The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-22
Goes FOR DEWEYS
Millionaire CattIeman and Son
to Be Arrested.
Three OF Their Employees In
cluded in Warrants.
CHARGE INTIMIDATION
Fencing of Government Lands
Is Also in Indictments.
Bills Were Found by Federal
Grand Jury.
Deputy Marshal NfcGrath Is
After the Men.
CHARGE INTIMIDATION

Frank McGrath, deputy United States
marshal, is today speeding to the west
ern part of the state carrying with him
warrants for the arrest of C. p. Dewey,
Chauncey Dewey, William Mcbride,
Louis Mcbride and w. J. Radcliff,
charging them with offenses for which
the federal court may. at its November
term, land them in Jail to serve long
sentences.
Probably the most important bit of
work of the federal grand jury at Leav-
enworth week ago was the finding Of
indictments on charges of intimidation
of settlers and of fencing government
lands against the five men named There
are witnesses galore against the ranch
men, who have already been introduced
to notoriety through their bloody en-
counter with the Berry family in which
two sons were Killed last spring. The
names of "a witnesses are endorsed upon
the information upon which the defend
ants will be tried. The most important
of these were present and testified be
fore the grand jury at Leavenworth.
Seven counts were found against each
of the men indicted. The serious charge
is that of intimidating settlers who de-
sired to pre-empt government lands.
L he l0uSTdI law covering InlS OIIeuSc
attaches a penalty of fine not to ex-
coed $4,000 and imprisonment of not
more than ten years. Should convic-
tons be secured upon all the counts
each man would be liable for Sa5. 600 in
fines and seventy years imprisonment.
1t is charged that the Deweys proh1b-
1ueu settlers from taking up claims of
government land which they had en-
closed by their ranch fences.
seven counts have also been brought
against the five men for fencing gov
eminent land The penalty for this
offense is $1,000 fine with not more than
one year imprisonment. c. p. Dewey
is the Chicago capitalist, owner of
Eureka Lake at Manhattan, where he
is now making his home. He is the
owner of the great Dewey ranch in
Cheyenne and Rawlins counties.
Chauncey Dewey is his son. w. Nc
Bride and his brother. Lewis, were
riders on the Dewey ranch While w. J.
Radcliff is land agent of Atwood and
has been in the employ of the elder
Dewey. They are jointly charged in the
indictments - -s-
Among the principal witnesses In the
case will be Roy and Beach Berry, two
of the Berry brothers who fought with
Dewey, Mcbride and Wilson last spring.
Other witnesses will be Jake TilIDury,
settler, County Attorneys F. Robert
son of Rawlins and E. d. Hotchkiss of
Cheyenne and r. S. Hendricks, an az
torney of Atwood.
The information upon which these
cases were prepared was furnished IN d
report filed last summer by E. L. Hen
dershot, a government land agent, who
investigated the fence war among the
eattlemen, with reference to the govern
ment land fencing laws.
c. p. Dewey, Ghauncey Dewey and the
two McBrides are at Eureka Lake,
where they have remained ever since the
difficulty between the Dewey ranch
riders and the Berry family early in
June. Ratcliff is at his home at Atwood,
so far as is known.
The DeweyS control immense
amount of land in Cheyenne and Raw
Inns counties which is devoted to ranch
purposes. For several years. past, in ex-
tending their land holdings, they have
come into alterations with adjoining
settlers whose land they enclosed within
their own line fences. Determined OPP
position was met from the members of
the Berry family, consisting of father,
two sons and a cousin. The Berrys
charged the Deweys with pasturiug
their cattle upon Berry land and with
otherwise trespassing upon their pro-
perty.
The Deweys relied upon wealth and
fighting numbers to carry out their
plan of extending their ranch to the
western line of the state. One morning
three men from the Dewey ranch,
Chauncey Dewey, W. J. Mcbride and
Wilson attacked and fired upon three
members of the Berry family they
were engaged in moving a water tank
and We're unarmed. Two of the Rerrys