The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-02-28
NORTH HUMBOLDT
BOY SHEEP HUSTLER
CUT OFT TWENTY EWES BELONG
ING TO FRANK GARTIEZ WHILE
BAND WAS MOVING AND THE
HERDER LOOKING OTHER WAY

with the settling up of the sections
formerly their strongholds, they have
been hemmed in on all sides until
their occupations have almost been
eliminated. A few there are, how
ever, who have so far been unable to
get "rustling" out of their systems.
Such as these find that section lying
in the rugged region along the line
between Nevada and Oregon, between
Nevada and Idaho, and in the north
west corner of Humboldt county, near
the California line, havens where they
may ply their calling with minimum
risk of being caught.
The rustlers getting a bunch of
cattle or horses from Nevada, if they
can get them int the Owyhee desert.
can turn them over to accomplices
who dispose of them in Oregon or
Idaho The fact that the stealing of
stock from the ranges is still carried
on to considerable extent is attested
by discussion at the recent meeting of
cattlemen of the state as to methods
for stopping the thieving.
Many of the men engaged in rust
ling are pretty well known to be so
occupied but are seldom caught red
handed by parties desiring to bring
them into court
For Instance, a ranehman who has
a little place hidden away in the
hills, with possibly five or ten acres
which might be cultivated, but never
is-whe never works for wages, be-
comes an object of suspicion. He
raises no crops, earns no money, so
far as anyone can see. and is nearly
always away from home when a
chance rider calls.
Out in the Black Rock Desert, two
or three riders are observed at diff
ferent times by this one and that one;
they avoid meeting anyone. Their
actions are suspicious, but there is
nothing by which they might be con-
victed of a crime.
In the unwritten history of the
West many an offender has been
caught with the goods" and received
his deserts then and there in one of
the tragedies of the range, which are
never heard of, except around the
camp-fires of the roundup.
There are cattle rustlers, and horse
rustlers, and then there is a certain
type of rustler who will take either
horses or cattle, or even sheep, when
ever the opportunity is offered. 1t
will be recalled that a whole band of
1900 sheep were STOLEN from the
north and .trailed to Winnemucca and
shipped East last winter
An interesting story throwing light
on the methods of operation of one
outfit is told by Frank Gartiez,
prominent sheep-raiser of Winnie
mucca
herder driving a band of sheep
belonging to Mr. Gartiez up north,
passed near a little ranch hidden
away in the hill A herder with an
other band paused at the top of a
hill. his attention attracted by a boy,
apparently about thirteen years old
following stealthily, running from
bush to bush. Finally when the sheen
were scattered and the band divided
by low ridge and the herder was at
one side on the low ground, the boy
rushed in and cut out twenty ewes
from the band and got away with
them up the gulch, unobserved by the
herder in charge of them. The boy
was soon Joined by two men on horse
back, who helped him drive the sheep.
The herder on the hill who had OBJ
served the incident told the other
herder. They were afraid to follow,
but one went across the mountains
and found Mr.. Gartiez, who, in COM
pany with two companions, took up
the trail and followed it to the ranch
mentioned
. Mr.. Gartiez and his companions
were met at the door by a grooming
Did woman, who denied all knowledge
IF any sheep being on the place. The
BOY who had cut the sheep out was
also there.
Il know the sheep are here, some
place" said Mr.. Gartiez
How much a head will Won nav
For finding them?" asked the woman
after some parley.
Then a young man came to the
door and said: You'll pay $3.50
head for finding those sheep"
Gartiez replied that he would pay
nothing he knew how the sheep
got there, and then he persuaded the