News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-03-14
CATTLE KATE.
THE WILD LIFE OF A FEMININE
RANCH OWNER.
All the Border Rufians Adore Her as
a Queen-Very Handy with Her
Surrounded by a Law
less Gang.

|. All the Border Ruffians Adore Her as
S Queen-Very Handy with Her
Surrounded by a Law
less Gang.
The recent exploit of Mrs. Kate Max.
Il well in closing up a ''brace" faro game
at Bessemer, Wyoming, and then say.
ing the lives of the two 'stin horn
? gamblers who had robbed her COWBOYS
and were about to be summarily swung
e up has raised "Cattle Kate" as she is
e called, to pinnacle ofnotoriety second
S only to that attained by Belle Starr.
Mrs. Maxwell's ranch is on Sand Creek,
in Sweetwater County sM2air.qa. She
: rode into towp with f,A aslter.
, ed the gambling FlaFdy!ll. aS-shos5fef in
hand, and while she cowed the dealer,
her foreman snatched to faro-boX and
exposed the trickery of the game to the
assembled cowboys
Cattle Kates intercession saved the
lives of the gamblers, and they were
started out of town on horseback while
the crowd pillaged and then burned
their saloon. All hands went to the
Maxwell ranch, where Kate, who had
secured the gamblers money, made
some sort of q division among those who
had been duped.
The daring female had been ON Sand
Creek four years, and since her husbands
death has managed small cattle ranch.
Maxwell was q quiet sort of fellow, and
used to make trips to Chicago every Fall
to sell cattle and spend the money in
doing the town. He brought a wife
back with him after one of these trips.
She had been a yariety-hall singer, but
took to ranch life at once. She liked to
ride and shoot, and showed great fond
ness for all sorts of athletics. Before
Maxwell died his ranch was known to
every fleet footed Indian runner and
bad prize tigher in the Territory. There
were running races and prize fights, dog
fights and cock fights at the Maxwell
place nearly every day, and it soon be-
came rendezvous for q pretty touch
class of people. Kate had induced her
husband to send to Chicago for an old
friend of hers-Tom Mason-an ex-faro
dealer, and he was installed as foreman
of the ranch. After Maxwell died the
place became notorious, and to-day it is
| headquarters for the most reckless gang
of cowboys and half breeds in the terri.
tory.
"Cattle Kate" maintains her position
as mistress of the ranch easily Her men
are devoted to her and boast of her
horsemanship and steady aim, wherever
they may be. Kate has killed one man
at least, and wounded another A drum
ken ''greaser" insulted her at round
up and before the cowboys could reach
him Kate had shot him dead. One of
her own men presumed to call her
"Katle" and she sent bullett into his
right arm, to teach him manners" she
said.
Last fall Kate took Sfearly all her
stock to Chicago and came back with
considerable money. NeSsshboring cat
tIS9i tie 1s 'iseF ] t@t 1aGrss ss.ss CIT CIT
ever had, and Mrs MlxvelIs career is
liable to be cut short at any moment.
She has cammitted the most venal Of
fence known among s5ockmen. She has
been ''rustling. Her cowboys arc
adopts at this, and the Maxwell ranch is
believed to be the headquarters of the
greatest gang of 'Tustlers'' ever known
in the Territory ''Rustling" is the alter
ing of brands \ n cattle, and the X L
brand, through the exertions of Cattle
Kate's gang, is becoming the most nu-
m erous in Sweetwater County. The
stockmen have organized for protection,
and raid on the Maxwell ranch may
be made some night. IL it is there will
be a desperate fight, for the ''rustler"
carries his life in his hands and knows
that death will follow detection.
Mrs. Maxwell was in Cheyenne last
Summer. She put up at the best hotel,
and occupied q suit of rooms that were
fitted up for Harry Oelrichs, brother of
Hermann Oelrichs, the New York mil
lionaire, when Harry was drawing
$25, 900 yearly salary as manager of an
English cattle company. She was on
her good behavior, and only once be-
trayed the Amazon. She had been
spending money freely, and big stories
were in circulation concerning her
wealth and the extent of her cattle
ranch. A tramp" printer, named
| Devlin, accosted her. on the street one
day, announced himself as q reporter,
and asked her some impertinent ques-
! ton. She Knocked him down with
stunning handler, and lashed his face
with her Kidding whip till he begged for
mercy.
Cattle Kate is above the average
height, with black hair and eyes and
regular features. She would be hand
some but for scar on her chin, which
she has worn for years. She Is little
over thirty, and is as fond of dress as
society woman, despite her rough life
and surroundings. She wears silks and
velvets, with an abundance of jewelry
when about the rilnch or in town.
When on horseback she usually wears
mans suit Of corduroy, with sometimes
a short skirt of the same material, but
oftener without.
Old Washakie, the Shoshone Indian
chief who had just then enrolled as
Government scout, used to visit the Max
well ranch frequently. He had two OF
three young buck---SS-.isl,o eauld .lfutrun
anything in the Territory, and Kate
cowboys were constantly challenging
them to a race, and as constantly being
beaten. Kate always backed her own
men literally, and she finally sent to
Chicago for professional sprinter. He
was dressed up as q cowboy and kept
around the ranch in anticipation of
Washakie's visit. He couldn't very well
give his party the ''double cross, howev-
er strongly inclined, because he couldn't
speak Indian tongue, and he was back
ed to win against two OF the Indians I'M
til the savages had their blankets up
and stood to lose everything but their
red skins ON the race.
The Chicago sprinter won, and the
Indians philosphically parted with their
money, ponies, guns and blankets. Old
Washakie saw the trick, however, and
has never visited the ranch since. Dur
ing the past few months there has been
less of this sort of amusement and more
whiskey drinking and carousing indulg-
ed in ut Kate's ranch. The men sur
rounding her are more lawless, and
desperate than the average cowboy.
Cattle Kate" herself, it is said, has
been drinking heavily, and the law abid-
ing elementin Sweetwater County main
tain that the ranch has become head
quarters for a gang of cattle thieves and
outlaws of whom the country should be
ridden. Kate's daring adventure with
the gamblers at Bessemer, however, has
made her heroine with her own men and
given her a the notoriety which she
Graves. .--Neio York World.
LAST spring lady living on Mount