The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1892-04-30
Mr.. 4. R. Mann TELLS Of Its Origin.
Progress and Bitterness.
HOW "RUSTLERS" STARTED.
The Strange Brands That All at Once
Appeared-The Small kancllers Act
With the "Rustlers'' Through Fear.

Salt Lake Tribune.
H. R. Mann, who has for mum
Der of years resided at Buffalo,
Wyo., the seat of the present no.
torious "rustler war;" is in the city.
Mr.. Mann while there was register
of the land Office, which position
he has held for several years, and
is one of the best posted men in
that locality with references to the
unenviable notoriety which that
young state is gaining. 1t was for
this reason that a Tribune re-
porter, who knew of Mr.. Mann's
prominence, called on him yester-
day afternoon and solicited an in
terview relative to the infor nation
desired. Despite the fact that the
gentleman has been lodging the
newspaper fraternity since his arri-
val in the city, he received the
representative in a corteous man.
ner, and when pressed for his views
on the situation, in substance said
''The inception of this trouble be-
tween the cattlemen and rustler
dates back to four years ago. 1t
was at that time, when the first
general roundup took place in the
spring of the year, that the cattle
owners first noticed the existence of
SEVERAL STRANGE BRANDS,
and by strange brands / mean
brands not recorded. But the mat
ter at that time created but little
comment, as the number of cattle
thus branded was small compared
with the large herds in that vicin-
ity, and tn, fact was talked of for
a while and then dropped. But in
the following year, when the an
nual spring round up took place, it
was readily apparent that the num-
Der of cattle thus branded had in
creased much more rapidly than
they could possibly have done
through natural channels, and the
stockman were not a little dismay-
ed when they ascertained that the
brands had not only been duly reg
istered, but that the pretended own
ers of them were on hand to claim
possession of the cattle bearing
them. While not understanding the
matter, however, the cattlemen en-
tertained very tenable suspicion
that crooked work was going on,
but having no tangible proofs of
the fact in their possession at the
time, the rustlers were allowed to
take the cattle claimed, which by
this time, in many instances, had
grown into quite a little herd. EN-
boldenedsby the success which they
had met with thus far, the rustlers
began to use less caution than they
had previously observed in
THE PROMISCUOUS BRANDING
of peoples property, and the nat
ural result was that bitter feeling
began to be engendered between
them and the cattlemen upon
whom they were preying. Thus
the state of affairs stood up to the
time OF the spring roundup Of 1891,
and it was then that the rustlers
showed their hand in a manner
that could leave, no doubt as to
their intentions. They appeared
at the corrals where the cattle were
being rounded up and branded,
and demanded recognition, which
they received. They were armed
with Winchesters and revolvers,
and having the reputation of des-
perate characters, they carried
things with a high hand, taking
out all cattle bearing the odd
brands and branding the calves in
a like manner. The cattlemen de-