River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-04-14

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cowboys and ponies--both
of the unbridled variety;
bad whose chief business tc
start graveyards. and the glad primeval
lawlessness that prevails when worlds
are new.
Not so many years ago the Panhandle
was distinctly a world apart and new
one. With No-Man's Land on the north.
Indian Territory on the east and New
Mexico on the west civilization could
come only from the south, and it did not
come very fast. Indeed, there was still
plenty of territory in that direction to
be subdued-two three tiers of coun-
ties in fact-before the Panhandle would
be reached. So it was place apart
isolated fertile land, justifying the as
sertion of tramp that he had lost $780,
900 there in one year by not having cat
tie to eat up the grass
The cattle came in due time, fighting
back the Apache and the COmanche pro-
tected by Rangers from Fort Griffin, ac-
companied by stockmen of every nation,
cowboys of every grade and criminals of
every breed. That was wild epoch |
chaotic and picturesque-a time of indi-
vidual administration and untempered
justice.
1t was also a time of mighty domain.
Ranches there were as big as some king
doms. One, the x. l. T., covered a good |
portion of the northern part of the Pan /
handle. Another the Matador, spread II
itself into five counties When settle V U
ment became thicker-when there were "
ranch houses not than 25 to 80
miles apart-official allotment of the IW
lands was made Then there was grand ES
gobble. The big stockmen fenced every Is
thing with little regard for boundaries -
and less for the law
With such examples as these in high
places, it is not strange that general indif-
ference to legal rights and possessions pre-
vailed. Next to cattleraising cattle-stealing
was the chief industry. The cowboy proper
was not concerned in such work. He was like
ly to be cleanhanded, straightforward even
If reckless, individual, honest according to his
lights. True, loyalty to his employer might
render him tri1e Indifferent as to brands and
marks when strays mixed with the herd but
1t was the employer and not the cowboy who
profited by such laxity. The cowboy
retainer who would fight for his RANCH would
die for 1t when circumstances seemed to re-
quire such sacrifice, and the increase of the
ranch herd by any means short of actual raid
and theft was a custom which bore no relation
to disrepute. But individually the cowboy was
likely to be the soul of honor and good nature,
troublesome only on holidays when he was
moved to ride into the nearest settlement,
drink up all the whisky ne could buy, and then,
with six-shooter drawn, go careering up and
down the streets, shooting in random direc-
TONS explaining meantime with noisy and
repetitious adjectives that he bad man
a very bad man from very far up the creek.
The Panhandle was full of bad men in the
early nineties Most of them had graduated
from other schools of crime and found here
a last resort Some of them-a good many of
them-had obtained official positions and were
outlaws and deputies by turns, or worked con-
junctively as both. AS rule they were in one
way or another associated with gang.
Local authorities, even when conscientious,
were poorly equipped to cope with such an ele-
ment, and it was for Company Ranger Force,
consisting of eight men with quarters at ANA
rillo Capt w j. Mcdonald commanding, to
police this vast wilderness, and to capture and
convert, or otherwise tame, its undesirable
citizens.
Soon after McDonalds appointment he was
notified of a maraudng band that across In
Hutchinson county, were committing the usual
crimes They had burned the hay belonging to
q ranchman on Turkey creek-several hum
dred tons in quantity-they had cut his wire
fences; they had killed COWS for their calves,
butchered beef cattle, cut out brands-in
word they had conducted the bushes of cat
tie stealing and general depreciation on large
scale.
Taking portion of his force, Capt. Melon
aid went over to investigate. There seemed
to be good deal of mystery concerning the
identity of the Offenders but mystery of that
sort does not stand a very good chance when
it is operated upon by a man with eyes like
those of Capt Bill and with nose and pair
of ears of his peculiar pattern nj short time
he had identified one member of the band in
young man prominently connected in that Sec
ton This young fellow-a dupe, no doubt, of
professional cow thieves, whose glittering repu-
tation as bad men had dazzled him-was the
son of an able and reputable lawyer, a member
of the state legislature. The son, supposed to
be cowboy had become in reality an outlaw.
Capt Mcdonald took him in charge one
day, questioned him. and secured sufficient evil
dence to file complaint. The prisoner was
turned over to the sheriff of Hutchinson coun.
ty and Capt. Bill pursued his investigation. He
located bunch of stolen calves, herded in the
brakes of the Canadian river, guarded by
other member of the gang. The calves were
"hobbled and necked" and their mothers had
been shot as an easy method of getting rid of
them Capt Bill found the dead cows in near
by canyon, and he brought man who had lost
a number of mich COWS and calves to iden-
tify the property 1t very difficult mat
ter; the man declared he knew the calves as
we'll as his own children One after another
the missing members of the band were brought
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