Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-12-28

Cantrell is not apparent, but during
the past few weeks 1t seems to have
been the fashion among Montana
weeklies, and some dailies, to give
this peculiar character generous write
ups. Some of these might be term
ed romances, so far are they from the
truth.
But when 1t comes to recollectlons
of happenings in this section of Mon
tana, the Argus must not be overlook
ed and there are men In Fergus coun-
ty today who probably knew "Flopping
Bill" quite as well, IL not far better,
than any of those who have recently
essayed to tell the public about him
and his participation in the vigalante
proceedings of the eighties.
Last week the Argus republished
from another Montana paper one of
these accounts of "Flopping Bills"
career, and this, happening to meet
the eyes of one who knows, the Argus
reporter secured the interesting de-
tails for publication.
Where did you get that cock and
bull story about 'Flopping Bill,'" was
the inquiry directed to the reporter;
"the fellow that wrote that sure never
knew Bill and probably got what he
wrote from somebody else who didn't
know much more than he did"
why he hasn't got hardly single
thing straight and the dates given are
everyone of them at least fifteen
months off.
That story says the cleanup of
horse thieves and desperadoes was
made in 1855. when 1t was in 1884,
and 1t wasn't in the fall of the year.
either. Look up your old copies of
the Argus il you've got them and
you'll find out when 1t was: then I'll
come and see you beto,e | go back
home and IL you want the true story
you can have it: the story has never
been printed that I've seen and it will
make good Christmas reading, but not
for the little folks"
With that much to start on, Il did
not take the writer very long to find
in the columns of the Argus for the
summer of 1884, some of the details
OF the cleanup. and especially not
able was the fact that before a single
horsethief had been short-shifted TO
his finish, the Argus had editorially
urged just the action which was taken.
And when our old friend came in
later in the afternoon the principal
features of the following story were
obtained:
In 1884 Lewistown was trading
post only; the biggest settlement in
the Basin was Maiden, where the Ar
gus was then published. The most
important point in central Montana
was Fort Maginnis abandoned in
1881 and the principal industry rails
ing cattle and horses. the stock run
ming winter and summer upon the
open range, for aside from the cor
rails, there was scarcely a fence in
what is now Fergus county. The two
biggest outfits" or cattle companies,
in these parts were what was known
as the ID. ii. s." outfit and the 'Dia-
mond" outfit, so known from their
brands.
Granville Stuart, now a resident Of
Butte, was the head of the ID. H. s.
outfit, whose principal ranch was a
few miles below Fort Maginnis on
Ford creek; Reese Anderson was a
partner of Stuart's and still resides
near the old place.
In the Argus of June II, 1854, ap-
peared an editorial citing conditions
as regards cattle and horse thieves.
II was stated that the patience of the
stockmen was Just about exhausted; ;
that every day and every month cat
tie were killed and horses run OF and
sold; that only a few days before a
man living near Maiden was robbed
of thirteen head in single night
all he had, except one on the road
from Ft. Benton. The editorial favor
ed organization to rid the country OF
the outlaws.
The issue of two weeks later con-
tained an account of the killing OF two
horse thieves by cowboys near Lavina,
showing that the same conditions pre-
vailed In that locality.
But to take up "Flopping Bill" and
his part in the incidents which follow
for they were but incidents In the
civilization of Montana, as was the
work of the vigalantes about Ban
mack, Virginia City and In Alder Gulch
twenty years before this story opens.
Where "Flopping Bill" came from,
we cannot say; probably he was one
~ ass S.I 10
the middle west during the gold ex'
citement. It has been written that
his real name was "Quantrell' and
that he participated with the famous
"Quantrell" guerrillas In war times,
But this Is probably yarn, and his
true name is believed to have been
William Cantrell.
According to our old-timer, the nick.
name "Flopping Bill was given to
him when he was a woodchopper on
the Missouri river. Bill was a hard
worker and chopped and piled many
hundreds of cords OF wood for the
river boats. When asked how he sue.
ceeded In getting out so much wood
he once replied: "The trees is froze
and Just strike 'em once and they
flop open" So he was named Flop
ping Bill"
Bill lived along the Missouri river
for many years and knew every one
of the desperate characters who cross
ed and re-crossed the river with stolen
horses and made its banks their rem
devious. He lived down there as lone
as IL was considered healthful for one
not a member Of the gang, to know
too much about them and after that