The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-09-11
By ROYAL HOUSE

Someone has said that whenever
n statement is made there is room
for argument. The saying holds true
In recounting stories contributing
to Montana history, for on this sub
ject, it seems, there is always room
for argument. Accounts of events
and ~personages differ according to
the Stcry-teller. The case of Sim
Roberts is an example.
Sim B. Roberts was a pioneer Mon
tana gunman. The kind of gunman he
was depends upon VIC tells the story.
All who remember him agree that he
was a great shot, but there agreement
ceases. Some declare he was a cold
blooded murderer; others say he uSu-
ally shot only in self-defense. What
ever he was, he vas a colorful char
acter and such a crack shot that he
had numerous chances to exhibit his
proves with various wild west shows
decade of the last century.
Editor Was Good Friend
Roberts was evidently the good friend
of the editor of the old Big Timber
Express for while he made his head
quarters in Big Timber back in the
COS, the editor, writing about Roberts
said: lone of the most celebrated
characters in the history of this part
Of Montana, a man about whom much
has been said but little written. al
though his career would furnish plenty
of the thrill and excitement of danger
Gus adventure, is Sim B. Roberts, who,
with his estimable wife and family of
five boys, resides in as cozy and COM
Portable a home and on as fine a
ranch as there is in the eastern part
of the county.
1.-THE Roberts ranch is situated about
20 miles from Big Timber on the Vel.
lowStone river. There are only 16O
acres of it but in the short space OF
two years Mr.. Roberts has proved it to
be splendidly productive. 1t is all the
finest meadow land. The house is a
new building, commodiouS, pleasing in
architecture. The best of fences and
barns are on the place and every other
necessity and convenience for the
handling and raising of cattle, in which
business Mr.. Roberts is engaged. In
the summer wild flowers abound on
the place, particularly primroses, and
it is from these that the place was
named The Primrose Stockfarm.'
A man living amid the primroseS on
a ranch called The Primrose Stock
farm does not sound much like a
gunman. but the editor of the Big
Timber Express evidently stretched a
point or two. Anyway. he had a splen-
did stock of s~uperlatives.
One old-timer describes Roberts as
GllC 1la1lOSO1lICoG l11o11 O1loO WA AS3S
Texas" He had wavy black hair and
wore a set of "handlebar' mustaches
which "a him a rather fierce look.
He always carried a gun.
Fatal Argument
Many Big Timber residents remem-
Der when Sim Roberts killed a man by
the name of Young in a saloon on the
towns main street. Roberts and Young
had had words, and Roberts claimed
that as he entered the saloon Young
reached for his gun. Some who re-
member the incident hold that Young
wasn't armed and that it was a case
Of cold blooded murder. If so, Roberts
never was brought to justice, although
It Is said that relatives of the slain
man attempted to kill him on several
occasions.
His Biography
A newspaper story which appeared in
1897 presented a short biography of
Roberts as follows: "Mr. Roberts was
born in Texas, near the Mexican bor-
der in 1859. His father owned a large
herd of cattle and it was in handling
this herd that Sim received his early
education. When but 10 years old he
started north in charge of a large
bunch of beef cattle to be delivered to
the Indian agency on the Platte river.
About this time the Cheyenne Indians
began to tire of their exile in Indian
territory and started back toward their
Montana haunts in defiance of the
governments command. They made
their way rapidly northward, fighting