Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-07-15
RACE WAR
THREATENED
~ Feeling Between Cattle Men and
Sheep Men Of Carbon County
Once More Manifest.
ELEVEN CATTLE MEN ARRESTED
Charged With Having Killed Sheep
and Shot Into the Wagon Of a
W~ooIgrower.

Red Lodge, July 11.-According 10
the story told by d. N. Brown, when
he appeared in a justice court In
Bridger and asked for warrants for
the arrest Of twelve we'll known resi-
dents of the Sage creek country. the
trouble between the cattle men and
sheep men in that locality has reach.
ed a climax. Mr.. Brown tells q story
of having been stopped on the pub
lie highway, several Of his sheep shot
and his sheen wagon riddled with bull
lets.
The men for whom the warrants are
issued are Hugh Chelsey. William
Wendt, George Bean, Charles Ingram.
Bert Bent, John Rhodes, Wallace
Bent, Corbett Bennett, William Gardi-
ner, Earl Rhodes, william Schaultz
and William cambridge. These men
are all well known cattle men, and
it is said that they and others have
issued an ultimatum that the fine
range country at the head OF Sage
creek and on Pryor mountain must
be kept sacred to cattle, which edict,
it Is claimed, they are determined to
enforce at any cost.
Browns story is that he first receiv-
ed word that IL he did not keep his
sheep away from that country he
would be hanged. He had been rang.
ing on the head Of Blue Water. Pay.
ing no attention to the threat he start.
ed to take his sheep to the home
range on Sage creek, when, he claims,
he was attacked on the public high.
way by a mob which commanded him
to turn about and go back the way
he came. It was in the afternoon
and he could plainly see those who
were attacking him. He says he recog'
nized the men against whom he has
sworn out warrants today.
The trouble, Mr.. Brown says, began
the night before, when Hugh Chelsey
and Corbett Bennett attacked his
herder, John Cochrane, knocking him
down, taking his rife away and break
ing it in pieces. Then Brown and
his wife started to move the sheer
down the road to the home ranch
Mrs. Brown was driving In the sheer
wagon and her husband was riding
keeping the band in shape.
The twelve men involved, Brown
says, ordered him back from the home
ranch and told him to get out of the
country. He refused, drew his CUR
and told them to keep back. Their
they divided into two groups, wen
back 300 yards and began firing int
the band of sheep and into the sheer
wagon. Four or five bullets took ef
feet In the wagon, although they dit
not harm Mrs. Brown.
About twenty-five or thirty shot
were fired, all told. A number o
sheep were disabled, and, ALTHOUGH
none were killed outright, Brown say
several of them will die. Things be
came SO warm for him that Brown dc
cided to turn back toward the Blue
water. There he left a man In charg,
OF the sheep and came to Bridger h
swear out the warrants. He says b
is caring for the sheep for q person re
siding in Billings, whose name he di'
not disclose. This afternoon he lef
for Billings.
1t Is claimed that the party that in
terIered with Brown, also turned Jos
eph Brinton back q day or two ago
Brinton has leased two ranches from
E. I. Frates, proprietor Of the Pryo
sawmill, which command q big stretcl
of the coveted range. It Is claime'
that Brinton says that he will TAX
his sheep to the leased lands in spit
of all opposition, and more seriou
trouble Is feared.