The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-01-31

hackers felt assured that he was not
shamming: While some of them in
climbed atop the rock to extricate the
ice. The boy was scared and crowded
so far back into the rock that they
had difficulty getting him out. Cues
toned, he told his name to the men
who had circled round him.
Hey, Dick, here's your brother look
Ing for you," one of the pOSSemen ad-
dressed a member from the NF. It
wa true, the lad a the brother of
Dick Clifton, who was n of the be-
siegers.
Further questioning revealed that
they were to deliver the stolen horses
to a man who was to meet them across
the divide. Part of the posse galloped
away to intercept the receiver Of the
stock. Arriving at the rendezvous they
found the man waiting, but he declared
he was unaware that the horses were
warfare, the v~igilantes gave him the
benefit of the doubt, believing that
such a close call would be a good warm
ing to him to mend his ways If he
indeed were a rustler. Cautioning him
to keep his mouth shut and to mind
what would happen to him if he were
investigated again they let him go and
" Gl1C "A 4d41S44 41OuoS ~
the inquest was held. The men who
fired the three shots had reached the
wounded man first and they held a
hasty consultation. When the rest of
the committee had arrived there were
three rifles, each of a different caliber
and make, leaning against the rock
face. One was a 5000 winchester, one
carbine. The man had been wounded
by the 1920 but no one could, or would,
eve say which of the three men owned
each rifle.
Riders were sent to notify the wound
ed mans relatives at MuSSelSheI, and
those who were left built a fire under
the rock and settled down to wait for
the man to die. He knew he was dying
and cursed them with every name he
they talked OF dozed by the Pickering
light of the fire.
At near midnight one of the COM
mittee noticed a slight movement Of
the wounded man who somehow had
got quite close to the rifles which were
stacked against the wall. He looked
Just in time to see the rustler reach
for one of the loaded rifles. AS the
men took it away from him and moved
q gurgling laugh and promised that
had they let him alone a minute long
er he would have taken a few of them
along for company. Two hours later he
died, and it was then, when the men
were voicing their regrets, that Mr..
Newton claimed the reward for having
been the first to hear his neighbor
speak a good word Of someone. News
of the fight Travelled fast and dozens
of men who had had nothing to do
with the pursuit or the killing had ar
rived in time for the finale Of the
tragedy.
Through the long morning they wait
ed and talked in subdued tones till q
team and wagon appeared over the
hill with a woman and girl riding in it.
Apparently oblivious of the surrounds
ing riders they loaded the body Of their
dead brother and son In the wagon and
drove off over the hill toward MuSsel-
shell where they buried him.
There was no bOaSting by the men
left behind, for, well knowing the life
history of the dead man, they realized
that he had been a victim Of circum-
stance, or environment. Anyone trav-
cling the highway about eight miles
east Of Roundup car look to the north
and there, at the highest point fol-
many miles, they may see the butte
which was named for him because II
was said he spent many hours there
scanning the surrounding Landscape
for the camps of the range riders. Or
visiting the scene of the fight one will
see, just Is it vas carved there By one
Of the committeeman, the name of
the slain man-"died here Jan. 6, 1902"