The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-29
SEVEN HELD ON
LARCENY COUNT
OTHERS SOUGHT
Alleged Operations Of Band
Bring "reminiscences of bad
Men Of the Early West
MEN IN MANDAN JAIL
Arrests Climax Years Inves.
tigation Conducted BY
Attorney General
MEN IN MANDAN JAIL

A gang Of dcsperadoes whose al
legged operations as cattle rustlers.
train robbers and horse thieves
brought "reminiscences Of the bad
men" of the early west, was under
arrest today on charges Of grand
larceny for stealing horses
Seven men were held in Jail at
Mandan and four others were being
sought as the climax Of more than Il
years investigation by representa-
tives of the state attorney generals
office here.
The names Of the men under ar
rest are: Con Carlson, 40; Verney
Bratton, 10: George Couture. 40;
Mike Harm, 81; Sam Goodiron, Sc;
Ben Evans, 80. and Frank Evans, his
son, 2S.
Live Near Standing Rock
Warrants for four other men are
expected to be served today. All Of
the men live near the Standing Rock
Indian reservation in the triangle
formed by Grant and Sioux counties,
North Dakota, aud corson county,
South Dakota. The warrants were
issued by Judge H. L. Berry of the
sixth judicial district and the de-
PENDANTS probably will be arraigned
before him within few days. The
case first came to the attention Of
the attorney generals office more
than year ago when numerous
cases Of cattle rustling were report
cd. Several. agents were sent into
the territory but no evidence was
uncovered and the cattle stealing
continued. In some cases only a few
cattle were taken. In others as many
AS 80 pure bred cattle disappeared.
Horses also disappeared from the
range and despite all efforts of the
authorities the depredations con-
tinued.
Finally a resident Of the territory
agreed to net ~ agent for the attoy.
ney generals office and kept in close
touch with the operations o1 the
gang. His reports show that they
raided trains, burglarized elevators.
stole and sold. or slaughtered, cattle
and stole horses which were sold and
shipped to points in Minnesota and
Wisconsin.
Men Fall late Teap -
With evidence sufficient to war;
rant arrests denouement Of ,Ae
year-long chase was arranged for to-
day at Mcintosh, S. D., shipping
point on the Milwaukee railroad.
Ted Albers, sheriff Of Oliver county,
one-time horse buyer. was sent in
to the country to announce that he
wanted to buy some horses. The al
legged raiders are said to have fallen
into the trap and to have arranged
with Albers to deliver horses to him
at Mcintosh. The practice of the
rustlers. it was explained by an agent
for the attorney generals office,
was to arrange for the sale and then
steal the stock, thus insuring that it
could be moved out Of the country
before the owners knew it had dis
appeared from the range.
The horses were delivered Monday,
according to report to the attorney
generals office, and the arrests fol-
lowed. Several ranchers of the vi
cinity later identified the stock
which the alleged rustlers had sold
to Albcrs. The arrests were made by
Albers and Frank Barnes. Bismarck,
acting as special agents for the at
torney generals office.
Other Depredations Reported
Among crimes which may be for
mally charged to the raiders are the
burglarly ut Thinner and Morristown
and the raiding of stock trains on
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
railroad near Mcintosh, s. D., and
Selfridge. N. d.
On one occasion. according to re-
ports received here, the raiders
boarded freight train near Self
ridge and unloaded an entire carload
of hogs. The hogs were knocked on
the head with an axe and rolled out
Of the car. The rest Of the gang ap-
parently followed in motor trucks
and picked up the slaughtered ami
mails. Some Of the meat was used by
members Of the gang and the re-
plainder was sold, it is said.
At another time they are said to
have unloaded part Of 4 merchan-
disc car standing on siding within
three blocks of the Mcintosh town
hall.
Investigating Train Wreck
II was intimated by agents for the
attorney generals office today that
an effort may be made to connect
members of the alleged gang with
railroad wreck near Mcintosh more
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