The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 3, 1898, Page 20

20 » THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 189S. ROUNDING UP OUTLAWo IN THE COLORADO BASIN Active Campaign by the Governors of Four Otates Against “Butch” Cassidy and His 500 Freebooters, ALT LAKE, Utah, 1898.—"“Butch" Cassidy man. He is the worst man four States. These States are Utah, Colorado, Idaho and Wy- March 29, - = oming, and when the four Governors met in secret corclave on Monday it was far the purpose of deciding upon a plan of campaign against the most notorious oatlaw the West has ever had to cope with. The achievements of Jesse James and his followers pale into tawdry insigni” e before those of “Butch” nd his five hundred. For several years—in fact, ever since the Live Stock Commission drove the Wyoming rustlers out of business in 1892—"Butch” has proven a thorn in the flesh of .ne authorities of the four States in which he carries on his oper- ations, He has laughed the militia to scorn. Sheriffs and deputies he regards with pity anl contempt. He is a pow- er unto himself. After the ordinary methods of hunt- ing outlaws had been tried unsuccess- fully it was decided that drastic means must be employed. Rewards have been repeatedly offered for “‘Butch” Cassidy, dead or - live, and after each fresh out- break these rewards have invariably been increased. If all the offers which have been made from time to time hold good, the slayer of “Butch” should he ever live to claim his reward. would be entitled to upward of $20,000 in blood money. But the rewards have proven as fu- tile as have the efforts of the militia and the deputy sheriffs. And that is why Governor Wells of Utah, Governor Adams of Colorado, Governor Richards of Wyoming and Governor Steunen- berg of Idaho <ot their heads together to see what could be done. Just what the result of their conference was has not been divulged. The Guvernors believe in still hunt methods, and it is thought that a large number of experienced mountaineers and bandit hunaters will be placed in the field, each State to furnish its quo- ta, and that the bandits will be round- ed up In much the same fashion that cattle are. Any attempt to exterminate this desperate band is certain to be at- tended by bloodshed. “Butch” and his band are the out- growth of the rustlers of six years ago. Since then they have broadened their field and increased their numbers. It 18 no idle boast to say that the leader of this notorious band has five hundred men at his beck and call. Their depredations are upon a scale never before reached in the history of frontier crime. All the conditions are favorable to them. They know every foot of the vast ter-itory in which they operate, taking in, as it does, the wild- est and most inaccessible portions of four States. Every man of them is thoroughly familiar with frontier life In its rougher phases. The forces are subdivided into five = 292 Into P Teton Baginy bands, each controlled by its own lead- er, with Cassidy as the supreme power. The outlaws now practically control the sparsely settled region extending from Central Wyoming southwesterly through Northwestern Colorado and Utah, and almost to the Arizona line. Marauding and murderous bands con- duct their raids without restraint. The thefts of livestock run into the mil- lions. Ranchmen are murdered and driven out of business, and the officers of the law are powerless. There are five camps where the various bands make their headquar- ters, each of which is well nigh inacces- sible except to the bandits mselves. Two of the most famous are “Robbers’ Roost” and “Hole n the Wall.” The former is in South Central Utah on the San Rafaele River, a few miles west of the Green River. The latter is hidden somewhere in that wild, moun- district to the northwest of Cas s W, The other camps are located in Teton Basin, near the eastern border of Idaho and south of the Snake River; Powder Springs in Southwestern Wyo- ming, near Colorado, and about fifty mi east of the Utah line; and Browns Park, taking in the northwestern cor- ner of Colorado and the northeastern portion of Utah. It is not definitely known in just which State the Browns Park camp lies, but it is thought to be across the line in Colorado. « Never before in the record of border outlawry nave Western States beea forced to form an offensive and defen- sive alliance against bandits such as was entered into last week at Salt Lake by the Governors of these four States. The situation had become desperate and a desperate remedy was required. The five camps form a chain extend- ing for hundreds of miles. Between these posts communication is main- tained by a regular system of couriers and cipher dispatches, facilitating the co-operation of two or more bands when an enterprise of more than usual magnitude is undertaken. These reckless