The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-06-19
OF RUSTLERS
AT LAST CORRALLED
"circie Society,"" West of the
River, Terrorized the
Range Country.
INDIANS CONFESS
C. II. Wilkie of the Stockrnan's Asso'
citation Discovers Interior Work
inss of a Desperate Bunch Of
Stock Thieves.

o s. d., June 1o.-In the VII
LESSONS of Claude Eagle Pipe, Henry
Pipe, William Black Bull and Moses
Goodvoice, a quartet of Indians against
whom from two to three charges OF
horse and cattle rustitng have beer
lodged. the officers OF Lyman county
have secured evidence involving a large
number Of rustlers who are members
OF An oath bound secret organization
called the Circle Society" which has
for its object wholesale plundering OF
stockmen.
The disclosures are sensational in the
extreme and it is believed now that the
campaign Of thievery carried on by this
band is approaching an end.
The confessions were secured by De-
tecttve c. H. Wilkie, a special officer
OF the Stockmen's association. who dis
guised as a rustler. got in touch with
the rang and learned the tnnerniost
time was propitious he bore down
hard on the Indians and by taking
them unawares and giving them no OPP
portunity to communicate with eacii
other he secured confessions which
dovetail together in a chain of evil
dence which it appears nothing can
break
SAS "a AHC aye A~S
been convicted at this term Of circuit
court now being held by Judge Smith
OF Mitchell. and the three other Indians
Win likely be found guilty, for the evil
n is practically the same in all
cases.
Forced Honest Men In.
In the Circle Society me We're re-
CURED to take an oath of secrecy and
loyalty and in many instances re-
rrnn%~ ,-- H. -
Join for self protection, some OF them
being threatened with assassination
II they did net.
The headquarters Of the Circle"
were at the ranch of q prominent stock
man eighty-fve miles west Of here. The
plan adopted In stealing is substantially
as follows:
ing an animal would run it to the near
est point" in the circle where the
brand was worked over n the animal
rushed to the next point" and sold
for a small sum to another member of
the gang. the thief giving a bill of sale
for 1t. The last purchaser would hurry
the animal TO the next ranch and sell it
for a sum & little larger than the first
and SO On until the animal eventually
was disposed of to an innocent pur-
chacer for what it IA worth. The
money was afterward divided proper
ttonately among the members of the
society.
Il. during the process of underground
railway thieving. an official got on the
trail OF the thieves, he was passed
along the line from one member to an
until he had arrived perhaps at
the original member of the circle who
had stolen the animal. This mar would
refer b officer to an Indian, who in
would pass him on to another.
AT length. after many delays. the officer
get to the Indian, who would
claim the animal had been brought TO
his place during the night by somebody
to him The official having
got to the end of his string would have
TO quit. All this is told by the four
prisoners 10Y on trial here for cattle
rustlirg.
Shoot and Mutilate Stock.
Frequently when hard pressed by the
owners or officials, the thieves would
shoot the stock and then cut off the
and the brands. thus destroying
evidence against them.
Frank McCluskeS. a ranchEan near
Creek, has lost seven head of
horses during the past few weeks. His
horse, Slim Neck was recently
stolen and Detective Wilkie and an as
found the carcass OF the ami
NAL in a creek. The animal had been
put in mourning as a special warn
Ing to McCluskey. for whom the gang
the bitterest hatred.
Ranchman Richardson has lost twen-
horses. Six of them were shot
and the ears and brands emoved by
the rustlers, who were in danger Of
being caught. Colonel C. p. Jordan.
Indian trader at Rosebud agency. has
lost about loo cattle the s year. as
we'll as q number OF horses. Pos.rras-
ter Custer of Rosebud Is also n heavy
loser. Recently thirty-fiye head of
We're poisoned,
The thieves have become desperate
Of late. They have placed q bounty CT
$500 on the head of II OF the Hanson
brothers. who have lost much stock the
past year. The brothers have fought
the gang and defed II and refused to
join the circle society"
The Information in possession OF the
here hasn't been given out in
full. as they expect to arrest 4 large
number of rustlers within the next few
Many of the rustlers. it is said
the Indians have "peached.~
are ileelng the country.
EfSFE