Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-28
CHASE
IS SUCCESSFUL
Under Sheriff Ed. Martin Tracks Ern'
nest Hurt for $50 Miles and Brings
Him Back to Jail.
is AN ALLEGED HORSE THIEF
Charged With Having Stolen a Hors,
Belonging to Jack Mcdonald
and Skipped out.

After a chase of $50 miles, in which
he kept almost continuously on the
trail of the man he was pursuing, I'm
der Sheriff Ed. Martin found Ernest
Hurt abour % miles southwest Of For,
sythe. Rosebud county. last Friday,
arrested him and last night landed the
prisoner in jail in this city.
The tracking down of Hurt was one
of the most skillful pieces of man
hunting ever done in this country and
the %unassuming deputy deserves great
credit tor the manner in which he
hung to the trail for day after day
over a country for the most part very
sparsely settled. and finally rounded
up his man on a ranch hundreds of
miles from where the crime was com,
mitted.
On the 25th of September Hurt
took from the ranch of Jack Mcdonald
north of town. a horse which he claim.
ed was a stray. He did not wait. how
ever. to see If someone would claim
the animal, but started at once for
parts unknown. 1t was just a month
later, lacking one day, before Officer
Martin STARTED after him. With this
much of a lead against him Martin
expected u hard chase and left pre-
pared To be- gone for three or four
weeks if necessary. Hearing that his
man had started south. Martin went
first tu Roundup. Here he learned
that his man had gone east. He went
down the river to Musselshell. where
he again got on the trail Of the fugi-
tive. Martin went aipng the river to
Musselshell crossing. where he swan
the river and proceeded to Junction.
getting news of his man all along the
route. The trail led him to the Flying
T. ranch. where he located Hurt, who,
thinking he was safe from pursuit
had stopped and gone to work.
Hurt lid not have the horse alleged
to have been stolen with him, and said
it was down in Wyoming, about $50
miles farther on. He borrowed a
horse NJ the ranch for Hurt and com
menced his trip back To Lewistown,
They had 10 change horses several
times on the way back but made IL in
five days.
In speaking of the chase to the Al
gus Under Sheriff Martin said: II
hardly expected to find my man this
side of Wyoming. W. left a pretty
plain trail all of the way down and
| didn't lose il but one That was
in the southern part of this county
and | was not lost but a few hours.
On the way down | rode pretty hard,
especially after | became certain. on
the other side of the river, that ! was
right on his track. | used three
horses, changing once AT Junction and
again down the river about IS miles.
Hurt vas not expecting to see an
officer and was very much surprised
when | rode up on him down there in
Rosebud county. He made no trouble
for me on the way home"
Hurt is well known in this city. hav.
ing worked several weeks last spring
in the livery barn of Billy Woods.
Hurt was taken before Justice Nc.
Farland this morning al 10: 30 O'Clock
and pleaded guilty To the charge of
grand larceny and was bound over Ia
the district court. He requested that
he might be allowed To appear before
Judge Cheadle and get his sentence
as soon as possible. 1t is likely that
he will be taken before the court this
afternoon and get what is coming TO
him.