The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-07-10
CHAPTER x

Calhoun Terry went to the meet
ing of the Western Cattlemen's As
Sociation at Denver knowing a de-
Cision would be reached as to the
best way Of dealing with the rus
tiers operating in his territory.
You know why we are here, gen.
tlemen," Ellison began. at is very
important that what we say should
be and should remain secret. Wen
hear from Doctor Porter first"
Doctor Porter had been an army
surgeon during the Civil War, and
later had moved West and gone into
the cattle business.
Briefly Doctor Porter outlined
what was planned. A list of more
than a hundred names Of rustlers
had been submitted by their field
detectives and by individual ranch
men. He proposed that before the
meeting adjourned this list be gone
over name by name and voted on
by such of the men here as knew
the ruStlers.
''Al this has been talked over
with each of you individually, Por-
te- explained. AT the present time
Sunday Brown, whom some of you
know, a famous deputy United
States marshal from the Indian Ter
ritOry, is busy enlisting about sixty
fighting men in Texas and Arizona.
He is choosing tried men, all of
them officers who have fought as
marshals or sheriffs against despe-
radoes. In the course of two or
three weeks Brown and his men
viii reach this city. From here they
viii be sent by special train to the
scene Of action. In addition to
these, there will probably be fifty
Cattlemen and their friends In our
party. Our intention is to move fast
and secretly, so that nobody will
know what we are about until too
late 20 stop US. We expect TO meet
no organized opposition. The rus
tiers whom we trap viii fight If they
get q chance, but that is to be an
ticipated. If everything goes well
We ought to be able to sweep through
the country, wipe out scores of rus
tiers, and get back to the railroad
with our identities unknown.
A big wide hated stockman
named Kinnear took the floor.
Fine" he said, eff everything
goes right" His gaze swept the
room leisurely. But he'll, boys,
chances are you can't pull it Off
Don't get me wrong. I'm with you
TIL the cows come home. Still,
hundred armed men on horseback
cant 60 galumphing through the
country without plenty Of people get
ting wise to it,
Terry was of the same opinion.
''We'u meet a dozen men not on our
list. What DO you aim to do with
them7 If we let them go they'll
stir UP the country. If we keep
them prisoner they will know every
last one of US"
Two or three Of those present OBJ
jected to bringing outside gunner
ID 70 deal with the rustlers. Terry
was one of these. His judgment
was that once they started killing
they would not be careful enough N
diHerentiating between outlaws and
honest citizens.
The names Of those on the list to
be rubbed out were taken I'D for
consideration. Al the men at the
meeting felt the tenseness when FL
Esou rose with a paper IN his hand.
They were about to condemn scores
OF men to death.
Ellison read the first name. Il
was that Of a notorious bad man
known as Black Yeager. Nobody
had anything to say In his favor. His
name went on the black list. The
second one read was unknown to
Terry.
Hes only kid" John McFaddin
said. After we string up a few