The Penn's Grove record., 1893-10-06
N lNspxoToM
Detectives Of the Plains Whsss Work old
sleuth Himself Might Envy.

Detectives Of the Plains whose Work Old
slsuth Himself Might Envy.
Column after column has been
written about the daring deeds,
miraculous escapes and cunning cap.
ture Of criminals by the detectives OF
Europe and America. In thousands
Of cases the praise accorded these
officers for their ingenuity and daring
has been deserved: but there is a
class OF detectives In this country who
risk their lives ~oftener, and who
must know not only the ways
Of the hlghwayman when he is
In the city, but also his haunts and
his hiding places and his go-between
in the thinly-settled country as we'll.
These men are on the 60 almost all
the time-to-day down in New
Mexico looking for a horse thief, who
Is a murderer a. we'll; next week far
across the Canadian line on the trail
OF a gang Of cattle thieves who have
been b~espoiling the Montana OF
Wyoming ranges 1t Is only in the
past ten or fifteen years that their
worth has been appreciated or their
services valued as they should be.
In the early days Of cattle-raising
in Wyoming and Colorado, whenever
| the range thieves became too bold,
the ranchmen for miles around would
organize, get on the track Of the
thieves, run them to their holes and
then shoot or hang them. After
a visitation OF this kind herds
would be comparatively safe for q
time. Nevertheless thousands OF
head of cattle and horses were stolen
each year and shipped TO Chicago, for
which the rightful OWNERS received
not a cent The stockmen of Wyom-
ing organized a stock-growers' associa-
tion and appointed for each county in
the State stock inspector. Colorado
followed suit In a few years, to be
followed later by Montana. The
duties Of these inspectors were not to
look out for diseased cattle, but to In
spect every carload of cattle shipped
out of the State, get q list Of the
brands. who the consignee was, and
report the facts to the secretary Of
the association. There were, Of
| course, mistakes made at first, but Of
late years so perfect has the system
become that 1t is almost an impossi-
| bility for a thief to ship a head OF
beef by rail out Of Montana without
detection. Gradually the duties of
the inspectors were added to, and in
addition to watching the shipping
| points they have become thief chasers.t
| The inspectors are selected from the
| bravest class Of Western men. thor
pughly conversant with the country.
Ind men of intelligence. Their
powers In Montana are equal to
those of a deputy sheriff, and their
authority is recognized all over the
State.
Among the Montana inspectors are
men who could tell some thrilling
stories of their adventures, not only
with horse and cattle thieves, but
with Indians as well. In point Of
continuous service Inspector W. d.
Smith. now the representative of the
Montana Association at Chicago, and
whose headquarters were formerly at
Miles City, outranks his associates.
He has been in the service Of the AS
ISOLATION eight or ten years, previous
to that time being an %inspectorin Wyo-
ming. He is a typical W~esterner,
close mouthed and without a particle
Of fear. He walks with a slight limp,
and one unacquainted with his his
tory, meeting him on the streets Of
Chicago, would almost Immediately
conclude he was a cattleRrower Of
moderate means, who was satisfied
with life. attended strictly to his own
business, and would be the last person
one would pick out Of a crowd as the
most noted trailer Of cattle and horse
thieves in Montana. The most noted
and successful Eastern detectives
have continuously in their minds eye
the ~physiognomy Of noted crooks
Smith not only has a wonderful men,
DRY for a face once seen. whether a
photograph or the person himself,
but in addition has the hundreds Of
brands of cattle aud horses In Mon
tana, Wyoming and Colorado 80 thor
oughly fixed In bis mind and the loca-
tion of their accustomed ranges, that
II he runs across a bunch Of cattle out
Of their accustomed haunts he car
locate them in an instant and he
scarcely ever has to consult the brand
books issued by the associations.
Many stories are told in Miles City Of
narrow escapes he has had when In
pursuit Of desperadoes and Of bril-
liant captures he has made after pur-
suits lasting several weeks.
The Cheyenne Indians, whose re-
servation is about 100 miles south Of
Miles City, fear as well as respect
him. When these Indians have, at
various times, committed offenses
against the State laws, 1t has often
fallen to Smiths lot to 60 after the
man or men wanted, and he has never
yet failed in his mission. Helena
Independent