Imperial Valley press., 1937-06-13

That night with the gang gathered at the bar
in frontier saloon, guns would have barked
wildly if suddenly voice from the air had
broken into the suen circle, broadcasting
report of the theft and description of the men,
It couldn't have happened in the old west
there no radio 1t could today, for although
the rope and the posse have disappeared, cattle
rustling remains-a big business. However,
it is done "in the modern manner So serious
in fact, are the proportions to which modern
rustling has grown that the state of Washing
ton at the last session of it's legislature passed
a bill to curb the racket, while Oregon for
sometime has had strict regulations and other
western states making increasing efforts to
curb the evil.
What is 1.-The modern manner for rustling?
heavy truck rolls over highway in the
cattle country where there are still wide open
spaces" and miles and miles of range without
ranchhouse. A plane drones overhead 1t
flashes a signal light-on-otf-on, a code di-
recting the truck off on crossroad to the right,
where, under bluff, large herd of cattle is
grazing
Again the signal light flashes from the plane
1.-The coast is clear-get busy.
Binding headlights hold the herd that is
startled by the glare Rifles with silencers,
heavy sledge hammers fell the cattle in a swift
slaughter. Off to one side, some OF the gang
enact a ghoulish scene as they dig big hole,
but only the hides with the telltale brands are
buried Time would not be taken at the kill to do
this if the hides could be bundled up, carried
away. and burned, but it is almost impossible
to destroy them by fire. They won't burn.
The carcasses now ''hot beef in the language
of the racketeers, are loaded in the truck, which
warned by signal from the plane of ap
preaching car-possby state patrol-has its
motor running for quick getaway.
The meat goes to some INSCRIPTIONS packer
or butcher who is influenced by the cut price,
at which he is allowed to buy, from inquiring too
closely into the source of the beef or the alb
sence of government inspection stamps
In an effort to prevent just such practices
as this the new Washington law will require
contract haulers of live stock, whether by truck
or other common carrier, to obtain a permit
issued by the state, showing the name of the
owner and listing the brands and other marks
of identification the cattle, Absence of such
a certificate will be prima facie evidence of the
illegal removal of livestock-in other words
cattle stealing. In Oregon, all beef sold must
bear a tag which is secured from the sheriff.
The hides must also be in the truck and the
brand mark on it had better agree with the
mark on the tag if state patrols, watching for
rustlers stop the truck.
~ATTLE rustling became such menace to
~ unguarded nerds throughout the west OF
the late 1880's that cattle owners banded to-
oether in some sections, and determined to wipe
the ranges clear of smaller ranchers and settlers
who threatened their prosperity. In many out
right cases of stealing and branding cattle
were unable to obtain convictions, due to sym.
nathetic iuries-whch often composed of
small ranchers.
Then, without warning, cattle companies
began the practice of "dry-gulching" - which
was another name for assassinations. Seldom
were the murderers caught but no one doubted