The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-05
FACT FULLY IMPRESSED UPON
JOHN NICHOLS.
DARING OF NOTED OUTLAW
Clutch" Cassidy Suddenly Reappears
in Old Haunts-visit Causes
Big Scare.

ty and the theft of a member of the
canine tribe is punishable as petty
larceny. 1t is because of this recog-
milton of proprietary rights attach
ing to Bowser that John Nichols is at
present in the county Jail serving a
sentence of SO days.
Nichols was at Columbus a few days
ago and while in n of the stores
of the place a dog belonging to Dave
Pierson made friendly advances to-
ward him. Something about the ami
NAL caused Nichols to suddenly form
a desire to own him and he proceeded
to steal him then and there. AS if to
aid him in his %larcenous designs the
dog had a collar on and Nichols
bought a piece of rope, which he
fastened to the collar and led the dog
out Of the back door and toward the
stone quarries, near where he vas in
camp. From there he left the town
and when the owner vas informed
of the loss of his "purp' Nichols had
a good start for the country beyond.
This, however, did not deter Pierson
from taking steps at once to recover
his four-footed friends. He went to
a justice of the peace and caused a
warrant to be issued for the arrest
of Nichols. The constable to whom
the warrant was given for service
started in pursuit and finally over
took Nichols and the dog at Fifteen
Mile creek and took both in charge
and returned with them to Columbus,
necessitating a trip of over 100 miles.
Nichols was arraigned and pleaded
not guilty. He claimed that the dog
had followed him and that he did
not steal him. Several witnesses,
among them the store keeper who had
sold him the rope, testified that it
was simply a case of stealing a dog,
a view of the matter the justice
seems to have taken, for he fined
Nichols $66 or 33 days in the county
Jail.
Nichols was unable to liquidate and
he was brought down here and is now
undergoing his punishment. A friend
promised to pay the fine for him, but
at last accounts the good Samaritan
had not yet appeared and the pur-
loiner of Persons canine was still
in durance vile.
Notwithstanding that rewards ag-
gregating $4,000, offered by the state,
railroad and express companies and
private individuals are standing for
the arrest of Butch Cassidy, and that
most of them contain the clause dead
or alive that noted Wyoming outlaw
does not seem to be in any fear of be-
ing captured by any Of the men who
in the past have chased him and who
still claim. to be anxious to earn the
money to be made by either arresting
or killing him. While it is true that
he is not as free and reckless in his
movements as he might be were he
not ware of the financial value that
attaches to him viewed from the
standpoint of the man hunter, still
he Wanders about with considerable
freedom and occasionally walks right
into the lairs of his enemies" The
speaker was a gentleman who resides
in Wyoming and who was in the city
a few days ago.
Probably to show that he is still
alive and not overly much afraid of
those who nave designs on his liberty
and personal safety, Butch showed up
last week at Grand Encampment and
while he did not advertise his identity,
neither did he appear to have made
n particular attempt at conceal
ment. He walked about the camp
n entered saloons as of old, but be-
haved himself we'll and made no ex-
cuse for anyone to interfere with him.
Although it had been three or more
years since he had been there, he was
recognized by a number of persons.
among them at least one of his old
cronies. None of those who knew him
betrayed him and he left the town as
mysteriously and suddenly as he had
appeared. 1t was only after he had
gone that those who had recognized
him gave it out that he had been
there. But the funny part was that as
soon as it became known that Butch
was still alive and had actually had
the temerity to revisit his old stamp
ing ground there suddenly arose an
unusual demand for firearms. Every
saloon, store and gambling place in
the camp at once assumed the appear
I'M of a n armory because it was