The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-03-15
STOCKMEN's CONVENTION.
THE NORTHWESTERN PEOPLE MEET
AT FORT WORTH
The Annual Report Shows That The Assc-
citation Has Been a Terror 10 Cattle
Thieves and Many Stolen Catle
Recovered.


eighteenth annual convention of the
cattle raisers association of Texas co.,
vened at II o'clock and again at 80
today in city hall auditorium. Some
600 members were present. President
Bush was in tine chair. Secretary
Loving's report shows receipts $75, 900.
During the past year this committee
had employed 45 inspectors, covering
the whole state of Texas and Indian
Territory, the principal markets, and
! the main outlets of Texas cattle
through the state of Colorado. Our
increase resources have enabled US to
discover outlets for stolen stock here
tofore unknown. We found that
| they were being driven from
Texas and the neutral strip into South
ern Kansas and there shipped to the
northern ranges. In one shipment
alone we caught 119 head after they
had been unloaded and driven for two
or three days into the interior of Da-
kota. These thieves were inn
m ho@e Of pro fSer p aaa In one 5he
was convicted and another while at
tempting to escape was killed by the
sheriff, We have convicted several
thieves and have large number of
indictments now pending, owing TO
the difficulty in procuring competent
counsel in the past,
Last year we employed prosecuting
constitutes a part of our staff
Ia hn 70
advantage from standpoint, both of
over that of employing counsel at ran
dom. Our prosecutors have extended
from Texas to Illinois and Kansas, and
so relentlessly have they been con-
Quoted that this association, in the
vigor of its work, is compared with
the United States government.
We are prepared to congratulate the
association on its wisdom in establish
fishing its general office in so accessible
point as Fort Worth. Your com
mittee thus has access to the business
or the association, and have
been enabled to iuaugurate
many improvements. Other changes
might yet be made in order to expedite
the business. The depredations Of
thieves have not been confined to the
North and West. AT the time we be.
gan placing local or railroad inspectors
IN Southern Texas there was every in
dication that an extensive and well
organized system of cattle stealing
was about to be inaugurated i'll that
territory. AS a proof of this, IN one
instance two or more car loads Of
stolen cattle were found abandoned
close to shipping point where we
had the day before placed an in
spector. Upon investigation some
200 or 300 head of cattle were found
hidden away ready to be run
out of the country The thieves were
caught. This seems to have paralyzed
all thieviDg in thai part Ct the state
for the time being, though we we'll
know from past experience that it is
only by constant watchfulness that we
can keep this lawless element under
control. Therefore it should continue
to be the policy of the association to
catch and prosecute thieves regardle SO
of cost.
The past year has been one of I'M
precedented Encouragement and dis
aster for the stockmen, but in the face
of this our membership has continu-
ally increased and our calls for finan-
ces have been promptly met. The
report shows that cattle have declined
from $25 per head in 1884, to $13 %
per head ir 1894. The usual address
ses of welcome were made today.
SOUTH TEXAS CATTLEMEN.
Houston, March 13.-The Stock
mems Protective Association of South
Texas met here this afternoon with 80
mem bers from six counties present.
An assessment of 12 cents on all
calves branded up to Nov. last was
levied. Walter Williams, sent up
for cattle theft, requested the assocla-
tion to sign his petition for
pardon which they refused to do.
Railways are notified that if they
bury cattle they kill before the brands
have been examined, they will be
prosecuted also that railroads be
compelled to open crossings as re-
quired by law and to burn off their
right of way so as to prevent prairie
fires. The next meeting will be held
in IulV