The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-13
CUTLERY SHEEP co.
Is Object of the Cattle Mems
Attack.
Silas CUTLERY, Former Marionite,
Owner of Compauy-0th Marion
Men Interested Outlaws Caught.


Of country beyond the banks Of the
Mississippi, SCARED with tragedy
vivid with romance, where justice
is sudden and not always statuatory
and the meti,de of mems minds is
sensitive to the slightest encoach-
mont upon the right of propety
many a dhapter of the story of the
matching of wits and muCcle is
written i'm fire and blood, and read
by citizens back East in the peace.
full glow of the evening lamp much
as youth persues and thrills over
the marvellous happenings of the
Arabian Knights, half doubling all
the while.
On the night of August 1 last,
ten weaitherbeaten and determined
men met in little dhoolhouse in
Crook county Wyoming. Silently
they came, quietly they conferred.
their faces 1ieIhted now and then by
the fitful gleam OF the fire, for in
this northwest the dhtl of evening
sqturates the body anil dampens the
ardor; then silently they rode away.
holding in their hearts secret
whkih If 1t might have been read,
would have electrified the entire
s'ate For these ten men Of the
fromier were lcattlemen whose herds
grazed on a hundred hills, and
steady flame of hatred for the sheep
men threatening their boundaries
burned in their hearts. For a long
time bal blood has existed between
cowboys ann herders, for cattle car
net be grazed over ground used az
sheep pasture. Hara-sing failed to
dr,ve the herders from. their po-
sitions so they must be displaced by
force.
First among the offenders ia the
eyes of the cattlemen was the
C;uthery Sheep company, owned AM
operated by Silas CUTLERY brother OF
the late U. X. CUTLERY and at one
time sheriff of Marion county.
Gnthery purchased large tracts oil
grazirl7 land In Crook county where
with his oyersealis and herders he
prepared to grow wool on a large
a-a'e. That he had paid for the land
and given of his strength and en-
ergy to fit it for ranchinIg meant
nothing to the cattlemen He was a
raiser of lowly sheep, an accusation
sufficient for rapid gunplay on any
man daring TO cast such an aspersion
on the character OF another in this
cattle country. A raiser OF sheep
was a social ouu3ast, entitled to the
respect and consideration of no real
man. Neverless CUTLERY and his
band went serenely on their way,
prospecting. extending their interests.
Ignoring the petty insults of their
tormentors.
Ten prominent land holders and
ranchmen were particularly bitter
against the sheep company They
were Ike, Andy and Sam Mexican,
d. w. AIo barger, George Martini
Stanley Baugh, j. T.. Mulholland,
Henry z'mmerso!a9id and NJ. Squires,
the lattor In tho employ OF Baugh.
The unprovoked attacks Of these
men in CUTLERY domains were COM
mon gosslp, yet so powerful was
their Influence in the community
and so strong wa5 the sentiment
against sheep that not a murmur OF
II crept into the press OF tine county
or was given out by correspondents
for the state papers.
Aslccesaion Of the destructive
fires on Guthery ranches extending
over two months followed the mid
night coun9ll In the Rchoo,house
That they were of incendiary origin
was fact too salient TO be denied.
On October ! a sheep wagon on
Mule creek was burned AMI the
herder left without grub or kit.
October 30 one hundred tons OF hay
on the Sdhmes ranch was consigned
to flames; November two houses
on the Berry ranch were burned 20
The ground; November Z eighty tons
of hay on the Hulett ranch w're
reduced TO ashes.
About this time Sherff Ferrell,
fearless officer of the diatnict, de-
olded the lives OF the herders had
been in danger quite long enough
anII that the lawlessness OF the cat-
temen must be dhdsked II amy sort
OF order was 10 be maintained in
Crook county. With the aid OF
Joseph LeFors, daring and efficient
detective well acquainted with the
principals In the case, quiet es-
plonage was conducted for several
weeks. At last Mamtin and squires
were caught In the tolls and a par
tlal confession duplicating the
others obtained No longer indmidat'