The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-11
RusTLERs HAVE FULL SWAY m
VALLEY COUNTY.
ARE MADE FARcES
Traveller Tells Of Some Strange Do
inss Up in That Part Of
State.

Among yesterdays visitors in the
city was a gentleman who but recent
~ made a trip through the northern
part Of the state, particularly did he
travel considerably over Valley county
and al he expects to go up that way
again he does not care to have his
name made public. In a conversation
with a Gazette reporter he related
some things that would tend to
create the belief that SO far as en-.
forcement of the law in that county
is concerned conditions are not all
that they might be.
"Cattle r%ustling," said he, lis going
on there at a rate that would surprise
you, were you to know all the facts as
they exist up in that part Of the state.
1t is practically impossible to secur
conviction of any of the guilty par
ties, no matter how strong and con
elusive the testimony may be that is
brought out at the trials of the accus-
ed. At the last term of the district
court held at Glasgow several of those
cases were tried, but not a single con-
vicition resulted. The defendants
were all acquitted, and that in the
face Of some of the strongest testi-
mony ever heard in a case Of that
kind.
Very Lenient Juries.
"In n of the cases several eye
witnesses, three of them. testified to
the killing Of a beef by the accused
that belonged to another man; testi-
Mony was also produced showing that
the defendant had been trailed to Will
liston, where he sold the meat to a
local butcher. On top of all this was
the confession of the prisoner, sign
ed and sworn to before a justice of
tt peace, and yet he was acquitted
by the jury. The justice of the peace
before whom he was a%rraigned and
who swore him to the confession was
one of his attorneys in the district
court. A plea of not guilty was enter
ed in the district court and the de-
PENDANT swore that the confession was
a forgery.
'"The former justice of the peace was
~subpoenaed as a witness for the prose-
cution and made oath to the genuine
ness of the confession; the hide, bear
ing the circle diamond brand, owned
by Bloom Bros, was produced in evil
dence and three witnesses testified
that they had seen the unlawful kill
ing. In the face of all this over
whelming proof Of the guilt Of the ac-
cused the jury returned a verdict of
not guilty. Other cases of alleged
rnstling were tried at the same term
of court and all with the same results.
Reasons For It.
1T has really become impossible to
convict a man of cattle stealing in the
county, especially if the stolen cattle
belong to any of the larger outfits,
Several causes are given for this Pc
culiar condition of affairs. One cause
is that owing to the isolated position
of the small ranchers detection is diff
ficult; another is that because of the
large number Of men who are trying
to exc out an existence with ~ few
head of stock they are forced to steal
from the large outfits in order that
they may make both ends meet, and
that many of the local butchers stand
in with the rustlers and readily buy
their meat without asking any ques-
lions. Then there are any number Of
men in the county who have found
1t advisable to emigrate from Texas
and the southwest for %offenses COM
mitted there and they have not the ut
most respect for the law or the rights
of property.
with this combination OF circum-
stances existing the state stock as
ISOLATION finds itself practically help
less to afford the protection to it's
members that is given in other coun-
ties. II you should hear Of some very
quick and effective administrations of
primitive law up there you need not
be surprised, for things are sure get
ting bad"