, 1886-06-09
A NOTORIOUS COUPLE.
Mormon Criminals En- Route for
Fort Fetterman.
Frank Gi'lispie and Bill Hickman's
Redoubtable Daughter.

Some two weeks ago among the emf
grant trains crowding up the Niobrara
valley on their way to the promised Fort
Fetterman land, was a wagon containing .
man and woman famous in the crimina
annals of the Northwestern territories
The mar was about 40 years of age, keer
eyed, sun tanned. and with a halt in hi
gait caused by a minnie ball through one
of his hips. By his side was a woman
whose raven tresscs the suns and SHOWS Of
80 years of western frontier life had failed
to thread with silver. On features lighted
by a hard black eye, dwell an expression
of mingled aggression and fear, %nnoun
ing a covert but recognized war with
society.
This was the eldest daughter of the
notorious Bill Hickman, arch destroy
ing angel, and murderous Mormon apos-
ties. The man by her side was Frank
Gillispie, her husband.
When Bill Hickman fed the Mormon
territory Stunned by his own people, and
an object of vengeance to the outraged
Gentiles, he took refuge in the wild re-
cesses of what then was Sweetwater
county, Wyo. He was accompanied by a
cloud OF his relations and immediate con
nections, among whom were the ellis
pies. Ben, 4 brother of Franks, was
also a member of the fugitive patriarchal
band. This latter had, too, a record. and
was wanted in more than one frontier
locality for various crimes peculiar to the
desperate and ''rustler.'
The two brothers soon made their
characteristic impression on the commu-
nifty in which they Ind pitched
their predatory tents. Cattle were
killed, horses stolen, and the depre-
dations were usually traced to the
Gillispie gang. One morning Ben Gillipie
came up missing, and in a day or two it
was found that several fine horses had
also sought other quarters. About this
time old Hickman died the miserable
death OF a drunkard, his whisky sodden
brain awiully pcopled with images of
blood.
Shortly after the patriachal incubus
grew too heavy to be borne, and the rapa
cious and licentious fraternity was bodily
fired out. Striking their tents, they drew
together, and under the leadership of
Frank Gillespie and his Amazon wife slow
ly and s%ullenly retired, holding with a finn
and defiant grip to no small amount OF
the plumber, collected curing their occu-
patton of the region.
Passing through Lander, the retiring
caravan took the trail for Mormondom.
Some twenty miles southwest of Lander
was located the Lahore sheep ranch While
passing through this range a herd Of 60C
sheep came in sight OF the gang, A plar
of capture was at once organized and lee
by the daughter of Bill Hickman. TIL,
party attacked the herders chasing then
into the hills. The herd was then incor
porated in the bunch of stock belonglnl
to the band, and the leisurely southern
journey resumed.
On reaching Atlantic City some of the
sheep were sold, and several killed for the
use of the gang, Suspicion was aroused,
however, and the miners were talking the
matter over when there arrived in camp
the herders from whom the sheep had
been snatched. A party was at once or
ganized and the raiders pursued. They
were overtaken on the Big Sandy some
miles from the southern pass of the Wind
mountains and the sheep recovered. Gil
lespie himself made his escape to the
hills, while his gang vas allowed to
go on their way, as a happy radiance to
the country.
Two years ago the Gillispie gang made
another Eruption into the Lander country
but were checkmated at the outset. Since
their former occupation the country had
become Fremont county. The officials,
while they had no jurisdiction in the crlmi.
nal matters of the section when within
the limits of Sweetwater county. knew
that the Green River officers held a war.
rant for the arrest of Gillisple for the
theft of the sheep herd. They at once
telegraphed. and a Sweetwater Officer
started at once after his man.
By the time he arrived in Lander. how
ever, Gillispie. having got wind of tbs
danger, had made a moonlight fitting
and has not been heard of in the region
since.
The Fort Fetterman authorities viii
probably know something ere long o
Frank Gillispie and the redoubtabl'
daughter OF Bill Hickman, his wife,
strawberry Festival.
Tba W,rL;no Rand will b,l1 , a,r,u