sheriff succeeded in perSuading the
man who owned the horse that his friends
were honest, one of them clergyman, and
that his horse would come back all right
The GilbertS agreed to return the horse to
Anaconda at the end of their trip. and
everything was satisfactorily arranged.
On the return Rev. Mr.. Gilbert appeared
in justice court, where the man proved
property in the horse, the ranchman send
ing word that he did not own the animal,
and took him. The defendant was allowed
to depart on paying costs, which amounted
to some $50. 1t TRANSFERRED that both horses
were strays which had come to the ranch,
had been advertised and not claimed. In
the adjoining county that summer several
men were hung by vigilantes for horse
stealing, and had not Mr.. Gilbert been ac-
quainted with the officer it might have been
a serious case.