The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-07-22
TOO MUCH GRAF I
UP At BONESTEEL
Town Has Suffered a Severe
Disappointment in Its
Share of Crowds.
BAD CROWD IN CONTROL
Correspondent Recently in the Rosebud
Gateway Town Tells Something
About the Actual Conditions
There.

Sioux City Tribune:
What's the matter with Bohestcai!
A correspondent who was recently IN
Bonesteel is able to answer the question
with authority.
There is a great deal the matter with
iBonestecl, End 1t is largely too much
graft
Bonesteel is disappointed. 1t expected
ito draw the largest crowds during the
registration, and yet Yankton Is beating
1t daily. This Notwithstanding the TACT
that Boncsteel Is on the edge of the res
!eryation and the only point from which
a personal investigation of the reservation
may be made
The tented city has large population.
the large majority in the graft business.
Whats your graft?" is n common salu-
tation on the STREETS of Bonesteel.
The trustees of Boncstcel made an ar
arrangement with n firm of gamblers. for
which the gamblers paid them 500 day.
Magner e. Stanton are the head of this
firm. Magncr Is one of the squarest gam
glers in the business, as gamblers go, but
he has been unable to cope with the stu
alton. The trustees, anxious TO make as
much money as possible. failed to provide
adequate police protection. They have
employed two good men. assisted by a
force of locals so green that the Boncstecl
cows have an Irresistible inclination TO
nibble at them at they pass.
Bad Crowd in Control.
The result is that the town is absolutely
in tho hands OF grafters, thieves and
thugs Some of the best men" in tho
country are at Bonesteel, daily plying
their trade If all the well known GRIM
inals who are unblushnely In evidence at
Bonesteel were to be arrested the result
would be small fortune in rewards. The
gamblers and grafters realize they cam
mo he art pf n Or
their own interests. Each one that has
any money interests at stake has provid-
ed an arsenal OF his own, and woe to the
man who would attempt to rob these
Joints"
To minimize what little police protection
is offorded. the gamblers and grafters
have. inaugurateG policy OF intimida-
ton. A few days ago John Wcstheld Il
former Sioux City police detective, in
Cured the en1nity of the gang, because
he was supposed to have tipped off some
of them. He was wayaid In broad day
light ard knocked down, kicked and bru-
tally beaten into insensibllity. AS soon
as he recovered he left town. Nothing
was done about the matter. which was
accepted as a matter of course.
There is hardly square" gambling
game in the town. Everything is brace
game. For several days the street was
filled with Fiat joints" in which none but
the booster and the 'capper" can win.
These became so fragrant that they were
finally taken Off.
The Various "con" Games.
Confidence games are in full swing.
The Reuben" with rolf has about one
chance In 100 of getting out with it. one
OF the favorite games is progression"
In this game the stakes are constantly
doubled until the outsider has reached his
limit, and the money is then taken in and
the man elhowed out of the crowd.
Touches" Of all sorts are pulled off daily,
and the telegraph office at Bonesteel is
crowded with people wiring home for
money, many of them with a .con" man
at the elbow, urging, haste.
The fraternal order dodge Is being
worked to finish. Men are here who are
possessed Of the grips and passwords OF
the different orders. When a promising
subject arrives in town he Is given the
Z grip and tho high sign OF distress, and be-
fore he learns what Is being done with
him he is relieved Of his coin. A gang
of pickpockets, four In number, from
Omaha, has been working the town ever
since the opening, and do so with the ut
most impunity. People are safe in COM
ing to Bonesteel If they are cautious, but
for the sake of the green ones 1t is up
+ to the people Of Bonesteel to do some
thing,