The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-02-25
A HUNTED MAN.
Sim Roberts Returns to Brave His
Enemies.

SIM Roberts returns TO BraVC His
Enemies.
From Saturdays Daily Gazette.
The passengers on yesterday morn
ing's w%estbound train who observed
a heavy set, we'll preserved man {
little above middle age, wearing
glasses and cheerfully chatting to g
number OF acquaintance on the plat
form. all the while toying with a Win
chester rifle, probably took him to be
some rancher starting out on a hunt
ing trip, a conclusion no doubt
strengthened when they observed him
enter the train as it pulled out and
wave a careless farewell to those left
make inquiry concerning him they
might have learned something that
would have surprised them and at the
same tine satisfied them that they
were really and truly in the wild and
untamed west. They would have been
told that the man did not carry the
gun for the purpose of hunting, but
because he believed himself to be
hunted and that the game on which he
might use the bright and shining
weapon was another fellow equally as
well armed n who had declared his
intention of killing him on sight.
Then they would have asked more
questions, pilgrim like, and in return
would have learned that Sim Roberts
was on his way to Big Timber to ap-
pear as a witness in a horse stealing
case and that the "other fellow" was,
named Johnson. or at least that is
the name he goes by, for it is said his
right cognomen is Young, and a broth
er of a mar whom Roberts found it
necessary to kill sometime ago. They
might also have been told that when
the train arrived at Big Timber it
would be as well if they curbed their
curiosity and crawled under the seat.
as there might be some shooting, it
being among the possibilities that
Johnson would be waiting for Sim, it
having been reported that he was
there a few days ago waiting for the
train, as he was expecting him to ar
rive on that particular day.
To the older settlers of these parts
Sim Roberts is no stranger and while
he has his enemies he also has his
friends who stand up for him and de-
clare him to be a much maligned man.
His troubles in Sweet Grass county
have been many and often told. Re-
peated attempts have been made to
assassinate, but luck has been with
him on every occasion and he was
still alive yesterday, living, breathing
testimony to kismet.
Last fall he left, determined never
to return to Montana, as he had grown
tired of the constant warfare made
on him and went back to Texas, his
native state, there to end his days in
peace and cheat his enemies. But the
years spent in the north had the eff
feet of weaving him from the scenes
of his youth and after a brief trial of
the change he could stand it no longer
and about a month ago found him
back in Montana once more. He did
not return to Sweet Grass county,
however. Instead he remained down
along the line of the Burlington, max
ing his home at or near Balantine.
There he has been ever since, with
the exception of the past few days
spent in this city while waiting to
go to Big Timber in response to a
subpoena served on him to appear as
a witness in a case to be tried there
next week. The rifle he had yesterday
is never out of his hand when in his
former home, for he knows that he
may be called upon to use it at a
moments notice and without any
previous warning. There are those at
Big Timber and ~thereabout who would
not hesitate to kill him if the oppor-
tunity presented itself and it is that
he may not be caught unaware that
he is always armed like a soldier go
ing into battle.
But for all his caution and watch
fulness his friends say he will be
killed and without any possible show
to defend himself. With such a pros
pect constantly before them many
men would be willing to remove to the
furthermost corners of the earth, but
Sim Roberts is not one of them. He