Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-03-07
Excelbee's Famous Horse Thief Gang
Met Its Waterloo i'm Montana Fight

Perhaps the most flouriShing and
profitable industry carried on in the
region lying north and west Of the
Black Hills, Dakota Territory. during
the years between 1877 and 1888, was
horse stealing and cattle rustling Dur
ing those years, regularly organized
bands of professional thieves and
rustlers, the record of whose crimes
followed sometimes by speedy retribu
tion-fills not few tragic pages in the
history Of Spearfish, under the guiSe
Of ranchmen and hunters, made their
sole living by appropriating the live
stock that roamed and grazed at large
over the northern plains.
The modus operandi Of these banded
outlaws, many Of whom claimed
ranches in remote, out-of -the-way 10
calities, was to 'run-off" the stolen
horses to these hidden rendezvous until
a sufficient number were secured, when
they were taken into Wyoming, or
some other market, and sold at good
prices. The cattle were driven singly
or in numbers to some secluded spot,
slaughtered, their hides burned, and
the meat sold in the markets of the
Black Hills It was difficult to detect
them, as they were ostensibly disposing
Of their own property, and even if cat
tie, bearing the brand of their owners.
were traced and found on the premises
Of the thieves, it furnished no proof
that they had been stolen, as the wide
eXpanse of prairie was their legitimate
range
Thus the law was practically power
less to protect private property, and
the thieves were suffered to continue |
their nefarious traffic, unwhipped of
justice for years. Receiving but little |
protection from the courts, the settlers |
and stock owners, exasperated beyond |
the point Of endurance, because of their |
losses and the holiness Of the thieves, /
finally resolved to take the law into !
heir own hands. So it was, that one
night, early In 1877, few determined |
men met in secret conclave, bound |
themselves together by an iron-clad |
Dath, and issued forth, sworn to mete |
)ut summary justice to every rustler
Upon whom they could henceforth lay |
heir avenging hands (perchance the
sometimes suffered with the
yuilty). They had not long to wait
Two Men Hanged
One balmy night in August, 1877, it
vas whispered around that a party of
horse thieves was encamped in the
,rush east of Lookout Mountain, and
Is approached the midnight watch a
mall band Of masked men-vigilants,
hey were-armed to the teeth, and
carrying rope, stealthily made their
way around the base of the mountain,
md crept up to the camp, capturing
wo men named Bean Davis and
George Skeating. A moose was slipped
yer the head of each, and they were
swung" from the limb Of nearby
line tree, with no other save the eye
+ Omniscence, to witness the tragedy.
1t was thought that two others, de-
Getting the guarded approach of the
igilants, made their escape. The Wig
ANTS then silently separated, and each
etired to his respective home.
Another, who "died with his boots
- because of his natural or acquired
enchant for other peoples horses, was
ack Cole, a celebrity known around
ipearfish as ''Buckskin Jack perhaps
he same "Buckskin" who joined the
Centennial Party" enroute to the
Ilack Hills in the spring Of 1876 If
his be true, and the two were the
anne, he became short on moral
cruples, went north on the range,
oined the gang, and was finally caught
nd given free passage via the sus-
ension route" to his last account.
The most notorious and boldest OF
he outlaws who for years infested the
egion northeast and west Of the Black
ills, constituted what was widely
nown as the Excelbee gang, made up
+ such men as John Campbell, Bill
TcCarthy Cor 1.-THE Kid'D, Charles
Irown Cor "Broncho Charley'O, and !
lex Grady, with George Excelbee as (
hief. Members of this gang frequently '
isited the settlements in the garb OF {
unters or cowboys, for the purpose OF 1
pying out the land, and even men
ngaged in legitimate business were 1
ometimes found aiding and abetting
ne gang and sharing its profits.
In 1878, some Of the citizens Of the
own were suspected. The movements
( these were watched, and, finally
5 the result Of much detective work