Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-02-26
The COWBOYS WANTED
TO HEAR THE BAND
alAn Interesting Incident of Early-days in Idaho,
Related by Mountain Home Citizen, Who
Participated in the Event.

out over the delay of starting but
could not help himself and the boys
said they did not think it was right
to try to pass by American Falls with
no music, while all the other towns on
the road had been honored. They
had heard of this early in the fore
noon, and rode many miles to tell
the others to get on their horses and
be at the station that evening and
see the great train with brass band.
"On this trip were four ladies',
Mrs. R. E. Strahorn. Mrs. w. N.
Shilling, Miss Clara Helfrich of Og-
den and her friend, Mrs. Mary Man
ming of Grass Valley, Cal. They were
in the Pullman (this being the first
Pullman car to enter CALDWELL, the
rear car of the train, and while this
excitement was rather strong for
their nerves they were given assur-
ances no harm would result from it.
The excursionists enjoyed the first
hours delay there, but as time near
ing the midnight hour was coming,
we thought possibly it was the plan
of these fellows to take music and
all over to the dance hall and keep
US out all night. We pleaded to re-
lease the operator that he might get
in touch with the train dispatcher in
Pocatello for orders. They yielded
at last and the train orders came at
IL o'clock. Passing the station, our
train was saluted by volley after vol
ley of shots. The ladies in the Pull
man had the doors locked, all the
curtains drawn, and they were sitting
on the car floor, not going to take
any chance of stray bullets coming
in.
The band boys of Shoshone knew
this train had the Ogden band and
they arranged for big dance and
supper in their honor expecting we
would arrive at not later than II
O'Clock. They were advised after
our train got away from American
Falls that it could not arrive until {
a. m. They did not mince words
what would happen to the cowboys
if they had them there, for this de
lay, but they kept their dance going
until our train arrived. Forming the
band in the lead we marched (the la
dies were in bed not knowing of this
little event to be in the early hour!
of morning) to the dance hall ant
had royal time until 5 o'clock a. m
!, Leaving Shoshone at nearly
O'Clock and several hours behind tn,
schedule, all the speed the enginee
dared to make was given. Our onl.
stop was in Mountain Home; here al
kind of rumors of what happened a
I American Falls were in circulation
) but the band played a few pieces t
those who had turned out so early i
the morning and were generousl
thanked for the music given.
We arrived in Caldwell about |
e O'Clock and quite hungry, had ha
: no breakfast, but the generous we
come extended made us forget abor
eating until the noon hour had com'
In the afternoon the first aale of th
d town lots were held and spirited biz
n ding was done by those present.
About one month later the GOV
boys were arrested by United Stat'
q Marshal Fred T. Dubois for stoppin
n the United States mail train at Anne
l. lean Falls. About ten of them we
"a taken over to Malad for a hearir
! before the United States commissio
" er. After two days of taking el
e dence, they were bound over to Il
le United States district court for tris
|. The writer was invited to be WI
Il ness for the government, but my e
! planation of how | viewed the i'm
. dent allowed me to be excused, as
ol could not say the cowboys intend
I'd any harm. Early the next spril
1e the trial was held at Malad and Il
g. entire week was taken in the case.
many witnesses for the defense, a
= : ended in all parties arrested bel
II discharged.
Vd Again it was my privilege to
IS, on the train coming from Ogden
a Shoshone the day that the eowbo.
their wives and sweethearts return
, from the Malad trial to Arimo s
OF tion to get on the cars for AmeriC
is Falls. Hardly had they been seal
we when the newsboy' announced Il
he he had several copies of the N
I'd. York Police Gazette" giving I
w account and pictures of the cowbl
of and girls with their guns, the Ogt
me band playing for dear life. A sts
'ol- pede to get those papers is putt
S it mild, and how they enjoyed
en- full accounts with the pictures |
their names in the wTiteup. plea
| II