The Harrison times., 1916-07-29
Interesting Story Woven Round
Knob OF Earth in South
Dakota
CALLED WILD HORSE BUTTE
Four-Footed Monarsh OF the Plains
Defes Capture-Performs Marvel
GUS Feats Of Speed, Cunning
and Endurance.

Martin, S. D.-The Pine Ridge and
Rosebud agencies are replete with le-
gends; but within a mile little to the
south of east of the court house in
Martin rises a small knob of earth
which OverloOks the entire county In
every direction, and beyond, to where
the haze of distance blends with the
sky. And the source from which it de-
rived its name is no legend at all. 1t
was named from gray fOur-foOted
monarch of these plains, keen of eye,
true Of scent, with sinews of steel and
lungs of leather, and tleeter than the
tleetest Of limb, as many a range rider
can testify in this land of fastest of
fast saddlerS-Wild Horse Butte, says
the Bennett County, SD, Booster.
And well was it. christened, for there
from its apex, many morning rs the
early streaks Of dawn were gliding the
billOws of rolling prairies in a golden
glow, and many an evening when the
weStering sun sank low upon the far
reaching horizon, could be seen the
outline of a horse silhOuetted against
the Sky-Old Outlaw Gray.
He was a gelding raised by l.. b.
Lessert of Merriman, father of Sam
uel Lessert of Martin. And so many
were the marvellous feats of speed,
cunning and endurance he per
formed that in time he came to be
looked upon as something more than
bone and flesh and his habitat not al
ways on terra tirma.
Feels Tightening Rope.
After the branding period, when
herds were being gathered and other
colts of his age hung close to mothers
side, little Gray, perhaps remember
ing the sting of the hot iron on his
tender skin, either by design or chance
escaped the rope, until with the years
it became part of his nature to avoid
capture. Then, when he had attained
his full breadth of chest and hardened
bone, upon an evil hour he was driven
with large band of his fellows into
high corral, and for the first time since
his cOlthOOd felt rope tighten round
his windpipe.
But this sort Of thing was not to his
taste. Nor was it to last. During the
process of breaking he bided his time
with watchful eye until, seeing his
chance, like escaping steam the cord
which bound him hissed through the
gloved hand of q cowboy, and in
swift-rising clOwd of dust Gray van
ished from the view of fast riding
trio of well mounted pursuers, trailing
60 feet of rope.
And for 20 years this master of his
own freedom, in daylight and in dark
ness, in summer when the grass was
green and in winter when grass there
was none, defied all efforts to recap
ture him. In large groups mounted on
riders attempted to surround him. 1t
was a game he was delighted to play.
From the top Of the Butte he watched
every move, and just as the enemy was
drawing it's circle to a close with hope
full expectation, Old Outlaws tail
would disappear down the sky line, to
be heard of few days later on the
head of Corn creek so miles to the
northward.
Bought for Twenty Dollars.
Then they would run him down."
Upon one occasion Conquering Bear
Brothers purchased" Gray Outlaw for
a twenty-dollar bill. The bill was genu-
inc. The Brothers possession of Out
law consisted Of slip of paper in an
inside vest pocket. ConQuering Bear
waited for the time when Outlaw was
"weakened' at the close Of n long win
ter, stuffed a wagonlOad of oats into
goodly bunch Of his best saddle horses
in the springtime, and started in to
Systematically run the renegade to
earth, using one fresh animal after an
other in the operation. At the expira-
ton Of week Of this, as the last of