Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-12-22
OF A CATTLE KING.
Grant Gillett, the Most Spectacular
Ranchman of the Western PrairieS
Made $500, 900 in Three Years
and Left Four Times That
Indebtedness.

When sta!d business men. shrewd
commission house owners, conservative
bankers and investors can be Induced
to lend their money and name 10 the
schemes Of a man Of only 81 years old,
who three years ago was farm boy,
and find that they are out nearly $1,000
900. there is reason for wonder Such
has been the experience Of some OF the
best business men In the West In con-
necrion with the cattle king, Grant Cor
don Gillett His spectacular career and
the meteor!c methods which marked lis
history are among the striking Incl
dents Of the West and he wiz rank
with Coal OH Johnny and other plung-
ers Of financial record.
Forty years ago young EnSi!shman
came 10 the prair!es Of central Kansas
and settled on the rich Lyon Creek bot
toms. His name was James y. G!lletr-
and he married. raised i family Of five
children. grew wealthy. and was one
Of the countys officers. On his place the
Rock Island started the town OF Wood
bine, and he became q local nabob. Ten
y
woman came from England and
claimed the estate for herself and
daughter, saying that he had married
her In his youth, and that he deserted
her when he came 10 this country.
There was q lawsuit and compro-
mise; then the remainder Of the estate
was divided among the children of the
T[auSa 1rifa nd tho IpiInU
Grant, the youngest child. took his
money, and IN two years had spent 1t
all. He fell In love with the pretty oper-
ator at the station and they were mar
ried, he securing q position as station
agent IN a little town in Marion Coun-
ty, while his wife was operator. One
day he disappeared, and It was said
that he had defrauded a grain dealer
with cars overweighed. In year he
was back, the matter was fixed up. and
he went to work on his mothers farm.
His wife left him. and he secured d.
vorce, marrying the village schoOlmis-
tress, Amanda Baumbaugh. the dt<s Il
ter of a River Brethren farmer, fifteen
miles away.
Things went along quietly until three
years ago when stories began 70 circu-
late that Grant Gillett was getting rich
out Of cattle. He came To the county
seat one day and went to n number OF
business men and showed them his
bank book-there was balance of
$4,000. 1t surprised them. and he was
the talk of the county. He showed his
bank book to everybody. and Dragged a
great deal about the money he was
making.
He had done this: He went down to
Texas and contracted for 1000 head OF
feeders. Then he Went to Kansas City
and borrowed the money 10 buy them;
he got 1t. shipped them north and sold
them TO farmers in small punches.
Cattle We're taking the first squirt up
ward. and before he knew 1t he had
made S. to 50 head on them, and had
Started on a career Of plunging.
Established as Cattle King"
His next step was to buy 10000 head
In a bunch. When 1t came time 10 go
after them he did not allow his men to
do it, but Went in person. He organ
tied among the cattlemen on his ranch
band Of thirty pieces and dressed the
men in cowboy costume. On the day
that he started for the cattle he took a
party Of friends in a special car, took
the band In another. serenaded the
neighbors, and then gave orders for the
train to start on It's triumphant tour.
Arrived in Fort Worth he went to the
hotel, paid all the bills and had the
band play in the rotunda. He marched
with them and frequently ordered them
to play new tunes. The band was his
wife's idea. She Is very fond Of music,
and when the proposition was made TO
her to have the cowboys play for the
ranch she fell In with 1t heartily.
In person Gillett IS strong, athletic
and bluff young man, with blue eyes.
prominent gold-flled teeth and dressed
in good style. He always attracted at
tention 10 himself on train or in depot
1t was no uncommon thing for him TO
show his bank book to strangers on q
train on the slightest provocation or
without any provoca ton. He liked 70
make show Of his possessions, and
had a number Of diamonds that were
used for pocket pieces. He brought