Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-06-19

stitute a committee of one to watch
for Louey,s return.
In a few days, when one Of the
cowmen was coming down the Rattle
snake on his way home from Bannack,
he was astonished at meeting Louey
riding along the highway.
(Which way, Louey?" was the greet
ing. You are just the man we want
to see. Come down home with me-"
Louey undoubtedly would have side
stepped the invitation, but he possibly
knew that if he had attempted an es-
cape he would have been peppered with
home made bullets, which would come
in stream from his captor's old cap
and-ball pistol. So he went along
quietly and was taken to the Nate
Woods ranch.
The following morning the news of
Louey's capture had spread from ranch
to ranch, and very soon there was a
large gathering of indignant cattlemen
| at the Woods place. Some Of these
were members of the Montana Vigil
lantes committee which had struck
| terror into the hearts of evildoers a
few years previous, and Louey quaked
as he recognized some Of his accusers.
1t did not take long to put the man
on trial. the specific charge being the
stealing of two red COWS from the
Woods ranch. Louey stoutly denied this
act and explained his presence in the
valley that night by stating that he
/ lad been sent from Virginia City with
an important message to DR.. Steele.
who was wanted in Virginia to help
sew up" man who had been pune
tured" the previous night. This was,
in part, corroborated, but Louey's &C
cusers were not satisfied. They felt
that he knew something of the where
abouts of the two COWS.
| Not far from the place Of trial there
was a large tree, and it had many
accused man might confess, he was
| taken to this tree and rope was
placed about his neck, the other end
being run over the strongest branch.
A dozen angry ranchers held the loose
end.
Tell us what you did with those red
| cows" came the demand from the
/ spokesman Tell us who you sold them
! to and we will give him a dose of this
medicine, too. for he is guilty of re-
ceiving stolen meat. and we are tired
of being the losers"
II never stole your red cows and I
! never saw them" answered Louey de-
| family.
Pull away, boys" came the COM
mand, and they did pull away with
such good will that Louey was gasp
| ing and kicking in the air an instant
| later There he was allowed to hang
until he became almost unconscious,
and was then lowered. When he had
recovered. he was again called upon
to tell to whom he had sold the cows.
II didn't steal those cows" he pro-
tested. Honest, I never saw those
cows"
| Cruel Torture
, Again the signal was given and
Louey was second time choked and
again he was lowered to be revived
only to again strongly and more stren-
uously deny the accusation. The proc
ess was repeated twice more and each
| time Louey denied his guilt. When the
man was let down the fourth time.
there were some among the crowd who
| felt confident that they had accused
the wrong person, and these were in
clined to give Louey the benefit OF
the doubt.
A man would not take such desper-
! ate chance Of his life to keep from
revealing his pals. was the conclusion
! of some, and finally this became the
opinion of the majority of the accusers
and the rope was removed from
Louey's neck He was given a flask of
whisky, plenty to eat and some warm
wraps and was warned to keep his
horses headed up the valley. and to-
keep going until the main range was
reached and he was out of Montana.
| He was told to stay away from the
| valleys of southern Montana in the
future.
The truth, II plainly told, was that
many Of the ranchmen were BY NO