bands are composed of men of the most reckless and desperate character, long accustomed to deeds of crime. Whenever a murder is com- mitted in the mountain States or a con- vict escapes from a penitentiary the criminal flees to the nearest of these retreats, where ha’is safe from pursuit. In this manner the ranks of the ban- dits have been recruited up to a strength conservatively estimated at five hundred. Vhile each band has its chosen leader, “Butch” Cassidy exer- cises some sort of authority over the federation. Each of the strongholds is both a ren- dezvous and a fortress absolutely im- pregnable. They can only be reached by traversing deep and narrow gorges, scaling lofty and rugged peaks and penetrating the wildest recesses of the Rocky Mountains. In many places the only trail lies over a narrow shelf or a precipice. Holes have been drilled, into which in case of close pursuit dy- namite can be placed and the trall blown from the face of the cliff into the chasm below, thus baffling all pur- suers. There are also many places where one robber can hold fifty officers at bay, TERRITORY OVER WHICH THE OUTLAWS ROAM. The Principal Strongholds of the Band—Teton Basin, Hole in the Wall, Brown's Park, Power Springs and Robber's Roost—Are Indicated on the Map. and as the bandits are armed to the teeth and will fight to the last man, any effort to exterminate them by the ordinary processes of law is regarded as a useless sacrifice of life. In their retreats are numerous caves, luxur- lously fitted up and containing subsis- tence sufficient for months. Thus are the bandits enabled to set at defiance all the forces of law and order. The outlaws roam the adjacent coun- try and smaller settlements without molestation. Many settlers purchase immunity by extending assistance in various ways, and the robbers even at- tend country dances and other fune- tions, occasionally “shooting up” the town or indulging in other forms of re- creation. It is onlv when closelv pur- sued by officers of the law that thev re- tire to their'mountain retreats. “Butch” Cassidy, however, by reason of the price upon his head, considers the higher altitude more conducive 10 his health and seldom ventures into the towns, unless he is making a raid or is surrounded by a band of his trusty men, in which case he never fears mo- lestation. ~ As a killer he has earned a reputation during the last ten years probably equaled in the West only by that of “Wild 8ill” Hickok, peace to his ashes. Few men who know him would cara to rouse his ire, for although a man of wonderful nerve, unlike most of hnis class, he is possessed of a fearful tem- per. Sometimes it gets beyvond his The De puly _ ~2Rer foolhardy officers who have invaded their strongholds have been disarmed, dismounted and sent home. An instance of this kind occurred just after the raid on the coal company at Price. Two deputies traced Cassidy and Ferguson to the lair at “Robbers’ Roost.’ They were fully twenty-four hours behind, and their approach was known long before they arrived at the narrow trail leading up into the ren- dezvous. Cassidy was in a jovial mood, and he conceived that it would be more fun to capture the deputies and make sport of them than to kill them. So he acted accordingly. The deputies were about half way up the trail when, just at a bend around a sharp point of rocks, they heard the shar) co.nmand “Hands up!” Half a dozen ~uns were staring them in the face not twenty paces away. The deputies realized that not to obey meant sudden death. Up went their hands. Cassidy stepped up to them, roaring with laughter. “You're a couple of fine dubs to come and catch peaceablé citizens, ain't you?” he cried. “Gimme your guns. Here, Buck,” calling to one of his men, “search these tenderfeet, and if they've got any tobacco you can keep it.” The outcome of it was that the depu- ties. relieved of everything but their clothing, were bound hand and foot to their horses, conducted to the foot of the pass and sent about their business. To add to their discomfiture a rudely a woman to do this, it must be remem- bered that in 1735 great ignorance pre- vailed as to the conditions of Arctic life. The equipments of the Arctic ex- peditions on the miserable little sail- ing vessels, often hardly fit even to sleep upon, were extremely meager and could in no way bear comparison with the carefully fitted up ships sent north in_this century. The party of Pronchistshef lived through the winter, suffering from many fearful privations, and in the spring they broke loose from the ice and headed the ship back. And here, near the mouth of the river Olenek, on this homeward voyage, the courageous little bride died. Her death was fol- lowed in two days by that of her brave husband, Lieutenant Pronchistshef, Thus ended the first Arctic romance. This exploit remained unparalleled for over a