Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-05-01
THIEVES.
WERE DIRECTED
BY WOMAN'S WIT
Clever Schemer Whose Wiles
Wrought Terror Among the
Pioneer Stockmen.

SoNOAfAaJ ~ D't
dictment of Joseph DeMarsche for cat
tie rustling and the action of Judge
Garland, of Sioux Falls, last week IN
holding him for trial at Deadwood next
month, brought to light a remar
able story of the formation OF an
avowed thieving society, in which a
woman's wit played an important part.
The Circle society" as this organl-
zation, dreaded by every stockman in
Lyman and Presho counties, was called,
was the product of the brains of Mrs.
Meyer Winter and her husband. Bound
by all the rules of a black han So
ciety, operating Systematically, with Il
membership so secret that no man
knew whether his neighbor was a thief
or honest citizen, this organization for
Is years terrorized this trans-Missouri
county. Jack Sully, picturesque out
law, In his aerie on a high hill in the
toughest part of the country. was one
of the chiefs in the conspiracy.
The Circle society held its monthly
meetings at DeMarsche ranch on the
Biz White river, above the town of
Westover. The officers Of the society
were: Meyer Winter, president; David
Winter, treasurer, and Joe DeMarsche,
secretary. Winter left the country
some time g to escape liability on q
bond. He had a store at Westoyer.
where members of the circle came to
talk over plans with him and his wife.
Colombo is now il the penitentiary for
cattle ruStling and DeMarsche is at bay
in the courts.
Mrs. Winter, as treasurer, received
the profits of the wholesale thefts and
distributed them pro rata among the
members. AS natural to one in her
prominent place, she was never at a
loss to suggest ways and means to in
crease the loot of the society, pointing
out herds that could be taken and re-
branded and showing the precise way
to do IT.
Monthly assessments were paid by
each member into the treasury the
funds so raised were used in defending
any membe of the organization who
might be arrested for stealing cattle or
horses. Because of its extensive MEM
bership and the secrecy which attended
its operations, 1t could never be known
whether or not members were on the
juries that heard the evidence against
any one of the society on trial. John
Bartine, county attorney, dared to un-
dertake the breaking up Of this organi-
cation and, though his house was burnt
over his head and he was threatened
with death time n again, he never re-
Tented in the unequal struggle. Mem
bers of the society even were elected to
OoA SkilCty 0O SSGlSl z e
all their doings.
Two regular meetings of the circle
were held each month, on Sundays
usually, and there was always a large
attendance. Whites. mixed bloods and
Indians were represented in the organi-
cation.
John @. Anderson crossed one of the
members in a saloon at Chamberlain,
defying an order to dance under a re-
volver n twisting the weapon from
the hands of the outlaw. Knowing this
stockman on the Crow creek to be one
of their indefatigable opponents and
smarting under his insult, the society
heard and adopted a motion to ruin
Anderson's business. Every member Of
the circle too an oath tina he would
shoot every head of live stock belong
ing TO Anderson, wherever he might
find 1t within the next two weeks, and
the society furnished the ammunition.
At the next meeting of the circle the
members were called on to report how
well they had carried out their pledges
and ii was shown that over 200 of An
derson's cattle n horses had been
slain.
The oath of membership in the So
ciety was terrible enough to do justice
to a Clan-a-Gael. the death penalty be-
ing expressly provided for any act of
disloyalty. With the settling of the
country, the organization has had more
n more trouble to keen out of the
clutches of the law. A number of it's
members are already in prison and if
DeMarsche is convicted, il is likely the
n of cattle rustling In this section
Will have been sounded.