Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-11
AN OKLAHOMA SOCIETY.
What It Has Done for the Territory's
Morals.

In the two territories. soon to be
united as one state under the name
oklahoma. the Anti-Horse Thief Assoc
citation has grown in numbers and I'M
portance more than in any other state
in the Union. and today James 5. Kirk
wood of Guthrie is the head of an army
of 10000 men. all residents of Okla
hona and Indian territory. each man OF
whom is subject to immediate service
at any time to take the trail and aid in
the capture, at least, of the festive horse
thief
With the advance of civilization
across the Western praries the horse
thief and his band have been buffeted
and beaten until they bid fair to take
their place in obscurity with the buffa-
10. deer and antelope. Instead of the
vast expanses of prairie which afforded
ample avenue of escape for the horse
thief and his gang of marauders. the
plains are now dotted with towns, in
each of which is located telegrap phi in
Strument. Il device which has done
more to eradicate the horse thief and
his methods than any other agent. BY
it's means the bandit has no sooner
broken the law until he is hemmed in
on all sides by United States marshals,
sheriffs. farmers posses and vigilance
committees who either force his sur
render or shoot him down in battle.
The passing of the horse thief in Ok
lahoma can be credited largely to the
efforts of the Anti Horse Thief AssOcia-
ton. which now has close to LOCO
lodges in oklahoma and Indian terri
tory. with Il total membership of
10000 men. The National Anti Horse
Thief Association was organized in
Northern Missouri forty-three years
ago. and ii ultimately extended its
membership into all of the middle ana
Western states and territories. Dur
ing the past Year in oklahoma alone
there We're organized l3l new hodges
with a membership Of $4,000. In this
county seventeen new lodges We're or
sanized during the year with over 700
members. Throughout Indian territory |
the increase has been even greater. In |
the territorial division Of the National |
Association there is one lodge to every |
sixty square miles; in Kansas one to |
every 2I6 square miles: in oklahoma |
alone one to every 40 square miles. |
PaWnee county has Il lodge to every |
twentN-siX square miles. Lincoln and |
POttaw1tOmie counties one TO every |
thirtylive square miles. Logan one to
every thirty eight and Greer county |
one to every 14O.
During the past year the association
has aided in the capture of 1871 horse
thieves and the recovery of $4,000 |
worth of stolen horses. There were
12i horses stolen and 1876 recovered.
some of them being stolen during the
previous year. out of the 1871 thieves
III have been convicted. an
excellent record for the association.
The annual convention of the assoc
citation of the two territories will be
held in Guthrie during the coming
week. There will be at least 5000 dele
gates present The president is james
$. KirkwoOd of Guthrie. who is now
serving his sixth term in that position.
He is the commander of this army of
thief catchers and in case of trouble
can call every man into the field.
A great part of the prominence at
tained by krkwood as president of the
association and as the great intrepid
leader in the two territories is due to
Ira veIer' a black stallion. which has
been in KirkwoOd possession for many
years He is said to be able to scent a
horse thief for several miles. and he
is more widely known in Oklahoma
than any other animal in the territory.
The horse has carried KirkwoOd all
lay and all night without rest except
'or food and water. Traveller is now
Is years old. but he is still able to catch
he air Of excitement in a man hunt