Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1889-08-21

secruFlY. SAID ~riL known c-fiEeA OF
Denver. Col whom I mer in the 81
james Hotel, Bat ! don china there
l. any such glorious career before The
young fellows VINO are going into the
business a. old Ton Mendeuh44 nzs
ENJOYED
lie is the man who used % run the
touaha~k brand up In Wyoming, and
Is nov bag Fanehman inN0ntana, and
a rich man Tom had a streak u 80
IJ-k some years 4eo and hac hardly
dollar ia ready money LETT Ills herd
numbered about ten OF twelve hundred
head. and be did some deep think
ing a. 10 hoN he could turn them AZ
profit 81 and By some men came along
wanting 70 buy ranch and cattle.
Mendenhall got hold OF them. They
asked him how many cattle be lad.
Tie pulled out his books and the figures
showed ten thousand head. about ten
times as many as he really owned.
Tom had set down every head he had
ever bought or raised, but had failed -
deduct those that had died or been sold.
The Eastern men were a little back
ward on accepting book figures. and
wanted 70 count the stock This. Tom
represented as impossible. the herd was
TOO large, there was no corral 70 hold
them all, etc, but II they SO desired, he
would round them UP and drive them by
a certain spot, so the purchasers could
view them. This idea suited, and the
day was fixed for the show. 4 little
way back OF tho ranch were a couple Of
hog backs with narrow cut between
them. Mendenhall got his men together,
told them what he wanted and promised
them each big sum # the scheme
worked all right. lie got his twelve
hundred head rounded up behind the
hog-baclls, and then took MS purchasers
out in wagon 10 the mouth OF the cut
The boys started the cattle through the
gap and as soon as they had passed the
wagon, turned them around and run
them in behind the hog back again.
There was just enough stock 10
make a complete circle of six or seven
abreast round the hill. The boys,
when out OF sight of the wagon party,
would change hats and horses, and then
ride around again without being recog
nized. Wen they kept them cattle a
running round that hill all the forenoon,
and them Eastern fellows thought they
was getting all the stock in the country,
and couldn't close the deal quick
enough. Tom give them bill OF sale
of his herd and brand-didn't specify
any particular mum ber-took his pay,
one hundred and ten thousand dollars
cash, and went to Montana, where his
home ia now. OF course the iaysf that
bought the outfit found they were beat.
but Tom was gone with the stuff, and
they found the wheels of Justice in that
country pretty rusty just then, so after
a little up-roar the matter was dropped.
Another transaction / was wit
ness 20 took the cake for unlimited
gall and open faced swindling. In the
spring of 1855 two brothers named Nc
Natty came over from Scotland with the
intention of engaging in cattle ranching.
''They had been warned by fellow
countryman. who had paid dearly for
his experience, not to buy cattle by
book statement but TO personally
count every head they purchased. Among
the many acquaintance they made,
was that Of Charlie Williams. who
owned a small ranch and five hundred
head of cattle out on Sand Creek.
Charlie was pretty smooth talker. and
would sell anything he had, foreigners
being his favOrite buyers Soon after
meeting the McWattys. Williams told
them, that as the high altitude OF
I IL 10
would have 70 sell his ranch and go
away, and if they wanted to buy ranch,
here was a good chance He would like
70 see them nicely settled. etc. and to
prove how much he was interested in
their welfare. he made this offer: For a
stated sum of money he would sell
them his ranch and fifteen hundred
head of cattle, and count out every
head. and also make them a present Of
his ten saddle horses.
A dav or two passed and the brothers
told Williams they would accept his
offer. and would be out 10 the ranch on
a certain day 10 count the stock and
take possession. Charlie at once went
home 20 arrange matters. He only
owned five hundred head OF cattle and
be had agreed TO count out fifteen hun
dred head. There was ranchman Hv-
ing farther no Sand Creek who owned
lots Of cattle and whose brand. % the
eve Of novice, was the same as VIII
liams To this man Williams went
and borrowed thousand head for a few
DAYS He drove them 20 his ranch and
put than in a big corral and in an adj
Joining smaller corral Re placed his own
five hundred The Scotchmen arrived
on time. and taxing seat on the fence
near the corral gate proceeded % count
the cattle - they passed out Fifteen
hundred cstsle running about in cor
ral raise tremendous dust and. before
two hundred head had passed through
the gate. the NcWattvs. coughing and
sneezing. with thr0ats and eyes full OF
dust. paid TO more attention 20 the
brands. but contented themselves with
counting the nun bers only. Charlie
took good care 20 keep the cattle nov
ing and plenty Of dust fv.ng and
along vith bis FIVE hundred head The
borrowed stock went through tho gate
and we're counted without a suspicion
Of zoe difference in the brands
soon the whole heri had passed OFT
OF rhe prairie ard were scattered every
where The Scotehmen. sf-er an in-
svec ron = the tril3 ngs srd ho-ses.
exnressed +hars Fes ve satisfied
rad over -he.- money and too- -seolr
f Charlie rave tis 0eiEr1- coed SIN
20 80 ssa ~ his ~a--Ie go - fae