The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-25
FEUD over MAVERICK
HAS COST LIVES OF TWO HUNDRED
PEOPLE AND 100000
IN CASH
FOR A FoRTY-DoLLAR STEER

The Animal Which Caused All the
Trouble Long Since Dead, but the
Struggle Is Still Bitter Between
Colorado County Factions-The
Controversy Had It's Origin More
Than Twenty Years Ago.
Some twenty years ago the rangers O.
central southern Texas held q spriifs
roundup down In Colorado county.
That was time when much of the huge
state was one enormous grazing ground.
when fences were mere sources of irrita-
ton and when long horns abounded. Cow
boys with leather-fringed leggings, arul-
lery, profuse vocabularies and string
each of buclzing ponies constituted the
greater portion of the populace Ihai
roundup resulted In one maverick anC
a fight, A few days ago another chapte'
in the feud of score of years was pub
Hshed in Bastrop, a village in an adjoip.
ing county Two men were SLAIN anu
three are behind steel bars awaiting eraai
on the charge of murder.
The "colonels" have ield the first RANK
In America for 1endettas since the days
of Daniel Boone, but the Corsica Oh the
United States has never developed as
many fierce rackets as the Lone Star
State can boast Of. The wide expanse OF
territory over which a Texan can fight
has initiated seriously against that pub
lefty which the narrow confines of Ken
- ha oh
to shoot up the town have furnishes. SO
it happens that the bloody records OF
Texas have found their only medium of
publication through the pens Of writer's
Of cattle range romances. 1t Is due to
the state to say. however, that these re-
mancers have had basis of fact from
which to build fairy tales Of brief, tiaree
and sanguinary bicker where no Witness
es but the lowing kline attend.
That lone, reluctant, maverick has cost
! 100000 in cash and is responsible for 200
lives suddenly terminated by the bark of
rifle or pistol. The steer which caused
| the feud has long since passed over the
range to where duels and melees are not
| fought to determine ownership Of neat
cattle. He was not mildmannered and
| bu1ging-eyed calf when the bicker arose.
| In faith, he was why, untamed, true
ulent, spiral horned steer of a lovely dun
| or smoke color. who had escaped from
| couple of round-ups without feeling the
eager embrace Of the branding iron. He
| never survived to feel how it seems to
have an arrow, an anchor, a lying letter
| of the alphabet or sign of the zodiac
;,,to III; h.
the field of battle, and by one short puff
of smoke from Saxon became French and
| beef.
SETTLED BY CHANCE.
They have a way down on the ranges
of settling all questions of ownership by
a species of bartering with chance. Skill,
OF course, is an element. In this case it
was skill with hardware rather than
with the dice or the rope. At these
round-ups the boys cut out all the steers
and cows that wear brands. Prior to the
roundup the cattle of several herds min,
E5glea freely, the outfits of each owner
merely camping on the general trail to
see that no tribulations in the matter of
water and grazing arise. Idle time is
or was, for it is about all over now
passed In playing cards for everything,
in sight.
When the roundup season arrives
| central spot is chosen and the herds in
volved are driven there Then the wild
work of cutting out follows. The boys
dash into the mass of cattle. skillfulIy
cutting out those with the. brands of their
employers Several days may be neces-'
sary to complete this cutting out or
separation into distinct herds. Calves
which follow dams are, of course, the
property Of the owner of the DAM, Short
yearlings, weanlings, do not follow the
dams, but gather together to suit them
selves. The determination of the own
|. ership of these mavericks is the real
sport of the roundup.
The mavericks are carefully counted
! and split up in proportion to the horns
in each herd. If an equal division re-
suits the roundup ends without any
| great fun. But if a few extras are left
over then the boys get down to the
! smallest amount of clothes possible and
| prepare to ride hke-well, how is well
| known, for the boy who lays his rope
i on an extra wins 1t for his employer.
| There is no disputing this rule, but the
| winner must rope the calf first.
In that roundup years ago the Town
sends and Reeses, of Colorado county.
| had herds. When the cattle had all been
cut out and the mavericks disposed of
small bunch of wiry extras remained. In
! that bunch, to the surprise of all, was a
steer, full grown and desirable, for he
| was fat and fit for market This dun
| colored steer unintentionally caused the
| two families to become embroiled. He
had no brand and it remained for the
boys told off to ride to settle his owner
ship Townsend's man and Reese's man
determined to win the steer or die in the
attempt. They died.