Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-08

their possessions the Wyoming Stockmen's
Association was formed. When, in the first
years after the range was opened, Texas,
Colorado and Nebraska stockmen were
driving in large numbers of cattle over the
long trail, herds became more or less mixed,
more than one wide-awake, rough-andtum-
bic stockman arrived at his Wyoming ranch
at the end of his years drive-in with his
Southern herd increased by considerable
fraction. Stray cattle from other mems
herds would persist in going along with his.
Again, when on the range the wide-awake
man naturally branded with his own trade
mark everything on hoofs that he found in
his neighborhood unbranded. Such ext
gencies gave rise to Irregularities, certain
bold men starting up herds with no more
capital than branding iron.
To put a stop to such practices and to
regulate the range, the Wyoming Stock
mems Association was formed. Very soon,
in 1880, its membership included all of the
big cattle and sheep growers in Wyoming,
Idaho and adjoining strips of grazing coun-
try, although the list OF membership then
comprised only about go names. The asso-
cations acts were beneficial to its members,
if not in all respects to the growing country.
Herds driven into the territory were SUBJ
jected TO inspection and count. and the
drivers learned to fight off other mems
cattle. Most of the branding was done on
the general roundup, in the presence of
representatives. of the stockmeu of an entire
locality, and under the circumstances
honesty became the best policy, for each
stockman obtained about his rightful pro-
portion of the calves.
A Thief on Advertising Tour.
Cattle thieves were discouraged. Ben
Morrison, the associations chief detective,
killed thief in 1881, and terrorzed others.
In 1888 the three Young brothers, Port, Bill
and Claib enterprising Texas cowboys, who
were advancing their fortunes with small
herd on the Sweetwater, were dissuaded
Port, arrested for an alleged murder CON-
mitted in Texas, was obliged to submit to
an extraordinary advertising. He was ar
reSte d by a Pinkerton man from Chicago,
assisted by Sheriff's posse Then man
aced handand foot, be was taken by zigzag
route from RawliGs, in Western Wyoming,
to Omaha, to Denver, to Kansas City, to
Santa Fe, and thence to Southern Texas.
On the route he was exhibited as mur-
derer from Texas, and, incidentally, as q
horrible example of what cattle thieves in
Wyoming might come to. In all, the asso-
citation paid $50 900 to 500, 900 year to
patrol the range. BY such means peace
came to the possessors of the range.
An era OF nndsturbed tranquility was
promised for the MEN who were holding the
cattle interests of Wyoming in their hands
A cattle king was happy without thieves to
capture his calves on the range Having
grown so respectable, that if he had ever
winked at an accretion to his own herd from
a neighbor's, he forgot all about it. Beef
was high, the market promising. The
banks loaned generously to large herd own
ers. Tenderfeet were eager buyers of
shares. The cattle king lived in the city of
Cheyenne; at the club if single, in a ''pala-
tial residence" ii married. A trip with his
family to Chicago. thousand miles east,
was a mere run to town; journey to New
York, or, in cases, to Europe, came around
once year.
Running Up Against the Law.
The first setback came from the arrest of
that impertinent small clainholder for cut
ting the great stockman's wire fence. He
found defender in the Chief Justice of the
Territory, who stood for the law OF the
United States. Not only did he obtain his
rights, but the Justice decided that all
fences on the Federal domain in his juris-
diction mast come down. The cattle kings
sent good lawyers to Washington, ousted
the Justice from Office, appealed to tine
Secretary of the Interior and then to the
President, but all i'll vain, and, threatened
by the military, they reluctantly reeled up
their barbed-wire fences
A power greater than the law aided In