The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-28
THEY LAUGH AT LAW.
hBOUT BORDER RUFFIANS IN EAST
OREGON.
The Daring G.ngs Somewhat Cowed by the
Merry Work Of a District
Attorney.

system of operations is infinitely superior,
pursue their nefarious business In open
defiance Of the law, and, according 10
the Portland Oregonian, even threaten
10 kill officers Of the law who have ven
turned to prosecute them. Five years
ago these gangs were more numerous
than at present. and they terrorized the
good citizens Of the eastern section Of
the State without fear of consequences.
In vain did the district attorneys and
| other officers attempt to bring them to
justice. All their efforts were futile. for
even when they captured the offender
and had him duly arraigned the injured
| party, fearful Of the threats Of his com
| panions, would refuse 10 prosecute him.
| This was the state Of affairs when
/ Charles f.. Hyde, OF Baker City. was
elected prosecuting attorney for the
| Sixth Judicial District, which extends from
! the Columbia river TO the Nevada Dor
| der. and comprises seven counties-Uma-
tilia. Union, Wallowa. Baker, Malheur.
Grant and Harvey. This is the largest
as well as the most lawless district in
the State. When Mr.. Hyde went into
office the district was overrun with des-
peradoes of all classes. He Immediately
began a war Of determination against
them, as shown by the fact that he sent
81 criminals TO the penitentary before
his first term expired. 1t was he who
prosecuted the notorious Dan Tarter, the
Union county fratricide, in Union when
a score of the criminals followers, armed
TO the teeth, were ranged around the
courtroom, and declared that they would
kill the district attorney, the Judge, the
States witnesses, and clean out the en-
tire courtroom If their leader was con-
victed. Hand him, and We will show
the district attorney how we do business
in Eagle Valley. and you can tell him
So" was their threat to Sheriff Bolles
Knowing the character of the men, that
officer feared that they would carry their
threat into execution, and he placed a
guard on Mr.. Hyde. Several armed dep
uty sheriffs were constantly in the court
room and kept watch on Tarter's fol-
overs. When the district attorney left
the building they followed him, and did
not leave him until he was safe in his
hotel. In turn they were logged by the
outlaws, who wanted TO git that dar-
ned Internal lawyer up a back street
and give him slash or two" Then
they threatened TO kill the States wit
nesses. but Notwithstanding this, Tarter
was convicted and his followers were
notified to leave town or they, too. would
get into trouble.
Harvey county has an organization
called the One Hundred and one
Society. which has so thoroughly
terrorized the community that 1t
is impossible TO secure a conviction
whec any of the members are brought
to by. The strongest evidence has no
effect on the jury, and persons clearly
guilty are acquitted in a very short
space Of time. District Attorney Hyde
has received many anonymous letters, |
presumably from this society, with pieces |
Of rope six inches in length inclosed, and !
stating that there will be a ''necktie |
party" if he insists upon trying to prose- |
cute criminals i'm that country. Two |
years ago man named Miller, an en- |
ploye Of the Lux q Miller Cattle Com |
pany, which owns $1,000 or 10000 acres |
of land and as many head of cattle in |
the eastern part of the State, was muir |
dered for endeayoring TO gain informa- |
ton about the dOings of the society. |
He had heard that they intended 10 round |
up the company's cattle. and 10 get |
some definite information Ire crawled |
under a house where the members were
i'm session. A fit Of coughing betrayed |
bis presence and resulted in his death.
The next day he was found dead in "a
fence corner with four bullets in his
Drain anu dS many lllblt III liAo AANdA T.
The grand jury returned no indictment,
as no information could be secured.
Three years ago Dave Shirk stood In
his own doorway and shot a man who
was standing within 100 yards Of his
house The body lay there three days
in the hot sun before any one dared 10
bury II. Shirk was indicted and tried
by a Jury composed OF the one Hundred
and One element, and was acquitted In
fifteen minutes.
For years Baker county was the home
of the notorious McCarty gang consist
ing of Tom and BIZ, brothers, and Eek
and Fred. sons of Bill. and numerous
followers Tom and Fred were recently
killed by Simpson at Delta, Colo. after
having robbed the bank there. Tom was
a character in his way. He had received
his education in the mining camps Of
the Rocky Mountains, and it was a recog-
nized fact that nobody could get the
drop on him He could pull a gun and
fiji a man full Of lead before the swiftest
cowboy I'm the country would be ready
TO shoot. AS a trick shot he had 10
equal To an officer who called 10 arrest
him once he gave an exhibition of shoot
ing that made his hair fairly stand on
end. Placing the ace Of clubs on the
wall he stood at a distance Of thirty
feet, drew his revolver, twired It around
his finger as rapidly as ne could and
riddled the ace with bullets. Not one |
hit the white part of the card Not once
did he touch the trigger contenting him
self with pulling the hammer back with
his thumb and then letting It go. Then
he tossed his hat twenty feet I'm the air
and pierced it with six bullets before it
touched the ground.
Tom McCarty arrived I'm Baker City | ,
eight years ago with about $4,000 which |
he said he had made in a stock deal.
II Is supposed that he got the money
by robbing a bank and went TO Baker
,ity with the intention Of beginning a new !
life. Gambling. however. was his pas
sion and ruin. He began "bucking the
tiger" and one night arose from a faro
table after having lost his last dollar
Several hank robberies occurred and the
size Of Toms purse increased with sur
prising rapidity but diminished with the
same rate OF speed when he sat down
nj a faro table. Himself and Billy have
always denied that they committed the
Roslyn Bank robbery. :
Silly McCarty's wife was as brave rs {
any man I'm the gang Some months [
ago, when II was reported that Billy | /
md Tom had returned, their house was J
surrounded by Sheriff Condo. Of Baker @
county. ex-Chief OF Police Farley. OF /
Denver and sixteen men, armed with 4
Winchesters, who covered every door {
and window Of the Mouse. All were 81
lfraid TO venture near the house, but J
Mr.. Hyde entered and found that the e
woman was the sole occupant That's \
nice gang out there Why. either Tom {
n Billy would wipe them from the face ;
Il the EARTH" was her greeting. why"
he continued, in a contemptuous tone. | q