The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-22
ANOTHER HORRIBLE MURDER IN
FERGUS COUNTY.
BODY CREMATED IN BRUSH
Remains Supposed to Be Those Of
George craft-sheepherder Be
lieved to Be the Murderer.

1lcWlSUOWu, July utSoIl6dIAO
into the mysterious disappearance of
two men as reported from Lewistown
last night, has revealed the fact that
Fergus county has been the scene Of
another horrible murder, no less flend-
ish than the crimes of Fisher and
the Calders. The victim is supposed
to be George Craft, a boss for the
Fergus Live Stock & Land Co., and
the murderer is supposed to be a
sheepherder, in the employ of the
same company, who has gone by the
name of McClure;, although it is bare
ly possible that the reverse may be
true.
The e of the crime is about As
miles north of Lewistown, in the bad
lands, on Rose creek, about three
miles from Dog creek and not far from
Judith landing. &
Mcclure has been herding a band
of about 5000 sheep there, and last
Friday Craft went out to see how he
was getting along, going from the
home ranch Of the company, Is miles
distant. Yesterday, some employees
of the company went to the camp to
assist in moving the sheep to the
shearing pens. They found the sheep
scattered all over the country; the
camp had been deserted for several
days, and there was every indication
of a tragedy.
AS soon as word was brought to
Lewistown, Under Sheriff Slater left
for the scene, and today Sheriff Shaw
received from him information that he
had found ~indisputable evidence of a
murder. ".
About a mile distant from McClure's
camp, in a clump of pine brush, were
found the charred bones of a human
being. The remains of the fire were
comparatively fresh. So completely
had the flames done their work that
there was nothing LETT but the charred
bons-not a single thing to establish
the identity of the victim.
From a point about half a mile dis
tant to the fire was a plain trail,
showing where a heavy body had been
dragged. Where the trail began the
ground is very hard and stony, and it
could not be told whether CIR not there
had been a struggle. No marks OF
blood were found.
Tho borca %hof hod bapn ridden nv
Craft is missing. but McClure's was
still at the camp, picketed, and had
beer without water for several days
The saddles and guns of both men
are gone.
There are evidences that the crime
was committed Monday, but it may
have been committed Friday, on which
day Craft went to the camp.
There is nothing at the scene to es
y tablish the identity of the victim, bu'
it is supposed to have been Craft. az
Mcclure had frequently threatened t(
kill him. Craft was very domineerint
and disagreeable and had incurred
the enmity of the herder.
The horse belonging to Craft wa!
much better thar that Of Mcclure, tn
latter being a small cayuse. and thi'
accounts for the latter being left.
Mcclure has been herding for tn
company for only a few months. VINE
he came. to the ranch, he at first re
fused to give any name, but late
gave that of Mcclure, which is sur
posed to be assumed. He is about 3
years old, six feet tall, rather slende
and has a sandy mustache. No othe
description of him has been secured
Craft was over 40 years OF age
weighing over 200 pounds.
There has not been found any bu
let, but the supposition is that tn
men auarreled and that the herde
shot the boss, dragged the body t
the timber, cremated it, mounted tn
dead mans horse and rode away int
the bad lands. The surrounding cou1
try is the haunt of the {
the Curry gang and other outlaws
II is almost inaccessible, and as tn
murderer is well mounted and we
equipped, he will be very hard I
stop.
Sheriff Shaw has sent out desert,
tons all over the state, and will
all in his power to run down the mu
derer, but prospects are not very e
%couraging.