The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24
GIRL Held THEM UP
She Stops a Whole Sherif's
Posse in Blaine County.
SHERIFF CLIMBS THE FENCE
And That Official Loses no
Time in Doing it, Either,
SHERIFF CLIMBS THE FENCE

Guthrie. o. T. Dec. 23.-For the first
time in the history Of Oklahoma, and
probably for the first time in all his
tory outside war times, frail young
girl has stood off an entire sheriff's posse.
Tt happened in Blaine county this last
week. Tom Ferguson relates the facts.
Last Sunday afternoon Sheriff Phillips
and a posse went to Fred AIarvePs place
to look for a steer which had been re-
ported stolen. Fred was not there when
they arrived. Miss Matte Marvel and
Mrs GilliDsie and a boy who has been
working for Marvel were the only per
sons at the place when the sheriff and
his crowd arrived Miss Matte Marvel
was in the feed yard when they went
up. She asked them what they were
doing there and what they wanted. The
sheriff told her that he had tracked
steer to that place and wanted to search
for It she asked him if he had a search
warrant He replied that he had none
She told him that she did not know him,
and unless he had a warrant he could
not come proving around there with
that mob" Phillips said he would search
al v dN. MISS hdIkti lOlu lIllli ~ 4teLN &
He finally said that he would leave. but
would 90 out of the corral through the
gate He had climbed over wire fence
10 enter the corral Miss Marvel told
him that he could not go through the
gate but must climb over the fence the
way he came in. She supplemented her
order by producing a 45-revolver. The
sheriff climbed the fence. Billy says
that he did not wait to discuss the sit
uatlon. Miss Marvel told the sheriff that
she did not propose for him to come out
there with a lot Of smooth-faced kids
who made themselves too fresh about
other peoples premises. The sheriff.
crowd consisted of himself, J. D. Marion,
Ira Coon, Ben Adams Jr., Blyde Orn-
dorf, William Cordell Dug Cordell and
TWO boys whose names We're not learned.
The sheriff's story: Mr.. Phillips says
that one day last week word came to
him that a fat steer had been stolen from
The corral of VIM. CordeIl, who lives
southeast of WatOnga. An examination
of the CordeH premises revealed the fact
that the steer had been roDed and led
away by parties on horseback. Phillips
s'ag - that the LidChS liihitdleu llldl one
man on a horse had led while one had
driven the ANIMAL Says that they found
where they had torn downithe wire fence
and gone through At another place
where they aiain went through the wire
a post was broken off. Along the trail
Phillips says that the tracks of two shOd
horses and the tracks of the steer were
plainly visible. Says that they followed
the trail south of Watonga and to the
river northwest Of town found where
they had crossed the river. and headed
toward Narvers camp. He said that
just before they reached MarveTs place
they met an Indian with the head of a
beef in his wagon and that the Indian
mad told him that Marvel had killed
beef and had given him the head. Cor
dell claimed that it was the head of the
steer that he had lost.
Marvel's story: Fred Marvel says that
some time ago he bought a bull of John
Melting. the butcher and that it had
got away and come back. to some place
on the river west of town. and that he
did send two of his men after it They
roped the bull. one leading and the other
driving. and took him to Marvers place
lie says that the tracks that the boys
followed up the river to his place were
the tracks Of his men who had taken
the bull there from the DMoi place west
of town. He says that he killed a beef
and all that, but that it was one of his
own.
on Sunday evening just after the sheriff
and his crowd returned home Fred Mar
vel came to town and said that he want
ell them TO go out and search the place,
that he had killed beef and would show
them the hide. Told tlfem that they did
not need search warrant. as they would
he permitted TO search without it, On
Monday the sheriff went out and search
ed the place He found where Marvel
had killed a steer. Fred also showed
him the hide tt resembled the Cordeu
steer. but had Marvel'S brand on It. The
brand was an old one put on when the
cattle were last branded.