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About The Hardin Tribune-Herald (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973 | View This Issue
The Hardin Tribune-Herald (Hardin, Mont.), 24 April 1925, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn86075229/1925-04-24/ed-1/seq-5/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
Friday, April 24, 1925. THE HARDIN TRIBUNE -HERALD Page Five. ROUNDING UP THE HORSE THIEVES AND CATTLE RUSTLERS OF BLACK HILLS COUNTRY ---GEORGE EXCELBEE'S LAST STAND (By J. FRANK). • It was thought that two others, p ERHAPS the most flourishing and profitable industry carried detecting the guarded approach of on in the region lying north and the vigilants, made their escape. The west of the Black Hills, Dakota Ter- vigilante then silently separated, and ritory, during the years of the per- each retired to his respective home iod between 1877 and 1883, was and bed to sleep, and perhape to horse -stealing, and what is termed, dream—of what? in the vernacular of the range coun- Another, who \died with his boots try, \cattle -rustling.\ During those on ,- because of his natural or ac - years, regularly organ i se d b an d s of quired penchant for other people's professional thieves and rustlers, the horses, was Jack Cole, a local cele- record of whose crimes—followed sometimes by speedy retribution— fills not a few tragic pages in the history of Spearfish, under the guise of ranchmen and hunters, made their sole living by appropriating the livestock that roamed and grassed at large over the northern plains. The modus operandi of these band- ed outlaws, many of whom claimed ranches in remote, out-of-the-way localities, was to \run-off\ the stol- en horses to these hidden rendez- 'lona Until i 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 cattle, bearing the brand of their owners, were traced and found on the prem- ises of the thieves, it furnished no proof that. they had been stolen, as the wide expanse of prairie was their legitimate range. Thus, it will be seen, that the law was practically powerless to protect private property, and the thieves were suffered to continue their ne- farious traffic, unwhipped of justice for years. Receiving but little pro- tection from the courts, the settlers and stock -owners, exasperated be- yond the point of endurance, because of their losses and the boldness of the thieves, finally resolved to take the law into their own hands. So it was, that one night, early in 1877, a few determined men met in secret canclave, bound themselves together by an iron -clad oath, and is- sued forth, sworn to mete out sum- mary justice to every \rustler\ upon whom they could henceforth lay their avenging hands (perchance the Innocent sometimes suffered with the guilty). They had not long to wait. One balmy night in August, 1877, It was whispered around that a party of horse -thieves was encamped in the brush east of Lookout Mountain, and as approached the midnight watch a small band of masked men—vigi- lante, they were—armed to the teeth, and carrying a rope, stealthily made their way around the base of the mountain, and crept up to the camp. capturing two men named Bean Davis and George Skeating. A noose was slipped over the head of each, and they were \swung\ from the limb of a nearby pine tree, with no other save the eye of Omniscence, to witness the tragedy. rAfterEVery.Meal Pass it around after every meal. Give the family the benefit of its aid to digestion. acariS teeth too. Keep it always in the house. Fn - Costs littk- helps muck - Ornamental Steel, Iron and Wire Fences Cheaper than Eastern Prices -untie Escapee muse Haloonies. Steel •/ Flee roles. roldlat Oates, Cane - Wee and Grille, Wire, Troia ank4 Steel Window Guards. CornettrY reason tind Crome. Elevator Cabe and 11*- *our's. Meal Stairways. _ate.' teas- Kik beep, VIrepreet VOOra mad Qrstingp, p..k naittirsind ens, Illkytight Gard. Ire olt- •ril and Tool Proorn nelo rea. tneetre ter rvipee at Montana Ornamental Iron and Wire Works 161 I. A rIsmiaa St. Weftsa !bona an sometimes found aiding and abettng the gang and sharing its profits. In 1878, some of the citizens of the town were suspected. The move- ments of these were watched, and, finally as the result of much detec- tive work on the part of citizens, the guilty one were aperohended. One night, long after the shadows fell, two of the suspected were captured in the act of driving off cattle that Deadwood to be tried by the courts. In the winter of 1883-84 the cur- tain finally dropped on the long. wicked career of the Excelbee gang. This happened at Stoneville, Montana The story of the closing scenes of the tragic drama is (shorn of its details) about as follows: The outlaws in their extended raids had visited the Indian reservations on the Missouri river and stolen a \Billy the Kid,\ who secaped un- scathed. Upon discovering their men, the officers circled around to the north- ward and climbed a little eminence where they could command the situ- ation. Willard, taking position with O'Hara on the right, called to the outlaw leader, Excelbee: \I have a died as a result of this wound. warrant for your arrest.