The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-01
SHEEP HERDERS
IN PRIVATE WAR
Evanston Company'S Employees
Have Fights With Men Work
ing for ]. S. Peery.

According to reports received here yes
terday, a war between sheepmen has been
going on for some time on the open gov
vernment Monte Cristo township, stu
ated in Rich and Weber counties. about
forty miles northeast of this city. The
trouble seems to be between the herders
of the Neponsit Live Stock company of
Evanston and those taking care of the
herds for Joseph S. Peery of Ogden. 1t is
claimed the trouble was brought about
by the former company mixing one of
their wetheT herds with one of the Peery
eve and lamb herds. Recently two of
the heTders came TO blows and one of
them pulled a knife. which he was per
Suaded to put away before the Scuttle
occurred, in which both men were con-
siderably battered up. Arrests are eX-
pected to follow.
According to the meagre reports re-
ceiVed here, IL seems that there are many
herds owned by different persons on the
open township mentioned, and that the
Neponsit Live Stock company has about
twenty-five herds in that locality. These
include four or five wetheF herds. Mr.
Peery has four herds of ewes and lambs
there. 1t is claimed that the Neponslt
GOmpanyS representative notItled one OF
the Peery herders that he would allow
him just two days to move his sheep
away This the herder refused to do.
About the same time man named
Hooper, who halls from North Carolina
fOremen, went to another Peery camp and
threatened to drive his wether herd on
the Peery bed ground. Christensen, the
herder for PeeTy at this camp, refused to
move his sheep and that night the Nepon-
sit dry herd was mixed with the Peery eve
and lamb herd on the Peery bed ground.
The next morning Christensen and
Hooper met II is reported that ChrlSten-
sen told Hooper that he had succeeded
in getting what he was looking for and
that Hooper replied: Whats that, mix
up?' Upon being answered in the af-
firmative he began to curse the Peery
man and went al him with knife. After
Hooper agreed TO put MS knife away
the two men fought hard for some time.
Finally Christensen got Hooper down and
thereafter the scrap was all in favor OF
the Peery herder.
When Mr. Peery learned of the trouble
he notified his men to take the sheep
away from the locality at once and to
avoid any further trouble He admits
that he is unable to contend against the
superiOr force and says he is not anX-
lous to take the law in his own hands.
To insist upon remaining on the ground,
he fears, would result in blOOdShed. He
will investigate fully the report and If
he finds that il is true he will COM
mence an action against the Neponsit
company before Judge Marshall in the
United States court with view of OBJ
tanning damages for what is represented
as an intentional miX-up and to see what
redress the Sheepmen have on the open
domain.
In Mr. Peerys opinion the open Monte
CristO township should be put in a reser-
walton with government officers In
charge. As it is, he claims, the range is
feing killed by overcrowding and over
stocking and the small sheep owner has
but little show to graze against the organ
iZation Of a large outfit that might de-
termine to mOnopoliZe the open range. A
criminal action may also be commenced
against the man Hooper.