Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-26

they could get no track OF. About the 10Th
of June, 1SSS, Ash Warner lost seventeen
head OF beef steers, which were being pas
tured on the reserve by Glover Ham6let.
These cattle were last seen in the possession
of George Babcock after being taken from
the herd. About the 18th of October, of the
same year, twenty-five head of steers and
one horse disappeared from James Skir-
Wings herd on Ponca creek Sioux reserve,
and he has found no trace OF them yet, On
the 18th OF December following, M.
l.. Taylor lost twenty-five head of
cove and young cattle, which were
also herded by Hamblet on the reserve. Six
teen head of these cattle were found on Bad
river, on the Cheyenne agency, in possession
OF Abe Bear, squaw man. He bought the
cattle of a j. Maupin, of Pierre, Oak. Maui
pin claimed to have traded horses for them
on the Key Paha river These cattle were
settled for by George Babcock aud Il. Il.
Cannon with stock During the summer of
1888 some fifteen settlers have lost various
numbers of cattle under suspicious circum-
stances, and Babcock has been known to
different persons. He hauled some of it
through Springview our county seat, and
sold one quarter to M. q. Mead, of Brown
county, for comparatively nothing. Failing
to sell the whole lot, as the weather was
warm, he threw quarter on hill by the,
roadside where 1t was found later. Thel
papers in your possession will give, you ful
particulars in regard TO the horse known as
UHe query mare. ABOUT Ute 90 Oh january
1889, M. l.. Taylor started north TO look for
the aforesaid twenty-five head of cattle.
Babcock and Cannon also started north II
few days before, and when Taylor got to the
White river, Sioux reserve, they were on
their return home, and were seen with
large bunch of horses and cattle. Some forty
six head of these cattle were found short
time afterwards on White Thunder creek.
These. cattle belonged to w. G. Curtis,
United States commissioner at Rosebud
nsr nf.I b,-np lat hn
initials of the owners names. Six head Of
these cattle were brought south TO the Keya
Paha river, by Cannon and BabcoclS, and
driven across Keya Paha into Rock county,
and sold by e. F. Cannon to different par
ties. He traded two COWS to the Mushfet
Bros, and sold four steers to Breaton Bros.
for $50"
WITH THIS STATEMENT OF FACT
there is little wonder that the settlers of
Keya Paha ana adjoining counties are rising
in their might, over 300 strong, and propose
to put stop to cattle and horse stealing or
eXterminate the gang. Summary work may
be expected if the governors visit into this
part of the state does not have u salutary in
tiuence. 1t is expected that he will reach
here during the early part of next week. The
protective association will meet him in rank
and file at Springview. They openly say
that they are not ashamed of their organiza-
tion, and take pride IN the fact that it is COM
posed of the best citizens of the county.
There is also a strong anJi-vigilance organ
ization here 1t Is composed of some citizens
who have evidently been imposed upon, and
they doubtless believe that some of the lead
ing members Of the band have been more
sinned against than SHINING. 1t will
probably number 100 persons, half
of whom have no more respect for
law and order than the devil has for the
righteous.
Some of the gangs sympathizers are under
very close surveillance. Some are even sus-
picioned of having gathered riches from
sales and trades of stolen cattle and horses.
One lawyer of Springfield, especially, is
seled the members of the gang that were
rounded up by the vigilantes and taken into
custody. 1t is openly stated that he is too
intimate with the leaders of the cattle
thieves. and even goes ont Of the way to aid
them. If the hanging matinee commences,
his neck would not bo' worth sixpence.
His name can be given at the proper time.
Clay, Cannon and BabcocK
CAME NEARER HANGING
last January than most people think. The
vote was taken by the vigilance committee,
and their necks were only saved by vote of
three. These worthless swore vengeance be-
cause of this. Cannon has made his boast
that he will kill every man that voted to
hang him, and he says he has them all
spotted.
The Query mare, referred to in the histor-
ical letter, was found at Rosebud agency,
where it had been sold by one Of the gang,
said to have been Clay, and was killed by un.
known parties the night the owner traced
her down. This was March 1. 1t is learned
that the mare was killed to prevent
proper appearance against Clay, In
dian agent Spencer ordered a
post mortem examination the day
after she was killed, and the agency physi-
clan says that she had no organic disease,
but came to her death by being punctured in
the iugular veins by some sharp instrument,
possibly a lance or the blade of sharp
knife
Other incidents of a fiendish nature might
be mentioned, but it only prolongs story of
inhumanity and ruffianism. The affidavit OF
Horace q. Stewart, member of the gang,
which has been sent to and Is in the hands
of the governor with others, not only estab-
fishes guilt, but names the parties and the
extent to which the thlevinG has been carried
in Northern Nebraska during the past three
years. The affidavit relates to the theft and
sale of the fiftytive head of cattle referred
| to in the letter:
"SPRINGvIEw, Neb., Feb. 15., 1881
| first saw the Oak Creek or the p cattle
northeast of Turtle Buttes, three miles. The
| next tim Remus and @. NJ Clay turned them
| them to Dick Powe!rs, on the Niobrara
| river. There were fifty-two head alto
| gether. l crossed the river at Powells and
| left them at Bates two nights and then
| shipped twenty-five head of them to Omaha
| to Clay, Robinson 81 Co. | left sixteen head
| at Mr.. Bates, four at Mr.. Dick Powell's
| place, three head at Mr.. Snyder's, six head
| at E. F. Gannon's and one at Remus' and
| Clay's to butcher. My agreement with Clay
| and Remus was, / was to have one fourth OF
what the cattle brought, and Clay, Remus
and Powell, one-fourth each; was caught
| with the cattle at the river, and
| Powell would not have anything to do with
| them. William Robb was to have shipped
the cattle for S75, but backed out, SO
| shipped them and secured S645 and did moi
| give any one anything.
| "HoRACE G. STEWART"
"Subscribed and sworn to before me thi:
18th day of February, A. ID. 1889.
| NV. G. THOMAS,
Justice of the Peace for Custer precinct.
| 1t seems that after Stewart made this rait
| he left the country and was gone for some
| months, but returned to visit his sweetheart
| when he was rounded up'' by the vigilant
ers, and thinking his time had come made
| clean breast Of the whole affair. He prom
| ised TO lead better life, and aid in bringini
the whole gang to justice, and was giveh MI
| liberty.
Postoffice Inspectors Appointed.
WASHINGTON. April 25-Diyision inspect
ors of the postoffice department were to-day
appointed as follows; General Warren p
| Edgarton, of New Jersey, assigned to Phila
| delphia, vice Timothy O'Leary, resigned
| George A. Dice, of Illinois, assigned TO 81
Louis, vice B. +. Gulic, resigned; George L
| Seybolt, of California, assigned To San Fran
cisco. vice l.. A. Kirkwood. resigned. w
| G. Baird, of Illinois; j. ID. King, of Illinois
| and j. o. Culver, OF California, have beer