The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-08-17
TEIEF iTI ROBBER.
That is What q Western Evangelist
Turned Out to Be.


is the question now agitating the resi-
dents OF. Gregory County 5. D.
For four years the Rev Mr. Hilgard
has been known as one Of the ablcst
evangelists in that part of South Dakota.
For nearly the same period ''Ponca
jim. Montana Jack. and the rest
have been hated and feared as the most
daring and successful cattle rustlcrs,
horse thieves. highwaymcn and cut
throatS on the range 1t wus only Il few
days ago that the Rev Mr.. Hilgard.
"Ponca Jim, Montana Jack. ct al.
were discovered to be one and the same
person
IiIgard was captured, after long
chase and :; hottiyht, with j quantity OF
stolen property in his possession and
his hands red with the blood of several
members Of the attacking party. Many
of the ranchmcn favor hanging him to
the nearest tree In the face Of the
overwhelming evidence against him,
however. his friends maintain that
there must be some mistake and swear
to rescue him.
The Rev. Mr.. Hilgard located, with
his wife and three children. on farm
near Bonesteel in the fall of 1894, an
nounced himself as an evangelist, and
began holding meetings in and near the
town. was master of style Of oratory
peculiarly suited to the rough punch
crs and ranchmen who formed the grea-
ter part of his audience.
Soon he received invitations to hold
rcvivals atother hamlets throughout the
cattle country. His life was supposed
to be exemplary. his gifts to charity
were liberal and his neighbors idolized
him.
About that time series Of bold rob
berries commenced in the vicinity. Cat
tie were run out Of the country and
sold at Eastern mar kets, horses stolen
by the score, lone travellers held up and
robbed and isolated farm houses entered
and ransacSed. Those who resisted the
perpetrator Of the outrages-all We're
committed by single man-invarlably
come out second best.
Once or twice the robber was pursued
by large posses and only escaped by
furious riding and evident familiarity
with the country. On one occasion
the fugitive disappeared over hill top,
on reaching (which the pursuers saw
Hilgard himself sitting on the ground
in draw at the foot of the hillock.
His horse had stepped in goph hole,
thrown him and inflicted serious in
jured.
Hilgard's explanation that he was rid
ing down the draw and received his
hurts in an attempt to clear the way
for the fleeing desperate was readily
accepted and the pursuit actually given
over that all might assist in caring for
the good man.
His final capture was due to an auda-
cious attempt to rustic a bunch Of fine
steers on Nick Hammill's ranch fourteen
miles north of Bonesteel. Hammill
appeared just as the animals were be-
ing rounded up, and, after ar exchange
of shots with the thief, gathered par
ty Of cowboys and started on his trail.
SO hot was the pursuit that the Rev:
Mr.. Hilgard, as the thief afterward
proved to be, was driven to take re-
fuge in an abandoned dugout. Here
he stood his assailants off for seven
hours. and surrendered only after be-
inr wounded six times. Hammill and
three of his cowboys were also serious
ly hurt. one Of the latter so badly that
he will probably die.
Ordinarily, short work would have
been made of such captive, but the
discovery that it was their dear pastor
Hilgard 50 completely overpowercd
the punchers that he was brought into
Boncsteel and lodged in the municipal
calaboosc. In the prisoners pockets
were watches, rings and other articles
of jcwelry. some of which have been
identified by their former owners.
One Of Hilgard 5 victims was held up
while the evangelist was on his way
from Bonesteel to hold revival series
at Willow Creek. twelve miles distant.
The victim was himself at some Of these
meetings, but when he claimed to see
resemblance between the speaker and
the man who robbed him he narrowly
escaped mobbing.
Several murders. it is said, may be
laid at the reverend gentleman door.
\ few weeks ago the corpse OF ranch
man named Graham was found hidden
in an abandoned we'll near town. In
dians from the neighboring reservation
were at first suspected, but evidence is
now said. to have developed which
points strongly toward Ililgard as the
murderer.
Hilgards journeys from town to town
to conduct meetings have made it COM
paratiyely easy for him to carry on his
lawless career without discovery. Much
Of the minister's plunder must have
been devoted to charitable purposes.
His captors believe he actually COM
mitted many of his most serious often
ces to raise money with which to re-
lieve the necessities of Door families.