Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-07-15
RUSTLERS ACTIVE.
IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
Cattle Thieves Keep at Work
IN Spite Of Passing Of
Ranges
Owners Of Small Herds Or.
qanize to Make War
on Outlaws

SlOUA FALLS, .. ", July l5.-Ine
passing OF the great cattle ranges of
Western South Dakota has not affect.
ed the work of the expert cattle rus
tiers" whose operations. since the
wiping out of the big herds by reason
of the occupancy OF great parts of the
former great cattle range by home
steaders, have been confined to the
herds of the small cattlemen or ranch.
ers, as they are termed. These men
own from 100 TO 200 head Of cattle
each, and in the aggregate their herds
would make respectable showing,
compared with the big herds of the
great cattle companies which former.
ly were engaged in the cattle raising
business on a big scale in that part
of South Dakota lying between the
Missouri river and the Black Hills
and north of the Black Hills.
In the old days of cattle raising on
a large scale the operations of the
rustlers became so annoying and
caused such heavy losses to cattle
owners that what has since been
known as the Western south Dakota
Stockman's association was organized
Funds were raised for putting an enl
to the operations of the rustlers, and
many of the thieves were either lodg.
ed in the penitentiary or compelled to
leave the country. With the passing
Of the big herds the operations of the
rustlers for time ceased, only to be
resumed when the small cattlemen or
ranchers occupied the country former
erly included in the great range and
their small herds commenced to be
seen in every valley and on every
hill.
New Foes Of Rustisrs.
To cope with the new conditions
what is known AZ the Fall River and
Custer County Live Stock Owners
Protective association was organized,
with headquarters in the frontier town
of Buffalo Gap, in the foothills of the
Black Hills. This association now
has taken it's place as perhaps the
leading ant;-horse and cattle thief As.
sociation in the United States. The
president Is William M. O'Banion.
Dan Mosler is vice president, G. s.
Isham is secretary-treasurer, and ].
S. Godsey, one Of the most fearless
men in the West. Is chief captain.
Upon Captain Godsey falls the chief
duty, when rustlers make raid on
the cattle ranchers in the territory
covered by the association to run
down the rustlers and procure the ev.
idence which will convict them when
they are tried in court.
Funds for the prosecution Of the
rustlers are provided by the member
ship fees and by assessing members
a certain sum for each head of cattle
owned by them.
The most recent exploit of the asso-
citation in the prosecution line was
the arrest Of three men-JOhn Rush,
Joseph Norman and John Ashbault-
on the charge of rustling cattle be-
longing to members of the anti-cattle
thief association. The juries, after
only few minutes consultation, re-
turned verdicts of guilty against
them. Rush was sentenced to a term
of four years in prison at hard labor
Norman was given three and one-half
wears, while Ashbault was sentenced
to three years.
Raiders Quickly Followed.
The anti-cattle thief association
has representatives in even the most
remote parts of the territory covered
by it, and when raid is made by rus
tiers the officers are promptly noti-
fled, and within a remarkably brief
time posses of heavily-armed men,
have started from different directions
to close in on the rustlers and pre-
vent them escaping with the stolen
stock. The long distance telephone
line switch now extend from the from
tier towns through the surrounding
region are proving very valuable in
enabling the officers to take the trail
of the rustlers with the least possible
delay and in keeping the members OF
the various closing-in posses informed
of the movements of the rustlers al
ter they have been located in q GER
tain district. #
The organization of the Western
South Dakota anti-cattle thief asso-
citation is SO thorough and it's work In
running down rustlers performed with
such promptness and effectiveness
that 1t has attracted the attention OF
cattle and horse raisers in other Wes-
tern states, who are organizing SINH
lar associations and adopting the me-
thods Of the South Dakota organiza-
ton.
-.D.E.a,oaA