The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1910-03-10

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acknowledgement OF $3.50. which. with his numer.
GUS fees. made his income an ample one
often as large as $500 a month-sometimes
double this amount
Among the members Of the association was
Sam Lazarus. Soon after McDonald's ar.
rangement with the cattlemen Lazarus was
sending a herd Of perhaps a thousand head
into Kansas, driving them across the Terri
tory. Pat Wolforth was in charge OF this herd
and when Just beyond the Territory line, in
a very lonely district, met with misfortune.
One evening near nightfall the cattle sud
denly became frightened. doubtless by some
device of the outlaws, and Wolforth and his
men found It impossible to control them. A
general stampede followed and Lazarus cattle
were scattered over the prairies and through
the Businesses Of the strip-a prey 10 the
spoilers lying in wait on every hand. It was
a heavy disaster and there seemed little hope
OF much in the way of recovery.
Bill Mcdonald took no such view OF the
situation. With Pat Wolforth he Immediately
visited the scene Of the stampede and began
looking for cattle with the "Diamond.tatl"
such being the trademark OF the Lazarus herd.
It was a ticklish undertaking. Some Of the
cattle had been butchered and they. Of course.
were lost. Others had been absorbed by the
herds OF the men, who, though not regularly
engaged in COW stealing, were in nowise par
ucular as TO whose cows they got and vel
coined anything that browsed unguarded on
the range.
Mcdonald began by prevailing upon the
honest ranchmen In that section 10 ioin at
once In a general roundup. by which means a
great number Of cattle could be collected and
distributed to their rightful owners.
II mattered little to Mcdonald and VOL.
forth where they found the Diamondtal brand
they took the cattle: peaceably II possible,
forcibly II necessary. Il was a sudden and
energetic procedure and resulted in the recoy-
cry OF the greater number OF the lost drove OF
Lazarus.
1t resulted further in a definite plan by Bill
Mcdonald for the disbursement Of cattle
stealing in the Territory and for the capture
OF those most actively engaged 10 that in.
dustry. The back country was very sparsely
settled and the Indians and halfbreed whites
and negroes were not especially Interested in
law and order, even where they we're not d.
rectly concerned In opposing these things.
Nearly all. however. made a pretense OF
agricultural employmentB. There we're towns
OF considerable size, and railroads-tho latter
anording liberal returns now and then when
some train was waited upon In a lonely place
and the express messengers. mail agents and
passengers were invited al the point Of six.
shooters TO contribute 20 a highway develop,
ment fund.
Bul Mcdonald decided 20 break up this sort
OF thing and set about II In a way suggested
by his own peculiar genius. Investigation
must be conducted openly and yet IN a way
20 avoid suspicion.
Returning 20 Quanah and Wanderers creek.
Mcdonald allowed his beard 10 grow mutton
chop fashion. bought a paint horse" IA spot.
ted ponyl. an old tenderfOot saddle, such az a
plainsman would never use-and a book with
pretty pictures OF fruit In TIA n~urseryman'a
plate book. the kind fruit tree statesmen
always carry. Then. dressed as unlike an ON,
Ger or a cowman OF a Texan as possible. with
these properties he set out. 90 all appearances
a genial. garrulous. easy going tree man, VIII
ing 10 sit around all day and whittle and SWAP
knives and yarns and to express any kind OF
interest or sympathy necessary TO encourage
a man 20 tell his business ventures and those
OF his neighbors.
II was a pleasant excursion enough. Nc
fruit tree man had been through that section
before-none had ever dared. or perhaps
thought It worth while 20 go. McDonald's ex
eursion proved that profit awaited tho seller
OF trees who should hrst make that wilderness,
his territory. Most OF those bad men hat
been fairly good boys az home at some tim,
in the past and the sight OF those lumlnoui
plates, presenting fruit OF extrayagant slzl
ana coloring. made their mouths fairly watel
at the thought OF It's cultivation by the door
way Of their own dugout or sod house or lol
cabin. Thoy turned the pages lovingly an,
fingered over the wonderful plums and pear
and peaches. AS they turned they talked AM