The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-04-16
Hostilities Opened at the X. e
Ranch Where Two Rustlers
We're Living.
Boil, of Them We're Killed and the
House Burned to the
Ground.
The Tables Turned The Cattlcmrn
Now Surrounded and a DcSpcr.
ate Fight Imminent.
Particulars of the Battle.

w ffN'' NNo'' hpIii L. Ihc ulol |
full particulars of the fight at the +. A.
ranch have Just been received. The
first information in Buffalo of the in
tended invasion by the cattlemen was a
letter received from Douglass to Sheriff
Angus of johnson county saying "A
special train Of armed and mounted men
had passed through Douglass, unloading
at Casper. The information was soon
circulated among the "rustlers' and
small cattlcmen and they had but little
time to prepare to defend themselves for
the cattlemen arrived soon after the let
ter and commenced operations by at
once attacking what is known as the X
c., at which the men suspected of being |
''rustlcrs'' were living.
Early on the morning of the tenth,
ranchman named Smithy, living on the
North fork of Powder river heard firing |
at that ranch. He rode rapidly in that |
direction and discovered that the invad |
ing cattcmen had house surrounded
and that "A desperate fight was going on
between them and the inmates He at
once rode to Crazy Woman and started
half a dozen men to the rescue after
which he got fresh horse and came to
Buffalo. Here he informed Sheriff
Angus of the fight and the latter imme
diately gathered posse and started for
the KC ranch. where Il battle had been
fought, arriving there about daylight on
the morning of the eleventh.
The cattlemen, however, had done
their work and left, for when the rescu-
ing party reached the KC ranch they
found the house burned and the dead
bodies of the inmates, who were discov-
cred to be Nate Champion and Dick
Ray, half burned in the ruins.
On Sunday evening while the fight
was in progress Jack Flagg, who is no
torious on account of being one of the
leading rustlers, drove up to the kC
ranch. He had been elected delegate to
the democratic state convention and was
on his way to Cheyenne intending to
stop at the ranch all night. Nearing the
building he saw several mounted men
about but supposed they were IA friendly
party and when they suddenly ordered
him to throw up his hands he jokingly
replied "Go to h-l' In reply one Of
the party levelcd ariile at him and bul-
let sped past his head. Flagg
had rifle in his wagnn but had no
, arms on his person. Springing to the
. wagon he grasped his rifle and kept the
party at bay while the boy who accom-
panied him cut the traces attaching the
horses to the wagon. Then the two
laaped on the horses and fled safely
through the fusiadr. being followed ii
: considerable way but unhit. The!
/, reached the ranch at Crazy Woman ano
started north joining the sheriff posse
!. from Buffalo. None Of the attacking
party was injured. After Flagg escaped
the cattlemen fired his wagon and
running against the house Indian
| fashion set fire to the building, burning
up the two men, Champion and
o. Ray. who had fought them all
day The cattlcmcn then started toward
Buffalo and the rustlcrs organized and
went forth to meet thCm The cattle
, men learned of the advance of the rust
lcrs and took shelter in the TIA ranch.
ABOUT = tlbck Mblldy HlbIIllnS lll'
: rustlers reached the ranch and surround
ed the invaders and at daylight the latter
opened fire upon the bescigcrs. Shots
were exchanged all day long, but the
; number of killed and injured cannot at
present be- learned. The Cattle
men with their horses are safe
ly barricadcd inside the ranch
, buildings and this morning one of them
! escaped through the attacking party, pre-
sumaby on his way for rcintorc"mcnts.
The result of today's Tuesday work at
the IA ranch is yet unknown. Ncstcr-
day nau giving his name as George
Green was brought To Buffalo badly
wounded. claiming he accidentally shot
r himself. but he is thought To be one of
the cattlcmcns party who particI-
patcd in the fight. Couricrs are
securing the country for rciniorccmcnts
for the rGstl"rs and they are rapidly
= coming in. They claim they wilfbc 9oN
? or 300 stronger tonight and able t" han
die any force the invaders can muster
The acting mayor of Buffalo has called
on the governor fora company Of state
militia at Buffalo to be given the sheriff
y to uucll the disturbance.