Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-03-24

eastern Utah.
The armed truce that existed
between the two opposing stock
raising interests for the past 25
years, following the establishment
of dead line" over which nei-
ther side had dared step, has bro
ken into open warfare that coun-
ty, state and even federal officials
are experiencing much difficulty
in coping with
Renewal Of Bloodshed.
Cattlemen say that the sheep in
terests have been responsible for
the renewal of bloodshel and con-
ditions bordering on rural anar-
chy, while the sheepraisers blame
the cattlement, charging the lat
ter with taking advantage OF abb
normal conditions resulting IRON
the world war to break the un-
written contract that only sheep
should Craze on the Utah side OF
the imaginary "deadline.
During the =orld war. Utah
ranchers made strenuous efforts TO
increase production, and Lack OF
railroad facilities left them with
a surplus of forage crops. IL dis
pose of this surplus, they made
contracts with the catt'encn to
feed their stock in what has been
forbidden territory. The cattle
men have taken advantage on tins
situation to put cattle on The
sheep range, it is claimed.
The sheepmen have openly stat
ed that they would force the cat
tlemen to open all the Tree range
in northwestern Colorado u STOCK
of all kinds. Three times wiIhln
the past year they have eEdcavor-
ed to insert an entering wedge by
throwing small bands of sheep
across the boundary line into Col
,Orado.
on the first occasion seven
lmasked men rode into the sheep
camp of Snellen Johnson of Yer
nal, between Skull creek al d Red
Wash, in southwestern MOffat
county. The invaders bound the
sheepherders and dubbed $50
head of ewes and lambs TO death.
Sheepherder Murdered.
Some time later the sncepmcn
again put their stock on the range
In the same vicinity. FoI month
they were not molested, bat then
one night another masked party
opened fire on the herder3 from
the darkness. John DItneil of
Craig, in charge of the sheep
camp, was killed by h'Sn-pow-
cred rifle bullet. Part OF the
sheep were killed and the remain
der were scattered on the range to
become the victims ,of predatory
animals.
Sheriff Sam Mosier and Coro-
'nerJ. G. Clayton investigated the
killing of Durnell. Thei: attempts
TO secure evidence, however. was
blocked. The sheepmen ~ the
scene of the shooting were appar-
emily reluctant to have ylte affair
handled by the authorities. j. E.
Price, father-in-law of th9 dead
herder, testified that eleven men
were in the party that attacked
the camp, but he declined TO lien
tify any of the raiders. 1t was
openly stated by many residents
of western Moffat county that
Price suppressed the names CT sew
eral prominent cattle raisers throu
eral prominent cattle raisers
through fear.
The federal grand jury, sitting
at Pueblo, returned indictments
against six well known Motfat and
Rio Bfanco county cattlemeI in
connection with sheen killings
They were arrested, but quickly
gave bond.
In January three men we're ar
rested on a charge of horse steal
ing preferred by John W. Spencer
OF Willow Creek, They were ac-
quilted after a trial in this ciry
Charles Mantle, one of the men Ec-
quilted. who runs cattle close &c
the Utah line, charged that the NJ
rest was a "frameup" by Jensen
Utah. men who were trying t.
run him out of the country.
Mantle declared that he had beer
warned that 1t would "be healthy
for him" to leave the country
Recently reports came from the
Blue Mountain section of Moffat
county. where former depredations
have been committed, that sheep
men had massed another band OF
sheep on the line and started t.
push them onto the cattle range
The sheep camp was visited by twC
armed men. disguised with long