\ Thereup- Sequel to the Fight. on the outlaws turned and faced the That night Excelbee, the wounded chief, went to Sheldon's ranch, five - -e. • _ - _ - - 7 , _ .ir -- 0,_ - __.„- - ---- 7 -„----- -- 1 . ..ep___ . _,.. ._ ,.., f...—....._..:....,_.... -r--,..E.-',,,...-'- _..... f-- -- --se _ - ....).. -- ....1......S -..- - -.\ - -----\ , lf... ...,...-4k.:- - - e ' , .... --'. - ...... ,....../ . ...._. ..-• I . ... - r ,-• '''. . A . ' e •...--..- ‘-- ....._. eil\ .. .. , -404:-' 5 %.,4?-.'•- ...:- - - - :-..\ - -\*\ -\s\...\--.•:___.....-' ,_-......-. .- v ff ' '17g,\ 1 , t#,, ...., ,.... - ,... 4 ._ ,,, ,..11.74,.. „ . „. _ 7....,. ..-.., - ; - -•• .- 1 .... • f ,0 1 i, 0 ,, ,, ,;?, x4 ,\ \Igo e?, ..----- - --:-.:- •_: ,... .3 -e•••• -e , *, ;, ,.• •,\''- i : , i!, • /7,, A i--: - .- --* __ ---,...., ---7--'-!------'••••\\---- ... _. ---- _--- -,.=• , iro . • - •-• ' Excelbee and his men then re- treated into the brush, made a circuit and came out on the opposite side of the officers, from where they fired at a lot of cowboys who happened to be In the viciinity, killing one, Billy Cunningham, and wounding another by the name of Jack Harris, who later THE CATTLE DAYS in Montana constituted one of the most rom antic and thrilling periods in the history of the Treasure State. In the e.aellest days of this era, the cattle rustler and horse thief plied his illegitimate trade, for a short time, much to the hardship and expense of the livestock owners; and it required the strictest vigilance of the state's original cowboys to keep these bandit gangs in subjection. brity known around Spearfish as \Buckskin Jack,\—perhaps the same \Buckskin\ who joined the \Centen- nial Party,\ en route to the Black Hills in the spring of 1876. If this be true, and the two were the same, he became short on moral scruples, went north on the range, jo:fted the gang, and was finally caught and \given free passage via the suspen- sion route' to his last account. Poor \Buckskin\! The most notoriuos and boldest of the outlaws who for years infested the region northeast and west of the Black Hills, constituted what was widely known as the Excelbee Gang, made up of such men as John Camp- bell, Bill McCarthy (or \The Kid\) Charles Brown (or \Broncho Char- ley\) and Alex Grady, with George Excelbee as chief. Members of this' gang frequently visited the settle- ments in the garb of hunters or cow- boys, for the purpose, so to speak, of spying out the land, and even men engaged in legitimate business were was not their own, and they were trailed. About midnight they halted to rest, went into camp, and while sleeping were surrounded by the grim avengers. No explanations was asked of the trembling culprits, and none was needed. They had been caught in their act of crime, to ex- piate which they were soon strug- gling in mid-air from the limb of a tree where the bodies were left and later discovered. Another man who was strongly suspected of secret connection with the Excelbee gang, and now recalled, was J. B. Pruden, mail contractor. express agent, and stage owner on the route from Miles City to Spear- fish. Pruden was finally arrested at the former place by a Deputy United States Marshall, who telegraphed to United States Marshall, A. A. Ray- mond at Deadwood to send an offic- er for the prisoner. Fred A. Willard, who was deputy at Spearfish, depu- tized J. W. Ryan who made the trip to Miles City and took Pruden to number of Indian horses. Complaint was made by the Indian agent to the United States district attorney at Deadwood, and a warrant was is- sued for the arrest of the thieves and the same placed in the hands of De- puty United States Marshall A. A. Raymond, of Deadwood, who at once put officers on the trail. The out- laws, having doubtless been fore- warned of the danger of their being caught, had packed their personal equipment, and moved out westward toward Miles City. Officers Fred A. Willard and Jack O'Hara of Spear- fish, with Captain A. M. Willard of Deadwood, armed with due process of law, took up the trail. The Fight At Stoneville. The five mounted bandits with three pack horses were overtaken at a place called Stoneville, Montana, (now known as Alzada), where a desperate fight