The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-07-04
Stock ot1o
Stockn1e1t

Cattle Rustlers "Get Busy"

says:-For several years out on the
reservation west of Chamberlain
cattle rustling has been a profitable
undertaking for the men who were
engaged in it, and all efforts to put
stop to it have not been particu-
larly successful. The gang is made
up of a number of men who have en-
trenched themselves so thoroughly
that the officers have never been
able to get at them. OF late the
cattle have disappeared so fast that
a determined effor5 on the part of
cattle owners is being made to get
rid of the gang which has operated
so successfully. The cattle inspect
or of the Black Hills district was
sent for, and he arrived at Chamber
lain few days agosand later made
a trip to the rendezvous of the cat
tie thieves. They have selected
fine spot in which to hide the cattle
they run off. 1t is located on an
island Of the Missouri river about
forty miles from Chamberlain, in
Charles Mix county. The inspector
went to the island, and after view
ing the situation decided that it
would be impossible for him to do
any thing alone. The cattle thieves
were strongly guarded and well pro-
vided with guns and ammunition to
ward off any attack that might be
made from smaller number. The
inspector returned to Chamberlain
and laid the matter before the cattle
owners and officers of the law, and
they decided that the gang must be
broken up. A posse was organized
containing fifteen men and they
started for the island Friday morn
ing, but up to the present time no
report has been received of their
success. The cattle owners and Off
GERS are determined men, and they
have a fine assistant in the inspector,
who has had dealings with cattle
thieves in the Hills country for a
good many years.
& It is reported on reliable authority
that the thieves have been able
to get away with over 300 head Of
cattle which they have safely guard
ed on the island, and it is believed
that if they get into corner they
will shoot the cattle or drive them
into the river, in fact will adopt
any plan that will be the means Of
keeping the an imals out of the
hands of the original owners.
Later: The posse of men who left
Chamberlain last week to recover
the 300 head of cattle that had been
stolen by the organized. band of cat
tile thieves and secreted on an island
in the Missouri river, have returned
from their trip, partially successful.
The men had considerable trouble
in reaching the island, on account
OF the heavy rains that had come a
few days before the raid was planned,
and it was nearly impossible to ac-
complish as much az they did
With but little resistance they were
able to recover thirty head of the
cattle and returned to Chamberlain
with them, but they declare their
work not done yet, and that they
propose to have the remainder Of
the cattle or the men who stole them
The hardest part of the work Of
breaking up the gang is yet to come
The men who constitute this bano
Of cattle thieves are men who have
lived in that country for a gooe
many years, and the greater share
Of the time they have been under
suspicion until their operations Fl
nally became 50 bold that the!
eventually had TO seek cover to for
tify themselves from arrest. Ths
men are known 80 hardened Grim
i mails ia their line, will make
strong fight when it comes to tn
show down to retain the propert,
they have stolen. On the othe
hand, the posse ofmen from Cham
berlain IS equally determined in it
efforts 10 restore the cattle to thei
owners, md The result Of the con
fiict will &c eagerly watched for.
Bred Stock.
There are many farmers who hest
tate about going into the pure bre,
stock business, or even owning q fe,
head 81 pure bred animals becans
y -. * =. \. n !. - - .,<x 81 ~