hundred years when Mme. d’Aunet, in 1839, visited the island of Spitzbergen, on board the ship La Re- cherche, sent out by France, and com- manded hy Captain Fabvre. There was also on board a committee of scientists, who accomplished much valuable work. La Recherche sailed to Magdalena Bay, Spitzbergen, which is 79 degrees 35 min- utes north, two degrees farther north than Mrs. Pronchistshef and one and a half farther than Mrs. Peary. Mme. d’Aunet, on her safe return home, de- scribes the cemetery of fishers in Mag- dalena Bay, the men who lost their lives on that bleak coast. It is the IS UCL A A control, and then he throws all cau- tion to the wind and becomes utterly reckless. About four years ago he was shot at from ambush near Green River by a cowboy known as “Hackey” Hughes, whose only object was to secure the reward offered by the State authorities of Utah. the bullet pierced the lobe of his ear, and the blood streaming down his face acted upon Cassidy as a red flag might to a maddenea bull. With a howl of rage he turned his horse just as another bullet passed through the rim of his sombrero. A puff of smoke from a clump of bushes showed where the assassin was con- cealed. For picturesque profanity “Butch” Cassidy hasn’t his equal in the States, and on that occasion he is said to have fairly surpassed himself. Ripping out a string of oaths that would reach from Dan to Beersheba he jumped from his horse and dodged be- hind a bowlder. He waited for twenty minutes, and then the cowboy shot the outlaw's horse, which had been grazing in the open. That was more than “Butch” could stand. Throwing caution to the winds he ran toward the clump of bushes, with a pistol in each hand barking at every step. But Hughes, considering discretion the better part of valor, had jumped on his horse and succeeded in making good his escape. But the vindictive nature of “Butch” Cassidy asserted it- self. He had recognized his assailant, and every member of the band re- ceived instructions to be on the watch for him. Hughes left the Green River country, and it was not until six months later that he was located, on the north fork of the Powder River, up in Wyoming. Cassidy was notified, and with a dozen picked men he reached the ranch where Hughes was working. It was during the spring roundup. The two men met face to face. Hughes knew what was coming and pulled his gun. But he wasn’t quick enough. Cassidy's pistol cracked first, and the cowhoy dropped from his saddle with a bullet through his right eye, “That's the way I serve any -—— skunk that tries to shoot me in the back,” remarked Cassidy. “If any of his friends want t take up the quar- rel I'm ready.” But if the dead cowboy had any friends they failed to respond. “Butch” Cassldy was well known, and it wasn't safe to pick quarrels with him. So he rode away with his escort, cursing the cowboys for a pack of cowardly coyotes, Cattle-stealing is the chief source of income to Cassidy and his fcllowers. One company alone in Central Utah has lost 2000 head during the past two years, worth at present prices $80,000. These were driven through Colorado and into New Mexico. It is in driving these stolen cattle from one State to another and out of the cot.try that 2?:;!‘ system of co-operation is benefi- cial. However, any operation that prom- ises adventure and financial reward is never overlooked. Trains are held up, express companies and banks are robbed, and even individuals, when known to have money in their posses- slon, are relieved of their possessions in true road-agent style. There are women among these out- laws, too, who ride with them on their Wwild forays and take pride iu their as- sociation with these bold and daring freebooters. Even “Calamity Jane,” in the old days of her association with ‘Deadwood Dick,” could not surpass these picturesque females in their wild career. About a year ago “Butch” Cassidy and “Bill” Ferguson, one of his trusted lieutenants, dashed into the town of Price in broad daylight, held up the Paymaster of the coal company and rode off with $8000 before the crowd of bystanders realized what had hap- pened. This is but a sample exploit. Bank robberies are but side issues with them; merely incidental to their grand_chief occupation of cattle-steal- ing. If a victim resists or an officer pursues murder is regarded as a pro- fessional duty, to be chéerfully per- formed, but they are not given to wanton slaughter. In several instances CANNOT MARRY IN KOREA AT PRESENT 0dd Law That Forbids Marriages Till the King Is Wedded, so AT Good Koreans Are Patientlu Waiting. LL Koreans are overjoyed at the assurance that their King is go- ing to be married again at an early date. Legally, there has been nc marriage in Korea since the Queen’s murder two years KT Z oI XS BT 7 K02l L ,?