ensued, resulting in the death of one of the officers, Jack O'Hara, and the mortal wounding of each member of the gang, except miles above the scene of the combat. He was accompanied by three of his comrades, and begged for bread, bandages and money, stating that he was going to leave the country as it was becoming too torrid for him. The next day Campbell, who had be- come separated from the others, sent to Humphrey Hood, foreman of the Hash -Knife cattle ranch, the follow- ing pleading note, by a stage -driver named Chase. \Dear was badly wound- ed in the head during the fight yes terday and my horse was killed. The boys are all shot to pieces and scat- tered. For God's sake send me a horse by bearer as soon as It is dark enough to get away from the offie- ers.\ Hood, not wishing to be implicat- ed, sent the note to Officer Willard who detained the bearer, Chase until dark, when he and Charley Conley went with Chase to the cabin where Campbell was hidden, Sive miles dis- tant. Lpon reaching the place, Chase was orderd to take one of the horses and fasten him to the gate, then go inside and tell Campbell that there was a horse for him outside. Camp- bell soon came out with a pistol in his right and a rifle in his left hand and when half way to the gate, Wil- - lard called to him to throw up his hands. Instead of complying he cfficers, and shooting began from commenced shooting in the direction both ranks. Willard's first shot of the voice, whereupon Willard and struck Campbell, who threw up his Conley both fired at the desperate hands and fell from his horse, and at man and he fell dead. about the same moment, O'Hara was On the following Friday, Tuttle heard to exclaim, \I guess I am was brought to Spearfish and placed killed!\ Willard threw his arms in the county hospital, where It was around him as he was about to fall decided that amputation was necee- when a shot from the rear penetrated sary. The operation was never per - his left shoulder, glanced across and formed, for, as the tragic story goes came out at the right, causing a ser- —Ah, pity, 'tis, 'tis true—during bus ,though not dangerous, flesh the silent hours one dark night, a wound. O'Hara lived about ten min- band of six masked men entered utes. About the fourth shot Excel_ the hospital where the sufferer slept, bee was seen to throw up his hands gagged him, and carried him away and fall from his horse. About this groaning with pain, the inmates of time the officers discovered that they the hospital not daring to make any were being fired at from the rear outcry against the procedure. The by the \Kid who had taken refuge next morning, his rigid body was behind a pile of lumber, from where found clad only in a thin cotton shirt, he had shot the officers. During the a bandage around his neck, and fight two more of the outlaws were swinging like a pendulum from the wounded, the three pack -horses and limb of an oak tree, in the cold win - two saddle horses killed, and two ter wind. The body bore every indi- saddle horses captured by the offic- cation that he had slowly choked to ers, leaving them only one horse with death. Tuttle was born and reared in the lap of luxury—a father's pride, and which to make good their escape. Captain Williams' Second Expedition Into Unbroken Fastness of Indian Infested West AM. By Martha Edgerton Plassmann. - . — I N THIS material age, those who have followed the adventures of Captain Ezekiel Williams on his first trip to the Rocky mountains, will not be content with the meager returns he realized from the few furs he gained after parting company with his companions, Working and Spen- cer. They will wish to know what became of the large amount of skins left cached at the head of the Ar- kansas river. Were they eaten by the wolves or stolen by the Indians? This was what Captain Williams was also exceedingly anxious to learn. His disastrous first trip made it difficult for him to secure the large party that would make it safe to again tempt the wilderness. He tried to enlist men in St. Louis, but the reports of Indian atrocities which had reached there made it impos- sible to do so, and there were few white men further up the river. All summer tong the Captain continued his efforts without success, and it was late in December before two \very young men\—how young, we are not informed—consented to go with him. To forestall anything of the kind, the wily old trapper had the youths in tow, and underway within three days, before their en- thusiasm should wane. They ,vent op hereeback, taking with them provfliro..., iorten - giiys. Following up. the river., until they came to Fort Osage, when they took their course southwest to the tribu- taries