The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-01-28
ORCHARD and
SHERIFF FIGHT
TIMBER PIRATES
Deputy U. S. Marshal Tells
Of Battle In Western
Iron County.
ARREST 2 MEN; Ia
OTHERS TO FOLLOW
Chicago Land Owner Plans To
Sue Tie-9uyers In Federal
Court.

Deputy United States Marshal
George c. Orchard, yesterday told de-
tails of the efforts of both Federal and
state officers in Iron County to stop
timber stealing that has been going
on there and related his experiences
in a revolver battle between the
sheriff of Iron County and a band of
timber pirates.
The fighting tGJk place in the eX-
treme Western end of Iron County 4
week ago last Monday and as 4 re-
suit of Orchard and the shpriff's work
two men are now under arrest in the
IrontOn Jail and information is in the
hands of Orchard and the sheriff that
will lead to the arrest of IA others.
The arrests will mean the breaking
up of a systematic timber piracy in
that section of the county, which has
beer complained of for several weeks.
St,te charges of stealing the timber
will be placed against the men arrest
ed, and the information gathered in
that section by the Federal officers viii
be used in filing suits against the tim
Der agents who purchased the stolen
timber, which for the most part, is in
the shape OF railroad ties. This evil
dence will also be used in the prOsecu-
ton of similar cases in Wayne Coun-
ty.
The investigation into the Iron
County situation was made by Sheriff
William Blue of Iron County and Or
chard at the importunment Of Richard
Dalton, of Chicago, owner Of j large
tract of land in the Western part Of
the County.
His own investigation had shown
Dalton that wholesale timber piracy
had been going on in his lands and he
appealed to the authorities to have it
stopped. The timber piracy is done by
bands of mOuntaineers who operate
under a code similar in many essen
tials to that of the might riders" Of
Southeast M:asOuri
Dalton several weeks ago employed
a Waterman to watch the timber steal
ing going on on his lands. The
Waterman, William T. Dickcrson, went
to the range and lived in the house
that had beer erected on the place
Dickerson was not suspected by the
mountaineers as being a spy upon
their operations and was able to get
data on when they cut timber on Dali
tons land, how much they cut and
where they sold it. He even obtained
data on the checks that were issued in
payment for the railroad ties by the
buying agents IT the railroad stations.
This information he kept carefully
tabulated at his house and continued to
be a Waterman living there in the role
of care-taker. He became acquainted
with all the characters in the piracy
drama and thoroughly acquainted with
their methods.
At this stage, the state officers pre-
pared to take hand in the game and
Sheriff Blue prepared to make a trip
into the mountains to make arrests
At Daltons request, Uniter States
Marshal, George Lynch delegated Or
chard to accompany Blue on the mis-
sion.
On January 10, Orchard and Blue
went to lronton where they obtained 4
team and buggy for d 35-mile drive
into the western part of the count:-
They drove almost one entire DAY TO
get to the Dalton place. On their ar
rival there, they held conference with
Dickerson. While Dickerson was pre-
pairing a report for Orchards use,
the two officers heard Woodworking
on a hill densely wooded located with
in range of the house.
They armed themselves and accom-
panied by Dickerson in the rear, the
officers began the actual investigation.
Orchard and Blue climbed the hill on
the top of which the chopping was go
ing on and quietly approached two of
the men engaged in the work. The
ground was carpeted with a soft layer
of leaves and the officers, Orchard said,
were able to approach to within 20
yards of the two woodmen, before the
latter became aware of the officers
presence.
They turned, on hearing the foot
steps, dropped their axes and ran.
Orchard covered them with |
their revolvers and the sheriff called |
out to them to stop or the shooting |
would commence.
The two men stopped and returned |
to where the officers stood. At that |
time, Orchard and Blue heard the
noise of more chopping being done |