The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-04-20

|
the eastern side of the Big Horn Noun
tairis. The owners or managers of the
big cattle ranches in that region have
long suffered from the depredations
committed by organized bands OF
thieves, technically known there Gs
"rustlers," and took up arms in alleged
self-prote elton. Forty OF them were
surrounded at the Il. A. Ranch by about
800 of their foes.
The Acting Governor OF Wyoming tele-
graphed to Washington, briefly stating
| the facts, and requested that troops be
sent at once, as the disturbers or the
peace had grown so numerous as to be
| beyond the control Of the State officials
Senators Carcy ano Warren at once
called on Acting Secretary OF War
Grant. General Schofeld was sum-
moned, and the party at midnight re-
paired to the Executive Mansion, aroused
the President, and after a consultation
the President directed that the neces-
sary troops be dispatched to the. scene.
General Schofleld at l o'clock Wednes-
day morning sent a telegram to General
Brooke, commanding the Department Of
Dakota, ordering him to send troops
from Fort Mckinney at break of day 10
the scene Of the trouble.
Accordingly, Col. Van Hornes COM
mand, consisting Of three troops Of cav
airy, received orders TO march to the
scene of battle at once. About a. m.
the sound of forward march" rang out
clear on the morning air, and III blue
coated troopers started out Of the fort
and galloped toward the "A" ranch. The
distance was covered by daylight, and
the commanding officer and Sheriff
Angus held consultation. The Sheriff
reported that he had ordero the men 10
surrender, but they had refused and had
opened fire on his men.
Col. Van Horne found that the rust
lers, small stockmen and the Sheriff's
posse had completely surrounded the
ranch and cut off all means Of escape,
so that the stockmen's forces were
entrapped. However, the military had
no trouble in inducing the stockmen to
surrender. The only provision that was
exacted was that they be taken TO Fort
Mckinney and not be allowed to fall
into the hands OF Angus or his men or
the rustlers. Colonel Van Horne con-
scented, and under the protection of the
cavalry tho stockmen's forces, consist
ing of sixty-five men, quickly saddled
and bridled their horses and rode TO
Fort Mckinney, where they are now
confined under guard. The Sheriff's
posse and the forces Of rustlers ano;
small ranchers rode ahead to Buffalo or
dispersed to their various farms.
Just what the next move will be can
not be said, as the feeling on both sides
Is intensely bitter. The settlers for
many miles around the scene of the
trouble are fleeing for their lives, and
not without reason. Stage coaches have
been stopped, and men shot down In
broad daylight. To make matters worse,
O band of Crow Indians have left their
reservation, and are helping the rustlers
by running off cattle and horses from
the ranches, while it is intimated that
prominent Sheriff In the neighborhood
Is in sympathy with the thieves.
The trouble Is one OF long standing.
A number Of small stock-growers and
others who tried the doubtful expert
ment Of farming on the arid lands have
been injured by the owners of large
herds, or the men who represented them
on "the plains" Some Of the little fell
lows were driven off and felt sore.
Their case has been taken up by lot
OF lawless characters in much the same
way as the grievances OF workingmen
In London are sometimes made the pre-
text for mob outrages by the worst
classes of the British metropolis. That
Is why the wicked lustlers find it easy
to operate; they are more or less SYM
pathized with by the aggrieved ones.
For this reason juries have failed
to convict in cases where the worst OF
crimes have been proved, the shooting
down OF men in cold blood being
added to the theft Of live stock. Then
1t is said the sheriffs and deputy sheriffs
of the thief-infested counties have owed
their positions TO the votes and infu-
ence of the outlaws, and that in one or
two cases the sheriffs have personally
appropriated stray cattle and have had
deputies who were actually Tustlers
Under such conditions the thieves be-
came bold. They not only took un-
branded calves and put their own marks
upon them, but had the audaclty to run
off by the carload cattle and horses that
had been stolen from the ranches OF
men whom they had intimdated to the
extent of forcing them to leave the
place. The ranchmen tried the virtue
Of association, and adopted regulations
for the tracing of the stolen property
when offered for sale in markets
eastward, as we'll as for reclaim
ing the value of estrays. Then
the rustlers essayed another role.
It is reported that during last
year they did land-ofIice business in
selling dressed beef to army contractors
and to the subcontractors working on
the Burlington and Missouri grade in the
northern part of the State" They stole
hundreds OF cattle, either by shooting
them down or running them off to be
slaughtered for sale TO the persons suf-
flciently INSCRIPTIONS to buy the meat
at big cut from regular prices. The
fellows guilty of these outrageous pro-
ceedings are said ia have cloaked their
villainy by posing as small stockmen,
and actually held meeting at Buffalo,
In the northern part OF Johnson County,
where they masqueraded under the
title of the Northern Wyoming Farm
ers' and Stock Growers Association"
They then arranged for tho annual
roundup TO suit their conven-
fence in forestalling the reputable
H. 4 l.. a