Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-02-29
By GLENDOLIN DAMON WAGNER
Co-authoF OF Blankets and Moecasins."
Author Of "Old Neutriment."

Co-auth0F OF blankets and Moecasins."
Author Of "old Neutriment."
GWEN IN OIDEN days out In Mon
tana, far away from organized gov
eminent, where vast reaches Of
plains separated town from town, men
were to learn that crime did not pay.
Justice ruled, even then, fair, but
grim and ruthless. ALI sorts of men
were pouring into the west, adventur-
ers, both good and bad, vicious char
acters, and also stern, fearless men
intent upon building a community on
the firm foundation of morality. The
latter made their own just laws and
rigidly enforced them.
No men were more active in the eff
fort to establish order throughout the
wild west than Granville Stuart and
his partner, RieS Anderson. Teddy Blue,
Son-in-law Of Granville Stuart, tells
many stories of those narrowing times
when a group Of brave men banded
together, determined to rid their COM
munity Of crime. Teddy says that one
day a man fresh from the east was
humping along in his wagon over the
trailless plains, searching for prom
Using homestead site. He had with him
his wife and three children, one of the
children q sick baby. He was driving a
team of good horses. This eaSterner
CHANGED to meet man on horseback
and pulled up to inquire the way toI
the nearest water. The rider replied
pleasantly, that Willow creek was IA
miles farther west The eaSterner
thanked him and drove on. He reached
Willow creek that night. and made
camp, intending to start early the next
morning for the nearest town where he
might find a doctor for his sick child.
But, in the morning, his fine team was
gone. All that day and night he
searched the lonely prairie for the
missing horses. His sick child grew
worse. Then, apparently by fortuitous
chance, the rider re-appeared, but this
time with wagon and a team of poor,
worn-out Indian ponies. He was Sigh
Nicholson, one OF the most notorious |
Of all the horsethieveS Of the west, but, |
to the troubled tenderfoot he seemed
8 friend in need Sigh listened SYM |
pathetically to the fasteners story.
I'm tell you what I'll DO" he said
Your chance Of ever finding your team
is mighty slim. Moren likely some
here isn't very good, but I can't leave
you stranded out here on the plains.
III trade my team for your chance of
finding your own horses"
Signs team didn't look as though it
could pull another mile but the dis |
heartened easterner accepted CRATE
fully He offered Sigh a ride. The
/
he was used to the plains. And so the |
tenderfoot with his family made his
slow way back to Forsyth. Very soon
after that Sigh Nicholson was seen
driving a splendid team about. Al |
though suspicion of his treachery was
noised over the plains nothing could
be done for there was no actual proof |
Then Sigh, like most criminals, went
one step too far. Falling in love with
a young school teacher he began an
moving her with his attentions. Meth
er his dark, handsome face nor the
sleek, prancing team could win her
smiles. He worried her. She was afraid
of him. One day her old father pro-
tested and Sigh pulled his gun and
shot the, man. Soon after that Signs
limp body, along with those Of four
horse thieves, dangled from Vigilante
rope in clump of willows.
Down in Grass Gulch in the early
days there lived a man named Shorty,
quite alone save for his little roam
mare. The two were insepara5ie. They
converSed In a language both under
stood. Often at night the horse would
come to the window of Shorty's cabin
to WINNER a greeting. When Shorty
walked about the mare trotted close
behind, nosing her friends shoulder.
One day a stranger stopped at Shorty's
cabin. He said his name was Bead, and
Shorty, lonely, welcoming companion
ship, invited the man to dinner. All that
day Bead hung around, smoking, chat
ting. In the evening he struck off down
the trail. Shorty watered his mare, re-
staked her and went to bed. Next
morning she was gone. Near the picket
stake there were boot tracks and tracks
Of the horses hoofs leading out to the
trail. Shorty followed those tracks, mile
after mile, toward Fort McGinnis.
About half way there he was astonished
to find that the tracks turned in to-
the cabin of a friend. Accident often
works hand in hand with justice. Bead,
the horse thief, CHANGED to stop for |
the night at the home of one Of the j
Vigilantes. Shorty recovered his mare
and Bead met the quick, just fate meted
out to convicted criminals in the new
west. II
It was about the year 1880, so DR..
Allen tells us, that Frank Roberts, a i
prospector, left Fort Custer on a min (