The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-25
Tho Cattlemen Arrive in Cheyenne
Under Strong Guard Of
~ the Soldiers.
Ono OF Them Says the Party
Would Have Died Before
Surrendering.
What Governor Barker Says of tho Sit.
uation in Regard to the Mon
n -0m Under Arrest.

DENVER, April pa Republican special
from Cheyenne says: Major Egbert, in COM
mand Of the Seventeenth infantry troops
which relieved three companies OF tho
sixth cavalry from Fort MoKinnev aa
Ruards of the captured stookmen, started
from Fort Fetterman this morning. The
tram was preceded by q pilot engine and .
caboose, the latter filled with construction
crew and tools to repair any possible dam
age to the tracks At fonr o'clock this after
noon the train pulled into the Fort Russell
depot. Several hundred people awaited its
arrival. Two long lines of soldjers ware
drawn up at the depot. One was stationed
along the length OF the train: the other y
snort distance toward the fort. Major
Egbert, on arrival here, received orders to
hoid the men in charge until further notice.
Inc baggage was then unloaded; then the
swem'y sa Le1sns @ came forth upoa the plat
Iorm and stood in group guarded by
soldiers and waiting orders They were ali
young, but looked very tough, thcir recent
experience giving them the appearance OF 4
hard gang OF citizens. The last to appear
were twenty-five cattlemen. who looked
Iareu ana worn. The Texans were first
matched away. guarded on every side by
soldiers. Several hundred yards behind
were the cattlemen closely guarded. Tie
men were not disposed to talk much, ex-
cept about the journey. Considering
everything they were in exceedingly good
feelings.
Would you have surrendered to the
sherlff's poser" was asked OF one Of the
stockmen.
mo, We would not" was the reply.
where WAS rather than surrender, and We
would have sold our lives dearly'
we only figured on fighting rustlers,,
salo leade, 'and were willing to take all
me chances Of war with them. Their abil-
lty TO enlist aid amazed and stunned us.
der was 800 able bodied and we'll armed
men, who could be intelliRently and effect
lively handled by Arapahoe Brown, who
developed INTO great general. We did not
count upon the fact that the citizens with
on the least sympathy for the known
force in their affairs. The whole
county turned out to whip us and almost
did it. We could have managed yerv
we'll without the resouing cavalry for a
week We only wartsd dark night to
MAKE break. We were In an almost i'm
fort on wheels and it was great scheme.
work 'his oa could US. not get eb.4s. nsn to 70
them would have been a great mistake. We
uaa trench from the fort to the house
and the last stand OH our part would have
been determined one. We saved ammu-
milton for it and / believe would have
killed 200 men,
They were unable to devise any means
to reach us with fire brands or giant pow
der," continued the cattleman. ..Robsrt
Foote, merchant who backs the rustlers.
offered 5000 for a cannon at Fort McKin-
ney and they tried to bribe tho soldiers to
steal the Hotchkiss gun from the fort
II they had succeeded in either case
but few Of US would have escaped.
On the first day of the siege
;hey fired 1000 shots at us. bnt
kept out Of range We held our fire, only
shooting occasionally with the heaviest
lilies. There we're fifteen men in our fort.
which guarded the only approach. There
vas Keen rivalry to be in the fort squad.
or We had only brave men in the party.
Wolcott. Tisdale, Cantor, Ford, Irvine.
desse, Elliott, tho two Clarks, Whitcomb.
Japt. Tom Smith. and several Ter
ms were wonderful mon under fire.,
Gov. Barbour tonight stated in answer
o question propounded by large num-
yer OF reporters, who visited him in a body,
hat he had no knowledge whatever Of the
Intention OF the cattlemen to make their
invading trip. He also said he had not de-
lded exactly what would be done with the
aptured men. For the present they will be
ept at Fort Russell and when the time
ONES they are to be turned over to the
lvil authorities, but he would await fur
her information which was expscted.