Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-01-25

4 tackers felt assured that he was MOI
shamming. While some of them In
| spected the wounded man, others
climbed atop the rock to extricate the
boy from his hiding place in the crew
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 adj
dressed member from the NF. 1t
was true, the lad was the brother of
Dick Clifton, who was one 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 we're
to be stolen. So, weary Of this oneSided
warfare, the vigilantes gave him the
benefit Of the doubt, believing that
such close call would be good warn
ing to him to mend his ways If he
indeed were q rlistler. Cautioning him
to keep his mouth shut and to mind
what would happen to hun II he were
investigated again they let him go and
returned to the H x ranch house where
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 caIiber
and make, leaning against the rock
face. One was a 5000 Winchester, one
a $500 Savage and the other Krag
IL a. srt
by the 5000 but 10 one could, or would,
ever say which of the three men owned
each rifle.
Riders were sent to notify the wound
ed mans relatives at Musselshell, 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
could think of. All through the night |
they talked or dozed by the Pickering |
light Of the fire.
At near midnight one of the COM /
mittee noticed slight movement Of |
the wounded man who somehow had I
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
The others beyond his reach, he made
4 glrgling laugh and promised that
mad they let him alone a minute long
II he would have taken few of them
along for company. Two hours later he
lied, and 1t was then, when the men
we're voicing their regrets, that MIR.
Newton claimed the reward for having
)een the first to hear his neighbor
peak a good word of someone News
# the fight travelled fast and dozens
# men who had had nothing to do
With the pursuit or the killing had ar
lived in time for the. finale of the
tragedy.
Through the long morning they wait
ID and talked In subdued tones till a
cam and wagon appeared over the
ill with a woman and girl riding in it.
Apparently oblivious of the surround
ng riders they loaded the body of their
lead brother and son in the wagon and
lrove off over the hill toward Mussel-
hell where they buried him.
There was no boaSting by the men
eft behind for, well knowing the life
history Of the dead man, they realized
hat he had been victim of circum-
lance, or environment. Anyone tray
ling the highway about eight miles
asst of Roundup can look to the north
nd there, at the highest point for
many miles, they may see the butte
7hich was named for him because it
1as said he spent many hours there
canning the surrounding landscape
or the camps of the range riders. Or,
isiting the scene Of the fight one will
ee, just as 1t was carved there By one
I the committeeman, the name of
he slain man-"died here Jan. 6, 1902"