, 1886-03-02
rHEswINcINc COTTONWOOD.
A Tale of wyomlng's Early Days.
The Perils OF E~migrants.

The PertIs OF Emigrants.
Special Correspondence of THE LEADER
LANDER, Wyo., Feb. 26.-As the cor
respondent joined a bunch of cattlemer
last evening around a blazing coal fire, tn,
story of the swinging cottonwood, of tn,
Cottonwood canyon was being recalled anC
the scribe listened for the first time Il
that wild tale; The Don" ten year,
ago, was a Mexican desperate, who held
the craftsmanship of an active and danger
Gus band of land pirates as ever operated
ON any frontier The headquarters and
refuge for the gang was in the vicinity ol
the Cottonwood canyon. The Cotton.
wood is a swift stream that flows through
the Big Horn basin, and its canyon is u
narrow and apparently bottomless chasm.
All around is ground of the toughest and
most broken description, and the neigh
borhood must have Afforded 4 notable
lurking place for bandits.
One summer night, in 1876, THE
Don" led his gang to the attack on an
emigrant train encamped at Deer spring.
The attack was a success; all Of the cmi-
grants stock was captured and the wag
ons plundered. The travellers were over
joyed, however, as the day broke, to hear
the sounds of another train. In n short
time it hove in sight, numerous and well
appointed. The story of robbery was
soon told and prompt assistance given.
Within an hour twenty-five men were in
the saddle and on the trail of the thieves.
Not expecting pursuit, the latter took no
precautions and at noon were completely
surprised. Three-f ourths Of them were
killed around their camp-fres and the
balance took to the rocks. THE Don
leaped upon a horss and fed. He was
promptly and vigorously pursued. Scarce
had he gone a quarter ola mile when a
bullet struck his horse and brought it to
the earth. The hunted outlaw sprang to
his feet; he was on the edge of the Cot
tonwood canyon; almost at his feet projec-
ted a large cottonwood tree into the chasm.
To the desperate mind Of the outlaw it
seemed as though a leap might be made
from the branches Of the tree to the other
side of the chasm. Hastily ascending the
sloping trunk, he entered the branches
just as the foremost pursuer rode to the
chasm's edge. This man held in his hand
a lasso poised for flight. As he caught
sight of the outlaw in the tree he made
his east, and the true and ready moose
passed over the shoulders of the thief.
The leap was in the act of being made,
and the impetus ierked the lariat from
the holders grasp. The body of the Mex
lean fell from its perch, and as the rope
passed through the branches it fastened
itself. The outlaw, with the moose tight
ened beneath his armpits swung in the
air. But now came a loud crash; the tree
split in twain. The lower half fell until
checked by the tough roots, and almost
perpendicular with the walls OF the can
yon, swinging loosely to and fro. The
rending of the tree had precipitated the
outlaw full forty feet lower. He wasnow
entirely out OF sight. though the tension
on the lariat showed that the man was
still at the end of it,
The Qursuers were in earnest consulta-
ton. ''Thc DON was Justly doomed, but
the men hated to leave him to die the
slow death Of hunger and thirst. Sudden
ly one ofthem exclaimed lets shoot the
rope IN two" Crack crack went the
rifles MS the proposition was eagerly en-
braced. But the rope was hard to hit,
even for those practiced marksmen, but
at last the lariat was shot in two and the
greascr thief and desperate consigned to
a turbulent grave amid the savage waters
of the Cottonwood canyon.