The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-01
BIG CATTLE STEALING,
A RustIer on the Blackfeet Reserva.
ton Does a Big Business.

~ HuStIer on the 6IaCkreet ReServa-
ton Does a Big Business.
Percy De Wolfe. who is now in the
Teton county Jail, charged with
grand larceny in having stolen cattle
from men living in the Blackfeet res
ervation, has, if accounts are correct,
been rustling by wholesale. says the
Great Falls Tribune. For several
months he has been conducting a
meat market at Swift Current, on the
eeded mineral strip of the Blackfeet
reservation. He very seldom
bought anv cattle, but he continued
to supply the camp with beef, and
the suspicious of the officers were
naturally aroused. 1t is said that
investigation showed that he had
butchered at least 200 head of cattle
for the possession of which he was
unable to account. Near mis- slaugh-
ter house were found lot of hides,
with the brands mutilated. but some
of them were identified as those Of
cattiemen living on the reservation,
while others were found to belong to
Canadian cattlemen. De Wolfe was
at once arrested by a deputy United
States marshal on complaint of In
dian Agent Monteath, but he pleaded
want of jurisdiction on the part of
the United States and was released.
He was at once rearrested on COM
plant of Stock Inspector Harry
Lund, and is now in Jail at Choteau
and will be tried, if he does not make
his escape before the next term of
court
His principal confederate in the
wholesale rustling, a half-breed from
Macleod was found hiding in the eel
lar of settlers shack just south Of
the boundary, and will probably turn
states evidence
| De Wolfe is one of the most motor
ious cattle thieves in the state He
was convicted in Fergus county about
nine years ago and served term in
the penitentiary. He has since kept
out of that county, but has operated
in Choteau, Cascade and Teton coun-
ties, and for some time in the win
ter of 1886, made his Headquarters
in this city. Then, in collusion with
hack driver and several others, he
planned to hold UP a<sMontana Ger
tral train that was carrying the cash
to pay off the Belt miners. They
made arrangements to hold up the
train just as it passed the yard limits
if they should get a signal from
their sentinel that the coast was
clear. The plans of the gang was
tipped off to the sheriff, and Sheriff
Proctor (then deputy sheriff. pre-
prepared to give the would-be rob-
bers hot reception. He secured a
posse of armed men, and with them
took positions in the express car,
planning to shoot as soon as the rob-
bers topped the train.
AS the train pulled past the freight
house, the robbers sentinel, mount
ed, rode behind it, to see if the coast
was clear. Just as he was about
to give the signal to his confederates,
Paul Voell, then on the police force,
saw in the railroad yards man whom
he wanted and ran toward him. The
sentinel became alarmed and sig
nailed to his confederates to fee, and
they did so, and the train was not
held up. De Wolfe and his gang
Immediately left the city, and have
been scarce in this vicinity ever
since.
De Wolfe went to Cardston, Alta. ;,
and took up ranch, but his eye
sight was still bad and his inability
to distinguish brands resulted in his
being indicted in Canada, and he re-
nounced his allegiance to the queen
and again became domiciled in Mon
tana, and has often proudly boasted
that his presence in Canada was un-
desirable.
The Teton county authorities be-
lieve that they now have a cinch on
him and that if he does not break
Jail he will again be guest at Deer
Lodge.
De Wolfe has threatened to tell
truths that will make several peo-
pie leave the country, if he should
be convicted.