Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1904-12-15
DRIVE OUT SHEEP.
COnsnirmtOr Describes WantCh
killing of ThOrOug nbreds.

is the record of the past season IN Cen
tra Oregon.
Although the first organized bands OF
she pshooters were for the express pur
pose of protecting the range from so
called outside sheep, their efforts have
never been directed at anything but the
apparent extermination of home sheep,
that all public range could thus be con
served for the individual use Of the cal
tleman, TO the exclusion of al other
classes OF stock.
At different times in the past the cat
tie interests have been accused of hav-
ing an organization which has been re-
sponsbie for these depredatons, but
each time the answer would come back:
"We are not guilty, and cannot posi-
blv furnish you clew, unless it is some
irres ponsible parties who have wanton-
ly killed your stock without cause"
This answer has been max eshift to
herald to the outside world, in lieu OF
anything more defnite, but the past sea-
son has demonstrated that such is not
the case, but instead 1t has been proven
that the counties of Crook Lake and
Grant are the homes OF organized bands
OF eepshooters, organized from among
representative cattemen, who CO oper-
ate with one another in their depreda
tory acts.
The Silver Lake shootings of last
Spring furnished an example Of the dis
tances travelled by some in cooperating
with others OF the band, when cartridge
boxes were found with Prinevlle
firms cost mark on them, although the
scene of the shooting was l25 miles
from here. At that time two affairs
each other in quick succession,
resulting in the slaughter OF over 1000
sheep, and were probably also RESPONSE
bile for the death of Creed Conn, the
Silver Lake merchant. whose definite
knowledge of the affair became known
and feared through his criticisms.
The writer has been fortunate n get
ting the story OF strengthening affair
from participant and the fact that it
was unsolicited enables him to give it
without snv qualms of conscience.
His story follows:
About O'Clock in the afternoon the |
scouts that had been posted during the |
entire day had ascertained that the |
herder was alone and unarmed, and |
that we ran no chances in getting pos
session of his band. This was done by
our parry numbering some dozen men,
after We had indulged in a few prelimi- |
naries, such as firing off our guns and
he poor cuss stand pat, for if be had at
empted to run we would have had TO
kill him. He was bound and gagged to
prevent his getting away and giving the
.larm, and was then placed by the side
If tree.
"The band of sheep, numbering about
900, was then driven to a corral on
eeded land, which was done for a
ouble purpose, as We could then shoot
Without their scattering, and we could
lso point to the carcasses and say:
Well, they were on decided land, and
'boever xii ed them did 80 merely as
n act protecting their own property. {
Ve then kne't with our knees on the
round, that every shot from our 80 30's
hight take effect in more than one
leep, and thus save ammunition. In
lis manner more than 1900 shots were
red, and az a result 1900 sheep were
lied.
"Thuse Of the band that succeeded in
ettrg away were without a herd r for +
20 days, and many succumbed to the
tacks OF the coyotes
"Ye7, we had our faces blackened, 50
at we could not be recognized, aud it
as a veritable picnic. Had everything