Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-12
LIFE In WYOMING.
1t Seems To Be Occasionally
Very Uncertain.
TALE OF CRIME AND RETRIBUTION.

OF outiaws-A Long-Sunerfng People
Beard the Bandit in His Lair and the
Sequel Is n Sort of Gallows Festival
The Rather Tough Story That a Pros
pector Tells of Doings In the Big Horn
Basin.
CHEYENNE, Wy. T., Dec. IA prospector
who has just come back to civilization for
the winter brings the story of a wholesale
lynching in the Big Horn basin, garden
spot in the mountains of johnson and Free
mont counties. A reign Of terror was termi-
mated by the shooting of several men and the
hanging of eleven A lawless band led by
desperate called Kettle Jack was the cause
the trouble, and punishment was melted out
to the entire cutthroat gang. Jack and four
partners appeared in the basin eighteen
months ago equipped for prospecting, but
they never moved a rock nor turned a shovel
full of earth. The fellows had reached an
earthly paradise and lived in luxurious ease
hunting and fishing.
They Begin Business.
Being reinforced by kindred spirits they
established veritable mountain castle, build
ing fine log house. In deep valley was a
block fort at the head of the entrance leading
to the rendezvous The settlers quietly grum-
bled when the intruders commenced slsugh-
tering beef, but objected when horse stealing
commenced. A squad of desperadoes would
drive of the stock from the range and dare
the owners TO interfere. Frequently there
were fights, in which the settlers were always
worsted. An old man and his two grown
sons attempted to retake their bunch of
horses, but were cruelty manned, killed, and
left with brutal note of warning on each
breast
Fate of Two Enterprising Men.
The gang came TO own the basin, which is
100 miles long by sixty wide. and has 400
people Indignation meetings We're called,
but Jack and his gang were always in the
majority at these gatherings for the public
safety. A reward of 1000 was secretly
| offered for this Robin Hoods head, but he
heard of it, and defied all attempts on his
life. Two men undertook the mission, de-
| hberately planning the assassination of Jack,
but neither ever got shot at him, and the
heads of both were publicly planted on poles
in front of the basin store and saloon.
Jack Takes a Wife.
Once Jack and goodly number of his
followers came down and ordered dance.
They required the settlers to stack their
arms, and each desperate wore two six
shooters in his belt. When the grim merry
making was at its height Jack called for the
| justice of the peace and married the belle of
| the basin, girl of great beauty, whose fam
/ lily was vsalthy before the ravages of the
gang. Jack conciliated the father by prom
ising TO restore his property, but the mother
and brother would not consent TO the union,
Al ~. 4 1.
life 10y setting watch over the brother, for
the young fellow was in the act of stabbing
the outlaw in the back when he was shot
down. A big debauch at the robbers strong
hold celebrated the nuptials of the chief and
the death of the kinsman Of the bride.
| Ambition o'erIeaps Itself
Jack and his followers had plenty of food
and supplies and considerable money, and
many OF his followers were mated with
women decoyed from settlements They
longed for some new diyersion,and the brain
of tue leader. evolved brilliant plan of es-
tabliShing an independent government in the
| basin with himself as dictator He sent
| couriers 10 unfold the project TO the settlers
| and TO announce that public meeting To
| perfect an organization OF the government
would be held The people then rebelled in
earnest, and word passed from ranch to
ranch that descent would be made on Ket-
tie castle at once. Horsemen fully armed
| and with ropes gathered TO the number OF
| $50 before Jack could stem the tide of indig-
nation. An old artilleryman improvised q
howitzer and chains and scrap iron were
collected for ammunition.
| Attack ON the Robbers Den.
The hastily organized army of determined
men moved upon the enemy al once. Jack
and his gang were in waiting They were
ntrenched in the block fort, and had planned
TO NOW down the settlers they filed into
the ravine The howitzer was planted on an
elevation and its deadly charges sent right
behind the enemy's breastworks After q
few shots had killed several desperadoes, and
there was no sign of ceasing, CONSERVATION
| seized the outlaws and they made disor-
derby retreat The settlers, led by the father
of Jacks wife and the murdered boy, were
in hot pursuit Several men on either side
were shot from their horses, but the riding
fight continued without abatement for three
entire days So soon as an outlaw was
caught he was hanged or shot
Law and Order" Triumphant
No mercy was asked and none was shown
A few Of the younger fellows were filled
with fear when they came to die, but the
majority of them simply fought until over
powered, and then met their fates with stub
born indifference. Eleven were hanged and
afterward buried, in many cases before the
bodies were cold The chase was abandoned
on the third day. Reports differ as to
whether the leader was hanged
Couple of Jacks Feats.
Jack was a Texan who fed to South
America after killing two men in the Pan
handle. Both murders were unprovoked In
once case he insulted a woman at a ranch
and shot her husband for interfering In the
second instance he and his gang held high
carnival AT a dance house The proprietor
finally induced them TO leave, but they soon
returned. The keeper then said the man
who entered the place must walk over his
dead body.
That's easy enough" said Jack, as he
shot the fellow dead
Have They Got Cooney, 1.-THE Fox?''