The Elbert County tribune., 1910-04-15

start sra'eyards. and the glad primeva
ia"iessness that prevails when worlds
are new.
Not SO many years ago the Panhandle
was distinctly world apart and a new
one. With No-Man's Land on the north
lhulan territory the east and New
mexico on the west, civilization could
come only from the south. and 1t did not
come very last Indeed, there was still
plenty of territory In that direction to
be subdued-two or three tiers of conn
ties In fact-before the Panhandle would
pe reached So, 1t was place apart
an isolated fertile land. justifyng the as
sertion of tramp that he had lost s100..
600 there in one year by not having cat
tie to eat up the grass
The cattle in due time. fighting
back the Apache and the Comanche pro-
tected by Rangers from Fort Griffin ac-
companied by stockmen of every nation.
coWVoys of every grade and criminals of
every breed. That was a wild epoch
chaotic and Picturesque time of indi-
vidua administration and untempered
justice.
1t was also time of mighty domain I
Ranches there were 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 n
itself into five counties. When settle NJ,
ment became thicker-when there were ~
ranch houses not more than 25 to 30
miles apart-oficial allotment of the l.
lands was made. Then there was a grand ~
gobbe. The big stockmen fenced every N
thing with little regard for boundaries y
and less for the law.
With such examples as these in high
places, 1t Is not strange that general indif-
ference to legal rights and possessions pre-
vailed. Next to cattle-raising. cattle-stealing
was the chief industry. The cowboy proper
was not concerned In such work. He was like
ly to be cean-handed. straightforward, even
If reckless, individual. honest according to his
lights True. loyalty to his employer might
render him trife 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 was a
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 custom which bore no relation
to disrepute But individually the cowboy was
likely to be the soul of honor and good nature
troublesome only holidays when he was
moved to ride into the nearest settlement
drink up all the whisky he could buy. and then
with sx-shooter drawn, go careering up and
down the streets. shooting in random direc
tions. explaining meantime with noisy and
repetitious adjectives that he was a 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. when conscientious.
were poorly equipped to cope with such an ele-
ment and 1t was for Company Ranger Force.
consisting Of eight men with quarters at Anna
rillo. Capt w. ]. 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 marauding band that across In
Hutchinson county. were committing the usual
crimes They had burned the hay belonging to
a ranchman on Turkey creek-several hun
dred tons In quantity-they had cut his wire
fences; they had killed cows for their calves,
butchered beef cattle, cut cut brands-n
word. they had conducted the bushes of cat
tie stealing and general depreciation on large
scale.
Taking a portion Of his force. Capt. McDon-
aid went over to investigate. There seemed
to be a good deal of mystery concerning the
identity of the offenders; but mystery OF that
sort does not stand very good chance when
II ia 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 had men had dazzled him-was the
son of an able and reputable lawyer, member
of the state legislature. The son. supposed to
he n cowboy had become in reality an outlaw
Capt Mcdonald took him in charge one
day. questioned him. and secured sufficient eyi-
deuce 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 an
other member of the gang The calves were
'hobbled and necked" and their mothers mad
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 milch cows and calves to iden-
tify the property. 1t was no very difficult mat
ter; the man declared he knew the calves as
hia chi after another