The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-01-30
STOCK RUSTLERS
seem TO THRIVE
NUMBER or ARRESTS TOTAL le2
IN 1919, CHIEF DEPUTY STOCK
INSPECTOR LAvIcNE SAYS
NEWS OF THE CAPITAL CITY
Some Dangerous Characters Included
Among Thieves Caught-Two Kill
ed and Another Shot While
Resisting Arrest

HeIena.-In spite of additional APP
preparations, more trained men In the
field and continued and persistent eff
forts to stop stock rustling, Frank O.
Lavigne, chief deputy state stock in
spector for the Montana livestock COM
mission, said in his annual report the
number of arrests for felony charges
do mot seem to decrease
During the past year 1872 arrests
were made In all parts of the state
against men charged with stealing all
manner of stock which walks, includ-
ing poultry thieves, who we're classed
MS "rustlers'' of livestock in letters
received by the board. OF these cases
135 convictions were secured and AZ
cases, are pending.
Sheep stealing cases also formed a
new phase of the work of the de-
partment, according to the report,
which said.
During 1919 we had number of
sheep stealing cases OF goodly proper
lions, in one instance 562 head were
stolen. The money value of these
sheep was recovered for the owner.
At another time 475 head were stolen.
These sheep were recovered and re-
stored to the owner. Convictions re-
suited from both cases.
1--WE had two noted trials for cattle |
thefts and horse stealing. The cases
were bitterly contested, the defend
ants being either men of influence or
and position in this state. They
resulted in one conviction and one ac-
Iuittal. An appeal in the horse steal
ng case is pending in the supreme
:ourt.
SIN the list of animals stolen were
.attle, horses, mules, burros, sheep
md hogs In one instance the theft
# big flock of chickens was re-
ported and demand for investigation
vas made, on the ground that chickens
houd he classed as livestock We
lad several cases wherein the 'rustlers'
luded arrest for the time being, 60
bg to Wyoming. Mexico, Oregon and
Minnesota. One man was 400 miles in
he interior of Alaska, while another
1ent to the Philippine islands. All
iere returned or prosecuted or are
waiting trial. Several were taken out
the army.
Of M In
1ieves arrested were dangerous char
cters, or what is commonly termed ,
lard boiled One man was shot re- /,
sting arrest, but later recovered, ,
lille two were killed outright. /,
During the past year several large ,
-ganized bands of rustlers. operating q
Montana and adjoining states. were
-oken up by the arrest of several of {
leir members One feature of this y
ork is the tendency of iuries to fix v
e minimum time of one year for
lie majority of cases. no matter on b
NV large Il scale the depredations a
ere carried on. On other occasions Il
ial judges fix the penalty and imme- Il
ately give suspended sentence. b
nese acts, while humane, have ten e
.ncy to remove the respect and fear "
the law. Another thing is the fire. u
Iency of stockmen furnishing bail 5
md for stock thieves and in some II
stances assisting in their defense. 81
'In regular and systematic inspec- e.
m of bounty claims. it has been as il
rtained that occasionally the hides W
predatory animals have been
ipped into the state from adjoining
ties and the bounty has been col =
ted in both states. The stock in
ectors have received much aid from
erfffs and their,deputies. The coun
attorneys have conducted prosecu- :.
MS in manner deserving of high =, =,
lise."
~ - -
convicts Work on Trail. WI