The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1902-02-21
THEY STEAL CAT TIE
StOCkmen on Reservation Have a Hard
Time to Preserve Their Cattle
From Thieves.
Number Of Arrests Have Been Been Made
But the Witnesses and Jurymen
are Intimidated.
Two Of the Cattle Thieves Will be
Brought to Mitchell for Trial at
May Term.
TuNCE rkTTl DlICTI EDO
THOSE CATTLE RUsTLERs.

Have Been Making Life a Burden to
Stock Men for the Past Fif-
teen Years.
At the present time the stockmen
on the reservation west of Chamber
lain are making hard struggle
through the courts for the very ex-
istence of their business Of cattle
raising. For years they have had to
fight the encroachments of the cat
tie rustler in the hope that some time
this evil might wear itself out, but
in this tEey were mistaken. The
cattle rustler finding himself undis-
turbed in his pursuit has even be-
come bolder and where he depended
on the cover of darkness in former
years to run off some cattle from a
herd he will not stop for daylight in
his dastardly business.
These cattle rustlers seem SO
Thoroughly intrenched all over that
country that there is no way evident
ly to stop them. The whole country,
practically, has stood in awe Of their
depredations and in fear Of the
power behind them have been able
to accomplish but little to stop the
nefarious business. 1t is reported
that when any individual attempted
| to Iripu opv of tho oott1o ,,7otlorc to
Justice that he suffered for the act
by either having more cattle stolen or
some injury done to his property as
a warning to desist from further
prosecution.
1t was about Is years ago that these
depredations commenced. At that
time several fellows appeared on the
reservation without. a dollar to their
name and not one COW with which
to start herd. Several Of these men,
it is reported are today worth good
many thousand dollars. all of which
they have made by stealing the cat
tie from the stockmep. a condition
now exists on the range that
threatens the life of the cattle indus
try, and it has come to a show dowr
whether the cattle rustler is to have
undisputed sway or the stockman can
protect his cattle from the inva.
sion Of the ordinary thief.
At the present time court is in
session at Oacoma trying some Of
these cattle thieves. At the Decem.
ber term there were one or two con
victions, which has given some hope
to the stockmen. While conviction!
were made in the cases mentioned
there were others that escaped, bu1
the stain of guilt was on them a!
broad as the light of day. BY th'
time the first two men were con
victed and some of the greater
thieves were on trial the jurymel
left were men who were in Sympa
thy with the cattle rustlers ant
. under those circumstances no mat
ter how strong the evidence was TO
conviction the jury found the pris
oner innocent. Even though an hon
est man was on the jury tits reported
that he would not dare to convict TO
the reason that it would only be
matter Of time until his stock wa
run off Or some of his cattle killed
1t was through such terrorizing tina
several good men on jury wer
forced to acquit a prisoner, evel
though the evidence was plain tina
he was guilty. 1t is reported tina
things have even come to the pas
where it is impossible to secure th
assistance of the sheriff to max
arrests among the cattle thieves, an
that there is strong talk of the gran
jury taking up the case against hiI
for malfeasance in Office. The effort
Of the stOckmen are thus thWarted a
every turn Of the road.
The stockmen are determined, how
ever, to put a stop to the stealth
and if they cannot do SO they tigul
they might as well move out of tt
country, as good many Of thel
have already done in the past yei
OF two. Through intimidations an
threats they have been held subjet
to the will of the men who are rol
bing them day by day until the
have determined to throw off tt
yoke that has bound them for year
A large number Of affidavits we
presented by the states attorney