The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1892-04-16
After the Rustlars

AIter the Rustlers.
| A special from Cheyenne to the Ana.
conda Standard of the 10th inst. SAWS
There is great doubt if any of the Pink.
erton emissaries who have been snug
gled into johnson county to shoot ranch.
men will ever come out alive. The war
in Big Horn basin is not as has been sta.
ted between cattlemen and rustlers. but
between the big cattle companies and
the ranchmen who are fencing in fertile
lands. Some cattle have been stolen
and this has been magnied to such an
extent that the people generally believe
that the inhabitants of the basin are
thieves. Now that the Pinkertons are
in the basin they will find it hard to get
out. The emissaries we're organized in
Denver and brought to that point on a
special train, when they were herded
into the isolated country by their mas.
ters, ostensibly to prevent cattle stealing,
but really to exterminate the ranchers.
The situation is desperate. Everybody
knows the facts but every man fears his
neighbor and refuses to talk.
A special from Buffalo of the same
date gives the following information: A
courier came to Buffalo, reporting that
the white caps had started toward Buf-
falo. A company under Marshal Mitch
ell was quickly formed and held in readi-
ness. A report exists that another party
is coming from the north to reinforce
the Cheyenne band and the worst feared
by agitation has come to pass. An out
side armed mob has been sent into the
country. They have killed and des-
troyed and it is impossible to predict
the worst. About II a. m. man giving
his name as Gus Green was brought to
Buffalo in a wagon by two men. Green
was shot in the calf of the leg. He was
taken to the hospital at Fort Mckinney
to be cared for. He told that he was a
cowboy and while dismounting from his
horse his gun had discharged accidentally
He stated that it had occurred about 8
a. m. at the X. G. ranch, and he reached
that place at II. The distance to the
K. G. ranch is 60 miles, on the Caspar
road, and it would be impossible to have
made it IN that time Later he mad
vertantly remarked that his leg had
panied considerably since yesterday.
The man is not recent cowboy, as an
examination of his wound showed him
to be soft. He was saddle-ohatfed, but
not calloused. He is probably one of
the white caps who was wounded at the
K G. fight. All three were placed un-
der arrest, and in returning to town one
man escaped, leaving the teamster, who
was jailed. Fears we're entertained in
Buffalo that the friends of the rustler
faction would 60 to the city, but they
seemed groundless. The Standard cor
respondent sees them as quite cool,
brave and determined to protect their
lives.
Some of the Buffalo people appealed
to the commanding officer of the post to
take charge of the county, but he has
shown no indication as yet to make 1t
necessary without orders direct from
headquarters. The telegraph line to
Douglas has been obstructed continually
since the night of the 5th. The wire
was pulled down and buried in the mud
between Buffalo and Crazywoman and
between there and Hathaws Crossing on
Powder river, on the stage road % miles
south of here, between Powder river and
Douglas. Someone was attending strict
ly to keeping communication broken.
Gregory, the line repairer, has been on
the go night and day. His repair ami
mails have played out and ne IS now
pluckily walking the line IN snow and
mud. As fast as one cut could be re-
paired another one occurred. Large
spans of wire were dragged away and
secreted. Gregory has gathered the
tightening rods from the poles and bar
bed wire from the fences to splice the
gaps.
Full particulars of the fight at the !.
A. ranch have just been received. Inc
first intimation of the intended invasion
by cattlemen was message saying tnat
a train of armed and mounted men was
anloaded at Caspar. The rustiers anu
,mall cattlemen had little time to pre-
pare for defense, as the cattlemen arrived
,oon after and at once attacked the X. q.
.anch nosse of rustlers were sent
q tho rescue. but when they arrived the
.attloman had done their work and left.
m. bouse WAS burned and the dead
,odies Of Nate Chapmen and Dick Ray
onnd in the ruins. Jack Flag, motor
GUS leading rustler arrived at the K. G.
anch during the progress of the battle
md had to run the gauntlet OF cattlemen
o escape, but the cattlemen burned his
rooon with his house. Leaving the K
, -oncb the cattlemen started for Buf-
alo. and the rustlers organized and went
= meet them. The cattlemen took shell
ar in the L. A. ranch which the rustlers
urrounded and at daylight Monday the
attic began. Shots we're exchanged all
ay, but the number Of killed and in
lred cannot at present be learned. One
sttleman escaped from the ranch pre-
nmably to get reinforcements. The re-