‘6'”“!1:”',.4’ Z; advice to the contrary, but the Minis« ters finally succeeded in convincing him that it would be folly. For the Koreans would rather that their Ki. 2 should re- main single forever than that he should so far forget time-honored customs as to marry a girl so much his junior. scrawled note was pinned on the breast of each, which read: E ARE DEPUTY SHERIFFS, Sent Out to Capture Butch Cassidy and His Gang. When Found Send Us Home. | | O e ® P T O A e WOMEN POLAR EXPLORERS. HE notable achlevements of women are not confined to the temperate zones. It is well known that in 1861 Mrs. Peary accom- panied her husband to McCor- mick Bay, on the northwestern coast of Greenland, where she wintered with him at “Red Cliff House” (built by the expedition), in 77 degrees 43 minutes north latitude, and that last summer she and her little daughter, Marie Peary, approached still nearer to the north pole, reaching Cape Sabine on the Hope. This is the fatal spot from which General Greely was rescued, after the death of nineteen comrades, and is 78 degrees north, within 6 de- grees of the “farthest north” on land, that of Lockwood and Brainard in 1882. Mrs. Peary does not stand alone in her achievements. Though her record is spcken of as being unique, there are two women, long since dead, who have more than equaled her record. In July, 1735, there sailed from Ir- kutsk, Siberia, down the Lena River, into the Arctic seas, an expedition commanded by a Russian, Lieutenant Pronchistshef. He was in search of the “northeast passage. On board the ship was his bride, who, rather than be separated rrom the man she had jusc wedded, cheerfully braved the peris— more vague and terrible then—of the ncrth, at his side. . The old records state that the ship managed, despite the ice, to pass through the most eastern mouth of the Lena, and then sailed northwesterly along the coast, in a passage between the ice, not more than 100 or 200 yards wide, almost reaching Cape Chelyuskin, the northernmost land in Siberia: but here they were stopped by ice, and here they were forced to winter in latitude 77 degrees 48 minutes north. In order to fully appreciate whatit meant for farthest north of any burying ground in the world. “I counted fifty-two graves in this cemetery,” she says, “which is the most forbidding in the wide world; a ceme- tery without epitaphs, without monu- mentd, without flowers, without remem- brances, without tears, without regrets, without prayers; a cemetery of desola- tion, where oblivion doubly environs the dead, where is heard no sigh, no voice, no human step; a terrifying soli- tude, a profound and frigid silence, broken only by the fierce growl of the polar bear or the moaning of the storm.” § AN AMATEUR BAKER. There {s a woman now in New York who has had most serious misfortunes, and yet, in her grief and helplessness, has shown rare perseverance and ener- gy at the critical moment. Only a few weeks ago she and her husband lived in a comfortable home in a western.city. They owned the prop- erty and had been moderately well to do. But the husband died very sud- denly. Then the insurance on the house ran out, and soon the widow found it necessary to dispose of the property. Pending the negotiations, the house burned to the ground, and although the widow escaped, everything in her pos- session had been consumed. She had to borrow clothes before leaving for New York, where she had friends. She resolved not to allow her grief to have a serious effect upon her, but to find some immediate source of sup- port, and took the first opportunity that offered. She had made a specially wholesome graham bread for a friend here who was suffering with indiges- tion, and his appreciation of it at once suggested a means of support—she would bake and sell bread. Calling at neighboring residences and boarding houses, she at once took orders for all she could bake, delivered the bread the same day, and secured regular custo- mers. With the proceeds of successive sales she took in a large supply of ma- terials, and is steadily increasing the profits. She declares that with her ambition she will not remain poor long, and will soon make a big success of her undertaking. o ago. The King’s marriage means a great deal to the people of marriage- able age, for if the King be single, the law says that no’ marriage may take place in the land till he marries. The King takes precedence in matters mat- rimonial and all good Koreans who abide by the letter of the law religious- 1y and patriotically postpone their wed- ding days till the King officially greets his royal spouse. The strict letter of this law is not de- voutly observed throughout all classes of Korea. The common people do pretty much as they please in the matter, for the authorities realizing the antag- onism it would raise, do not prosecute them if they marry. Among the better classes and the no- bility, though, no one thinks of