, 1897-03-24

Unknown.
DIR. Holcombe made a startling die
covery yesterday, startling because an
unexpected crime was discovered and
because OF the enormity Of the offense
committed. During the month of jan
uary last DR.. Holcombe was sent for by
Mr.. o. G. Kerr, the foreman of a cattle
company whose ranch is Oh Il small
spring creek, n tributary Of the Medicine
Bow, and located about twenty-siX miles
almost due south of Carbon. Early in
February DR.. ,Holcombe attempted to
make the trip, but had to abandon same
when about fourteen miles from the rail.
road because of a bowling blizzard and
deep SHOWS which compelled him to urn
back. The nearest postoffice to the scene
OF the poisoning is Widdowfield, which
is about twenty miles from the railroad
on the road 70 the ranch.
The first cattle died about the middle
of January and before the middle Of
February % head had succumbed and al
sc. every horse. six in number, on the
place. Mr.. Kerr suspected that all was
not right, but only got ONE neighbor to
agree with him. His convictions, how
ever, were strong and his effort to get
the state veterinarian to make an exam
inatiOn of the stock and the conditions
surrounding their death was an evidence
of his persistence and of a belief that has
been borne out by Investigations since
made. On Thursday last Mr.. Kerr was
in his city and DR.. Holcombe SEM
Frank Dana with him to the ranch to
make examinations of the premises and
bring in stomach contents OF stock thai
had died under suspicious circumstances
On arrival at the ranch Mr.. Dana took
two disinterested witnesses and with Mr.
Kerr visited the carcasses of the dead
animals. One animal, n calf about a year
old which had not been cut open, was
opened and its stomach removed. Two
fourounce bottles were filled from the
contents OF this stomach and brought to
The city. 1t was learned that all OF the
stock that had died had been fed hay
from one end of a certain stack. and fur,
Their, that zone have died since about
Feb. 10, when the herd was moved about
four miles away and fed from a differ
ent stack.
MI. Kerr's visit to the city last week
was for the purpose Of getting DR.. Hol-
combe to CONF out and examine another
horse, a borrowed one, which was sick
but when the party reached the ranch
the horse was much better and soon re.
covered.
While Mr.. Kerr was convinced tina,
his stock had MOI died from natura
causes he could not accuse anyone Of
poisoning his hay. This situation wa.
the principal factor in the decisions o.
his neighbors generally, who, with one
exception, a Mr.. Hardin, opposed his
theory OF poisoning. Mr.. Kerr and Mr.
Hardin thought from the actions Of tn.
animals before death that they were un
doubtedly poisoned, and the tests mad,
by DR.. Holcombe show they were cor
rect.
Some 80 sample were taken from tn
bottles and carefully tested for strych
nine, and 20 Of them showed plain ant
pronounced evidences Of the deadly poi
son, one only being not so we'll market
as the rest. DR.. Holcombe was Rstound
ed with the first test made. The uniform
ity of results obtained, however, con
WINGED him beyond question that one o
the dead animals at least was full O
%strychnine. The evidence obtained show
that all died under the same condition
and exhibiting exactly the same symp
toms, horses and cattle alike.
Some weeks ago Mr.. Hardin, tn
neighbor above referred to, bought tn
other half Of the stack from which tn
poisoned hay was taken. Upon this ha,
he had fattened some cattle for market
1t was lucky for him that he ~happene'
to get The right end Of the stack or hi
cattle. instead Of Kerr's, would hav
been killed.-Cheyenne Tribune.
The base OF Ayers Hair Vigor IL
refined and delicate fluid, which doe
not soil or become rancid by exposur
to the air, and which is as perfect a sub
atitute for The oil snnnlied by natnra Il