, 1888-08-26
KILLED A STEER.
Three Nebraska Changers in Seri-
Gus Trouble.
Caught With the Carcass of a
Wyoming Steer.
A Preliminary Hearing Before
Judge Fisher.

Several months ago word went out that
Nebraska grangers living near The line
must cease the indescriminate slaughter of
Wyoming beeves> The owners did not
object to the killing of a steer occasionally
if the poverty stricken settlers themselves
consumed the meat, but drew the line
where the raiders embarked in the butcher
business on a wholesale scale, even m ERIK
citing carcasses at railway points.
r. ID. Solles, j. NJ. Cunningham and
G.. w. Small are a trio of Cheyenne coun-
ty, Neb., farmers, now in the county Jail
awaiting further hearing on the charge of
stealing and killing a two-year-old steer
belonging to a Nebraska cattleman named
Robert Bush, who ranges his cattle on
lower Horse creek, this county.
In the curse of the preliminary exam
%ination before Judge Fisher last evening
several remarkable facts in connection
with the crime were developed. Guilt
was neither admitted nor denied and a
rather unusual feature in criminality ex.
hibited.
Arthur j. Hyatt, Bush's foreman, was
the complaining witness. Friday evening
he was informed by a herdboy that three
men were driving the cattle away. Hyatt
started out to investigate the matter and
soon overlook the men with the four
Ou.rtars ot n 1aad etoar in tbo;r a
Hyatt could discover no brands on the
hide, and inquired for the head.
This member was soon found and enabled
the foreman to identify the animal be-
yond a doubt, as Bush's cattle were all
branded on the face. Small spoke for
the party, and desired to settle the matter
and avoid arrest. Hyatt induced them to
continue to the ranch, and kept them
there until a messenger called W. G. Ly-
kins. The latter placed them under ar
rest, and in examining the beef carcass
discovered Bush's brand, which Hyatt
had overlooked. To Lykins. Small ex-
pressed a desire to fix up" the matter,
and said among other things that he
would willingly suffer for the part Solles
had taken in the matter, and asked the
release of hat individual, saying that he
had a family to support. Cunningham,
who, like Small, is a bachelor, had moth
ing to say. As a matter of course Ly-
kins would not hear to a compromise, and
started for the county seat with his pris-
oners yesterdays morning, turning them
over to Sheriff Sharpless about 4 o'clock
yesterday afternoon.
United States Attorney Campbell rep.
resented the people and when the wit
nesses for the prosecution had been exam
ined Hon. j. G. Baird asked for the dis
charge of Solles, claiming that the evil
dence was not sufficient to warrant his
detention. Judge Fisher differed with
the attorney and fixed the bonds of the
prisoners at $500 each.
For the purpose of establishing Solle's
innocence Small testified. The three were
hunting antelope, he said, but knew of the
killing of the steer in question. He was
present when the butchering was done
and believed that the animal had been
shot. Solles was cognizant of the com
mission of the crime, but refused to have
anything to do with the Illegal act and
was about 100 yards distant from the
scene of the slaughter. For a time Solles
refused to ride in the wagon, but soon
uaoriad Of wa1kin1
Mr.. Campbell asked Small what they
were going to do with the beef.
II intended to eat mys hare of it" was
Small's response.
His honor still refused to discharge
SolIes, and in default Of bail the men
were locked up.
1t is said that the settlers in the region
from which these men hail exc out a
pretty precarious existence, being on half
rations the greater portion OF the time.
At the time of the arrest Small stated to
Lykins that they we're starving, and had
to have some meat.
1t is likely that the men will soon secure
bail.