Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-20

SPRINGviEw, Neb., Feb. 10.-lSpecial to
The BEE. This county borders on the'great
Sioux reservation, and is divided therefore
by the Keya Paha river on the north. This
stream is easily forded at all points, and 1t
has been the custom of the farmers and cat
tlemen on the nortcrn borders, and in fact
all over the county, to drive their cattle
across the river at the beginning of the plant.
ing season, to range during the summer.
This is not strictly regular and legal, still it
is difficult to see how any great evil
could arise from this practice, and it is a
great advantage and convenience to stock
owners. While the land clearly belongs to
the Indians, there is a vast area on the south
ern border which is unoccupied and unused
by them. The Indians and officials at the
agencies are of course aware of the prevail
ence of this custom, and are not inclined to
interfere, and seldom even demonstrate. 1t
is true that the cattle are in reality trespass-
ers still, as little or none of the land is cul-
~tivated, and the cattle are generally looked
after by competent herders, and as the wards
of the nation could have speedy ami ample
redress for any damage the cattle might
40 them, and the officials could order
the removal of the latter at any
time, and be backed up by the United States
authorities and troops if necessary TO en-
force their orders, one would naturally con-
clude that no great wrong could ever result
from the practice of stock raisers using the
vacant Indian lands as a summer range for
cattle and horses. AS the cattle owners are
clearly without legal right or protection in
the use of the range, it is scarcely within
the bounds of possibility that they will ever
become very aggressive.
None of the parties who annually take adj
vantage OF this free range are wealthy cattle
kings. There none of these in this county. In
most cases they are poor homesteaders who
are struggling mid the numerous disadvan-
tages which are incident to a new and
sparsely settled country to provide food,
raiment and shelter for themselves and
families. This they find a somewhat diff
cult task, and one which requires all their
energies, without the additional expense of
fencing their farms and their own and their
neighbors' crops during the summer season
from the few head of cattle they are able
to accumulate.
For some years, and especially last season,
an organized gang of cattle thieves have
taken advantage of the facilities afforded by
the circumstance of the cattle being illegally
on the reservation, to run hem off in large
numbers and sell them to equally unscrupu-
lous dealers in the settlements in Dakota
and this state. If suspected, or even detected
in their nefarious trade, they could afford to
laugh at their victims, as the courts of
neither Nebraska nor Dakota have jurisdic.
ton, and are therefore powerless to infiIct
II viz NSlC W ldhS uC
cases TO the United States court Tan expen-
sive procedure) they would not fare any bet
ter, as they are themselves violators of law
and could get no redress, as, to
with, the stock had no legal right on the res
ervation, and their owners would certainly
be unable to collect damages for losses suf-
fered while their stock was tresspassing on
Indian territory.
Under these circumstances the farmers
saw no hope for relief from the depredatiOns
of these marauders, except by organization
for mutual protection.
The Farmers Mutual Protective associa-
ton now numbers about three hundred mem
bers. 1t includes in It's membership many of
the prominent and most reputable citizens of
the county. SO far no violence has been
and only four arrests have been made.
The first was that of a. j. Maupen, on Janu-
AIRY 80. He compromised with the society
and was allowed to go. He is a resident of
Fort Pierre, OAK, and was charged with
buying cattle from "rustlers.n G.. NJ. Clay,
afterwards Grounded up.n Babcock gave
his captors the slip. Stewart turned IN
former and gave away" his confederates.
Clay, at the request of the sheriff of the
acting under Instructions from
Thayer, was turned over to the
civil authorities. A writ of habeas corpus
was gotten out and a hearing was had yester-
day before County Judge Farnsworth, who
ruled that he could not legally be held, and
he was turned loose, leaving Immediately for
parts unknown.
The United States marshal was telegraphed
for by the sheriff at the suggestion OF the
and is hourly expected, but up TO
the present he has not arrived.