The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-17
AFTER TIMBER THIEVES.
The State Board Of Land Commits
sioners Will Vigorously Pros
ecute Them.
A Government Contractor at Fort
Missoula Arrested and Made
to Pay.
Tho Board Has Information OF Othora
aud Will Bring Them to Time
Very Soon.

The state board Of land commissionsr1
intend 10 make il hot for people who are
cuttiup timber on lands belonging to the
state and will exhaust every means at she's
command to bring the dspredators TO Jus
ties. Information 10 now In possession OF
the board OF several parties who have gone
ON school a~ectious and ont timber for cord
wood. A recent case in Missoula county
was oondoned In a way BY the board. 1t ap-
pearinR that the guilty parties were iRnof-
ant to q certain extent OF the law. Ihe
parties wsro let off IN payment for she
sordwood taken and the expense incurred
BY the state iu securing their arrest. Inc
persons were George Briggs. tho govern
msut contractor at Fort Missouln. and II.
], Whitaker, e. A. Fordhan and -. Dun
ham, his assistants. Briggs. who was inc
principal party in the case. cut 100 cords OF
wood on a school section six miles south Of
the Northern Pacific depot At Missouis'
He and his man were arrested on June oy
the sheriff of Missoula county upon sne
complaint OF the state land board. Briggs
was alarmed and tried to keep the matter
quiet. He put up . certified check for the
appearance of himself and men. Briggs
vas verv anxious that the fact of his arrest
should be kept ont Of the papers and also
wanted to keep out Of court. When the board
OF land commissioners met yesterday they
decided not 10 prosecute Briggs and ms
men. but he was made to pay 81 Per cord
for Ahe wood and all the costs. BfiGgs had
nearly all of the 100 cords of wood hauled
al the school section when arrested. he
had aofne more cordwood cut ON the timbeS
reservation belonging TO Fort Mlssouln,
but his arrest deferred him from saklnR ~
nvav. The state land commissioners do
NOT understand why such men AZ Briggs
iii On on to q school section n run the
risk Of prosecution whom they can go on an
adioininr railroad section and get the wood
for Is cents per cord.
Last Aprjl. while on Q trin up the Bitter
Root, State Land Agent Hickman came
ACROSS twenty-five acres OF wood which nad
been out off some university oeaonR'ng
10 the state. The man who had cat 1t heard
Of Mr., Hicknan's coming and lefs the wood
whore II was and did not return. II seems
that when one of these depredators ~ dis
covered in the act he 10 generally willing 10
nav for the wood and tho costs also, but has
. holy horror Of any publicity In connec-
tion with his timber stealing. Most OF them
NOV when they arc on q school section.
The land commissioner say that 1t 10 the
duty Of timber men to ascertain what q n
they are on. According to the policy
adopted by the commissioners hsrsafte.
there will be a vigorous prosecution OF oil
timber thieves, not only those who 20 on
school sections. but every n found on
n land belonging to the state. The COM
missioners have . number OF people
t~hrouehout the state who have volunteered
their services in giving Information of tim
Der thieves, and IL il not at all unlikely shat
q number Of arrests aud convictions Will
follow IL the thieves persist in despoilina
the land grant of the state.