Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-04-08
WAR ON RUSTLERS.
An Organized Hunt for West
ern Horse Thieves.
TWO PARTIES TRAILING THE THUGS

HOstilities-One Dead Man with Bull
let in His Head Found and Two Others
Missing, All Suspects-Complete Ami
| hilation of the Robbers Expected, but
Cory Fight Certain.
HELENA, Mont, April s-The first re-
suits of the war looking to the extermina-
ton of horse thieves in eastern Montana
and Wyoming came to light yesterday
when the body of man was found on AL
kali creek, about ten miles from Billings.
He had been shot through the head, and
had been dead for several days. The man
has not been identified, but is supposed to
be Wyoming rustler en- route to Canada.
| Two other men suspected to be in COM
munication with horse thieves have mvs-
teriously disappeared within the past few
days This is only the beginning of the
end. Two parties are now out after the
| rustlers, who are located at the jackson
Hole, in Wyoming, with thousand stolen
horses in their possession.
Kept Their Departure a secret.
a party of fifteen, all frontier and
mountain men. under the leadership of
sim Roberts, left Big Timber, in eastern
Montana, for Jaok,on's Hole few days
ago. They travelled by rail to Miles Citv
and they loaded two cars with riding and
pack animals, guns, ammunition and
grub. Their departure was kept a secret
as far ~ possible, newspapers being
asked to withhold all information for the
present As the party has probably
reached its destination and viii not per
| mt any of the numerous Sympathizcrs Of
the gang 10 precede them, the news cannot
reach the camp where the thieves are
located.
''HoIed Up" in the Basin.
Another party under the lead of the
Chapman brothers is also out after the
thieves, and the latter party expects to
reach the north end of the basin in which
the thieves are "holed mp" about the time
Roberts party reaches the southern end,
when the work of Kidding the country of
these bold thieves will begin. The party
organized in Montana will, by an under
standing, meet other parties along the
route and make a rush for the den of the
thieves with enough men to accomplish
the capture of the entire outfit 1t is I'M
derstoOd that the cattle companies raised
10000 for the purpose of experimenting
these horse thieves.
Desperate Men to Capture.
The thieves have many sympathiZers,
and there are also a number of men in
Wyoming who are afraid to give informa-
ton that will lead to the capture of any of
these men: BAT when they see the formula
BILE array of men engaged in hunting down
the rustlers it is probable that they will
take courage and impart the information
required. 1t is evident that there will be
some bloody work i'll Wyoming in a few
days, as the thieves from the nature of
their calling and the success which has at
tended them are desperate men, who 90
armed to the teeth night and day 1t is
not probable that they will submit quietly
to arrest.
Bold Gang of Scoundrels.
There is still a great deal of snow on Il e
mountains and it may be slow work for
the cattle men to reach their quarry, bat
they have the satisfaction of knowing that
the thieves will have no opportunity of
getting away from their mountain fast
ness and snow-bound basin. The depre-
dations of these thieves are the boldest
ever recorded. They have extended their
operations tC the very edge of the Missouri
river, and have stolen no ses in towns as
well as upon ranges. In the winter the
main body remains in camp and plans the
summers campaign, when the party is
divided and works in different directions