St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-04-30

cowboys and ponies-both
of the unbridled variety;
pad men whose chief business was to
start graveyards. and the glad primeva
4aWlessness that prevails when worlds
are new.
Not SO many years ago the Panhandle
was distinctly world apart, and new
one. With NoMans Land on the north
Indian Territory on the east and New
Mexico 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
De suodued-tWo or three tiers of coun-
ties in fact-before the Panhandle would
be reached. So, 1t was place apart
an isolated fertile land, justifyng the as
sertlon of tramp that he had lost $780,
600 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 a wild epoch
chaotic and picturesque-a time of indi- !
v1dual administration and untempered
justice.
1t was also a time of mighty domain.
Ranches there were big as some king
i
portion of the northern part of the Pan
handle. Another, the Matador, spread II
itself into five counties. When settle y n
ment became thicker-when there were IL
ranch houses not more than 25 to 80
miles apart-official allotment of the L.
lands made. Then there was a grand kS
gobble The big stockmen fenced every &
thing with little regard for boundaries =
and less for the law.
In oh
places, it is not strange that a general indif
ference to legal rights and possessions pre-
vailed Next to cattle-raising cattle-steaing
was the chief industry. The cowboy proper
was not concerned in such work. He was like
ly to be a clean-handed, straightforward, even
If reckless. individual, honest according to his
lights. True, loyalty to his employer might
render him trifle 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 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 on holidays when he
moved to ride into the nearest settlement.
drink up all the whisky he could buy, and then,
with six-shooter drawn, go careering up and
down the streets, shooting in random direc-
tions explaining meantime with noisy and
repetitious adjectives that he was 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-
tunctiyely 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
notice this vast wilderness, and to capture and
convert or otherwise tame, Its undesirable
citizens
soon after McDonald's appointment he was
notified of a marauding band that across in
Hutchinson county. were committing the usuai
crimes. They had burned the hay belonging to
q ranchman on Turkey creek-several nun
dred tons in quantity-they had cut his wire
fences: they had killed cows for their calves,
butchered beef cattle. cut out brands-ln
wnrd they had conducted the bushes OF cat
+la stealing and general depreciation on large
scale.
r.k;nc a norton of his force, Capt Melon
ID wont over to investigate. There seemed
IN he good deal of mystery concerning the
identify of the offenders; but mystery OF that
Govt does not stand very good chance when
II 70 operated upon by man with eyes like
those of Cant. Bill and with a nose and pair
~ ears of his peculiar pattern. nj a short time
he had identified one member OF the banc IN
yonnx man prominently connected IN that sec
tion This young fellow-a dupe no doubt. or
CONFESSIONAL COW thieves whose gitter1ng repu-
tat,on az had men had dazzed him-was the
son ~ an able and reputable lawyer, member
of the state legislature. The son. supposed to
ha !. cowboy had become in reality an outlaw.
can't Mcdonald took him in charge one
d.v questioned him. and secured suffic1eo. evil
danoe to file complaint. The prisoner was
tuned over to the sheriff of Hutchinson coun'
Nv and Capt Bill pursued his investigation. He
located a bunch of stolen calves. herded in the
brakes of the Canadian river, guarded by an
other member of the gang. The calves were
..bobhled and necked" and their mothers had
heen shot as an easy method of getting rid OF
them Capt. Bill found the dead cows in near
Inv CANYON. and he brought man who had lost
q number of mich cows and calves to iden-
tify the property. 1t was no very difficult mat
tor. 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
s-s.s.s-