Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-04-16
H%OSTETTER'S
BITTERS
GANG OF HORSE THIEVES.
Sheriff Gradin Of Mclean County and
Sheriff Schofield Of Ward County
Bring Them to Time.


Bring Them to Time.
Minot Optic: An organized gang
of horse thieves. who have been oper-
ating successfully in this county for
the past six or sever months, came to
sudden grief at the instigation Of
Sheriff Scof1eld, who set out ON their
trail sometime ago. and managed to To-
cate them through the efforts Of one
of his deputies that have followed the
| gang for the past week. The gang
was cOrralled by Sheriff Gradin. of
Mclean county. when they reached
Washburn.
The leaders of the gang arrived at
Washburn with about twenty-five head
Of horses. most of them stolen from
farmers in this county, and the initia-
tive. which led to the arrest of them.
was made by Leslie Cotton, of Burling-
ton. The latter missed several of his
horses a while ago, and in looking for
.he"'. found his property among a herd
in the possession of two men who are
known as Carter and Campbell. and
who are known to have been engaged
in rebranding horses in this section.
Cotton Immediately identified his prop
| erty and took it away with him, and at
once acquainted Sheriff Scoield of the
matter. The latter started out on a
still hunt and put several others onto
the lookout for the parties wanted. and
last Saturday his work was rewarded
by information furnished by one of his
assistants in locating the gang and
their possessions at the Ward ranch.
sixty miles southwest of here. The
sheriff telegraphed a close description
of the men to Sheriff Gradin, at Wash
burn, to keep a lookout for the gang
as they were believed to be heading in
that direction. Sheriff Schofield and
enc Of his deputies started out imme-
diately following the telegram. for
W%ashburn. and expected to reach there
sometime Sunday morning.
Late Saturday afternoon a telegram
from Sheriff Gradin to Sheriff Scofield
stated that the men were under arrest
and were awaiting the arrival of the
Ward county officers. In the absence
of the sheriff, his brother. James SEQ
field. answered the telegram stating
that the Ward county officers were or
their way to W%ashburn.
The men under arrest at Washburn
who will be brought here to the county
Jail, are evidently experts in their line
AS eviderce their method of operating
is something new in these sections
andtheir capture furnishes proof and
aus of compliment to our present
efficient and obliging sheriff.
One Of the tactics so far discovered
shows that the man would place a pri'
vate brand upon a horse which they
could approach. the mark being in the
shape of a crows foot. and in order tt
prevent its immediate detection raise
the hair of the animal, which at this
season is naturally long, and impress!
the brand. The latter could not bt
noticed until after being thoroughly
healed and the shedding of hair, ant
the new coat had devclc ped. In thi!
banner the e2rg could. after a shcr
time Law claim to branded horses an<
prove them 10 be Of their herd. by thu
secret mark thus imposed.
Sheriff Scofield with the prisoners il
expected to arrive here sometime to
morrow and they will be lodged in jai
until the coming term Of the distric
court.