The Ordway new era., 1916-05-12


will the wide ranges until the next
roundup.
Numbers Of these range horses are
often stolen. But not SO frequently
as one might at first imagine. The
Horsemans Protective association.
very strong organization. with mem
bers scattered over all the range
states, and money to back 1t. Is ever
active in attending to the matter OF
thefts Of range stock. Besides the
standing reward OF the association OF
five hundred dollars for the capture
of thieves, the rancher whose stock
Is stolen always offers an additional
reward.
sherifs. stock inspectors. with fire.
quently a posse of cattlemen. are the
thief hunters. The sheriffs are al
ways oldtime cowboys, who know
the country and can shoot. ride. and
stand exposure with the best Of them.
and 1t is seldom that thief gets
clean away with = bunch OF stock.
Horse thieves are still hated In the
West, but are not so summarily dealt
With now as in earlier days when the
jails and courts of baw were few. Then
the thief generally made q swift exit
from earth at q ropes end. But law
has long ago found It's way into Cat
leland: telephones and telegraphs
carry swift messages and automobiles
make swift trips and the thieves gen.
orally land in state'c prison.
However. there is one man who for
the last six years has not only stolen
almost when and where he pleased.
but sold stock back to the owners.
after the brands had been worked
over. at which art he Is past master.
This man. William McCracken.
Texan. has repeatedly eluded and de-
fled sherfre and posses sent out to
capture him. He frs came to Belle
Fourche, S D., in the Spring Of 1904.
Belle Fourche, at that time. was the
largest shipping point for beef cattle
in the world. Shortly after his ar
rival McCracken got Job punching
cows for the 3-v outfit. then the larg-
est in the West. He was very quiet
young man. OF good appearance and
education. good COW hand. and well
liked by his bosses and the riders OF
the outfit.
Working for the outfit at this time
was Thomas TAFT. young man since
elected sheriff Of Campbell county.
Wyoming. From the time of Nc
cracken's arrival and until his arrest
BY J. T. Farrell. then sheriff OF Crook
county. Wyoming. on Information
from Texas, TAFT and McCracken
we're a good deal together as cow
boys in the same outfit. Since being
elected sheriff TAFT has led in the
chase after his once friend and COM
rade several times.
On recent trip to sturgis, 8. D..
with stock Inspector Chuck Fitch. Of
Gillette, and the sheriffs of Miles City.
Mont, and Sun Dance. Wyo, to in
spect bunch of horses in that dis
trict, the party arrested three men.
The horses belonged to H. j. Chassell
Gillette and T. w. Matthews Of
npearfish. s. d. The men arrested as
me thieves were members of Nc
Cracken's gang. and now await trial
n Sturgis.
After his arrest in 1907 by Sheriff
FARRELL, McCracken was taken back to
aexas, where he was wanted for
tneits Of stock. bank robbery. bond
jumping. and other crimes. He was
seiped out Of these troubles BY his
ntner and. soon after. returned to
1eae Fourche. accompanied by his
me very intelligent woman. and
%elf little boy, and for a while. con-
suesed road house It Alyada. Mont.
y. later took up claim on the head
Lnompson creek and started In the
soek business. 4 5 s..
soon after McEracken located the
%ca horses In ire vicinity began TO
ppear BY ones. twos, thseeq. and
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