of the Arkansas, finally they reached that river. It was now the early part of January and very cold on the prairie, with high winds and snow. To increase the discomfort of the trio, their provisions failed, and there was no game to be seen. Had there been any, they could not have approached it, on account of the crackling noise made by walking on the crusted surface of the snow, which would have warned the ani- mals of their enemies' nearness. OUGHS Every few hours @maim, slowly a quarter of a teaspoonful ofVicks. Also melt a little to a spoon Or a tin cup , and inhale the vapors arising. ICR VAPORUS Owes 11 as. Jar* Lima nab In a walnut grove the famished men camped. Then it occurred to them that where walnut trees grew there might be nuts, and on remov- ing the snow plenty were found, on which they feasted. A day or so later the sun shone; it grew warmer; and squirrels disporting themselves in the neighborhood paid the penalty with their lives, go furnished meals for the starving men, then, and dur- ing the next three days. After this time they chanced on a small Indian camp, where they were hospitably received, warmed and fed. Captain Williams intimates that had they not been so hungry, they might have objected to the manner in which the food was prepared. The dish served them consisted of stew made of corn and meat, to which buf- falo tallow was added. The old squaw, who acted as cook, having no knife to cut the tallow, bit it off and droppei it into the stew. On leaving the Indians. the ad- venturers took with them five quarts of parched corn. Soon after this they killed two buffalo bulls and had a plentiful supply of meat. The bones they broke and ate the mar- row uncooked, pronouncing it delic- ious. As the three approached the moun- tains, the cold increased, and there was no game.in. 'their 'exiatty they Itilled a vitt - rig - wolf and ate it. They said its flesh tasted well; with the accompanying sauce of hunger. They also killed and ate a coon, and one of the many wild horses that roamed the country. By this time they had reached the caches, which were found in tact. Planning, as they did, to take the furs down the river, there was no further use for their horses. Not daring to turn them loose, as they might lead Indians to know white men were in the neighborhood, it was decided to shoot them, and dry some of the meat to provide food for the journey. Then buffalo were seen, and the men Went out to * hunt them. Several were killed, but too far from camp for them to reach it that night. Having no bedding with them, the three laid down in the snow on the raw hides, which they also used for covers. These froze during the night, and curling up, gave free ac- cess to the bitter wind of the prairie, \and caused the men great suffer- ing.\ as may readily be imagined. . The .river not having risen..anil while wafting for it to do so. the men utilized their time of waiting in mak- ing three bull boats. These, it- will be remembered, were made of hides stretched over a refund framework of willows. They were not durable, as prisoners, and their furs confiscated, they soon rotted. white their owners were haled before Leaving the caches with their con- the Indian agent. tents, the party went further down A short time before the arrival of the river, where they made camp in the Williams party, some white men the midst of a plum grove. Here had stolen furs from the Osages, and they remained until some Coman- the agent mistook the three men for ches saw them, and visited their the thieves for whom he was search- camp. - These displayed great cur- fug. - ATthough circumettrntlal e - vt- The island furnished them with plenty of game. Undoubtedly they abet it with guns, and e_o_ran -,Ilte: risk of making their presence kno n to the I Indians. Fortunately they were not discovered, but staid on the island until the river rose sufficiently to make it possible to journey down It, which was about the middle of June. They then went bark up the river, unearthed the furs, and started south in the bull boats. These had to be frequently cast aside, and new cne made, which necessarily delayed them in thier journey south. When large enough timber was reached, the three made a couple of canoes, which they lashed tbgether. iosity regarding the guns of the white dence was against them, Captain Wil- men, and the Marksmanship of the Dams was able, after a day or so— latter. Soon a larger party of In- three days, it is said—to prove their diens in full war paint called on innocence. They were then set free, them, but were induced to be friend- and their furs returned to them. ly, when Captain Williams, hearing Continuing their journey down they were