The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-01-28
HORSE THIEVES
FALL INTO TRAP
Nvhioh 10 Sprung Upon rhem by
Ex-Governor y. Il. Durdick Of
THEY HAVE SMOOTH STORY
But Il Doesn't 40 with Burdlok,
Who Arrests Them In
His office


young men. August Leppel and
Arthur Calder were arrested on
the charge of violating the in
spection laws by bringing horses
into this state from Montana
without having them inspected.
Leppel waived hearing and was
bound over to district court. Cald-
er was to have had hearing next
Monday.
These young men. were in the.
city trying to sell two fine large
PercherOn mares. They had them
in the Wegley barn and while
there some one suggested that U.
l.. Burdick had horse ranch and
might buy them. He was called up
and made date to meet the men
at his office. After talking to them
for short time he asked them if
they were endeavoring to sell him
stolen horses but they claimed
not. They then went down to the
barn to look at the animals and
as soon as Mr.. Burdick saw them
and heard the price they were
willing to take he concluded the
horses had been stolen. Leppel
said they would take 1875 in cash
if they could sell right away as
they wanted to leave. Burdick
said he might be able to make the
deal and told them to meet him
at the Office after supper. He
then proceeded to notify States
Attorney Owens and he furnished
i Sheriff Erickson with a warrant
for the arrest of the two men. Af-
ter supper Mr.. Burdick went to
his office and the men were watt
ing and followed him in. He STALL
ed around for quite while max
ing out bill of sale, etc, until
Erickson arrived. After he got
there Burdick told him if he had
any business with the men he had
better get busy. burdick had no
ticed while at the barn that Lep-
nel was carrving a gun so before
speaking to the sheriff he worked
around close to him and as he
spoke Leppel reached for his gun
/ but Burdick grabbed him by the
throat and wriet while Erickson
covered him with an automatic.
He was then disarmed and they
also took gun awav from Cald-
er who appeared to be harmless.
The two men were then taken to
Jail.
States Attorney Owens had a
talk with Sheriff Arkle of Sidney
and he said he thought these men
were wanted there. He came down
and after looking at the horses
and men said the animals had
been stolen from a man by tho
name of Cravath last Friday. He
took the men and horses hack
there. The men had three horses
with them but left hav at the
HetheringtOn place. The two
| mares had been newly branded
after arriving here.
LeDDel had every apDearance of
being a bad man and as proof
that he had been in several shoot
ing scrapes. he had five bullet
holes in his body. two of them i'm
his right arm. The chances are if
he had had half a chance when
, arrested there would have been
some shooting before he could
have been taken. Innnel nut IN
a good story about his. havin" the
horses. He said they belonged to
his brother Who he'd lived near
Wolf Point. His brother had been
in the insane asylr-- and had
broken out going to Boomers
Ferry. Mont. While there he cot
into a shooting scrape where he
killed three men and was later
shot and killed bv farmer. As
the brother owned several ac-
counts Leppel said he took the
horses west to escane a levy and
later brought them back and down
here. Calder said he met I.eppel
at Wolf Point and he had the
horses with him when he came
here. That LeDnel had hired him
to come down with him and assist
him in getting them east for sale.
According to Sheriff Arkle how
ever. these horses were stolen
near Sidney and had never been
west. The team they offered for
sale was easily worth $500 and
they would weigh 1900 each and
were in good shape.
COURT poIMes
The Only case heforo tho oo,rt