about to fight the Paw- the river, after their release, the nees, offered to go with them, and three met with no other misadven- settle some grievances, he said he tures, and reaching a trading post, had against the tribe. sold their furs for the goodly sum With this understanding the In- of five thousand dollars. What part diens left, and so did the white men of this sum went to Captain Wil- about ten o'clock that night. They hams, and what part to the boys who took the precaution to follow the made possible their reaching the trail of the Indians for some distance, post, we are not told. Nor is any - then crossed the river two or three thing said regarding the share of times, and at length made camp on Workman and Spencer, nor what an island, in another plum thicket. should have gone to the relatives of Here they slept the remainder of the those others, whose bones were night, and awakened to find them- bleaching on the Yellowstone and in selves under a three-inch blanket of the mountains, where the members snow. They did not dare to move, of the first expedition had fallen, so they remained as they were all with the exception of Williams. that day and the following night. Workman and Spencer and the wily Rose, who had become a great man in the Crow nation. After disposing of the furs, Wil- lins, and the boys, crossed the.r1r-. er to St. Louis, where they again tasted the joys of civilization of the period, and then moved on up the river to Cooper's fort, from which point they set out nearly a year be- fore. Married Women Barred. In the future married women will not be employed in the public schools of school district No. I, Great Falls, according to a decision made by the school board at a recent meeting. Thle action does not affect married One carried the furs, the other the women who are now employed in men. All went well until they this district providing they are re - caught sight of a large Indain camp appointed at the close of the term. which was being removed. Cautious- Marriage of teachers during the ly drifting under the concealing bluffs, they managed to avoid . de- tection. school term will 'be considered as a breach of contract, and their resigna- tions will be requested, the board Not lonv after this the Williams ruled. There are more than 30 mar - party overtook some Cherokees who ried women teaching- in the city were floating in their boats down the schools at the present time and as river. Captain Williams did his best they leave the service unmarried to win their friendship, and apparent- women will be employed to fill the ly was st4cessful. The Indians re- vacancies. mained , fith them a short time, and then,went on to tell. mere of their tribe of the approach of the white men. A little further down the Hy, er, the course of the last mentioned was blocked by a large number of canoes; the white men were taken Miss V tratnizi 'Tenter of Cam briti has be selected to write the his- torical pageant to be presented next June in_.cottecteion with the celebra- tion of the 300th anniversary of Quincy, Mass. a fond mother's joy, doubtless. He had been educated in the best schools; of the country, and was then sent abroad to complete his studies. His father died leaving him a fortune ef $40,000 to $60,000. He then left New York City and came to the \wild and woolly\ west, landing in Minnesota where he went into the drug business with a partner. Inexperienced in the ways of the untrammeled west, and susceptible, perhaps, to evil influences, he soon squandered his heritage, and was left penniless. After wandering from one point to another for a time he arrived at the Black Hills and went out on the cattle range, joined the gang, as an easy way to make a liv- ing, and finally ended his once prom- ising life as hereinbefore stated. - The - hreakinsr - un of - this notorious gang had the effect of drawing to a final conclusion of the wholesale activities of horse and cattle thieves who had operated in the Black Hills for many years and the stockmen, af- ter that time were left to their pur- suits unmolested. Say \Bayer Aspirin\ INSIST! Unless AU see The \Bayer Cross\ on tablets you are not getting the genuine Bayer Aspirin proved safe by millions and prescribed by phy- sicians for 24 years. Scits Accept only a — — Bayer package which contains proven directions Handy \Bayer\ boxes of 12 tablets Also bottles of 24 and 100 --Druggists A VI rtn 111P tniele nutrk of Bayer Mann - facture of leueoeopticecuteeter of MALT SYRUP SYRUP APEX MALT Brand LIGHT — DARK — mv.Dirm Nall orders filled /mane clay reeelred ilAT4sFactitort GUARANTIES') —Write for Frit-eft— BUTTE MALI /Witt P (X). Wtioleante and Retail 534 Month Idaho Pt. AMUR, Mows