marry- ing. To do so means instant loss of caste. The Korean four hundred will never open its doors to people who have married while the King was single. As marriages in Korea are arrange- ments in which personal inclinations never play any part, it is not so diffi- cult to refrain from marrying. The Korean never falls in love. It is not considered the proper thing to do. All necessary arrangements are made by the two families who wish their chil- dren to intermarry. The two people mlvlast interested are never consulted at all. Since the murder of the Queen none of the members of good families have married. But the people have long been impatient for the King to marry, so that it might be permissible for them to follow his example. Over a year ago they began to ex- press their discontent openly. The King’s advisers pleaded with him then, and pointed out to him that unless he m:}{rled. serious consequences might re- sult. The King looked about him for a wife, and, forgetful of his three-score years, hit upon a maiden of noble fam- ily not yet sixteen years old. His Ministers frowned upon his choice and used every effort to dissuade him, The King for some time declared that he would marry the girl despite their like the Chinese and Japanese, do not countenance mar- riages when there is a great disparity in the ages. The sunbeam kisses n the moonbeam they s Although the King s willing give up the maiden of his choice, he re- fused for a long time to consider any of the other damsels that wereoffered him by his advisers. Of late the clamorings of the people for theremarriage of their Kine have grown so persistent that he has yielded to the importunities of his Ministers and has agreed to marry the lady they have selected for hi The future Korean Queen is said to be about thirty years oid and v handsome, according to the oriental standard of beauty. In this she diffe from her predecessor, who was an ex- ceedingly plain-looking woman. In ad- dition, the future Queen is si intelligent, or rather, as unintellig as her countrywomen, while the mur- dered Queen was considered clever, and was remarkably well informed con ering her advantages. Her influ over the King was supreme, and he consulted her on all matters of public as well as private ivnterest. Her juds- ment swayed all his actions and h power was evident in every branch the Government. In selecting this wife for the King tha Ministers have been very careful to choose one who will not usurp their power. During the twenty-five years that the murdered Queen shared the throne of Korea, she practically ruled the nation. Like other Korean girls, she receiv little or no education, but she was constant and serious student. She rea all the books that could be obtaines at the English mission schools and w aware that there were nations fa; advanced than the Koreans. N theless she had that inborn hatred for the Japanese which is the birthright of every Korean, and for this reason there are some who believe she was put out of the way by a Japanese. National Korean dislike for the Jap- anese dates back 400 years. A mighty Japanese warrior, living at that time, with but a handful of men succeeded in conquering as large an army, as Ko- rea could muster. Of this feat of arms the Japanese are proud and in their text books the warrior who ac- complished it is given the place of honor. The Koreans have never for- gotten the ignominy of the defeat and have a deep-rooted aversion for every- thing Japanese. All their customs and laws more clearly resemble the Chi- nese to whom they are very partial. The murdered Queen did not hide her dislike for the Javanese, for in spite of the knowledge she had acquired, she was still a Korean, and as such could not tolerate the Japanese Thé Minis- ter from Japan was subjected to all manner of indignities. Her family, who were all-powerful in Korea, owing to her influence with the King, made things particularly uncomfortable fo. the Japanese located in Korea. One night some one entered the apartments of the Queen by stealth and murdered her. It was claimed that the murderer was a Japanese. An Amer- ican living in the capital confirmed this report. He had seen the Japanese slip into the roval house and come out with stains of blood on his garments. The Koreans asserted that the assas- sin was but the instrument of the Jap- anese Minister in Korea, and that the murder had been done at his instiga- tion. Japan finally recalled the Min- ister and sent another in his place, thus averting serious trouble. The King. now that his wife is dead, is easily managed by his Ministers. The murdered Queen’s family have been stripped of their power, and have sought refuge in China. The new Queen will not occupy the prominent position of affairs that her predecessor did. The people do not care what manner of woman the King marries, so long as she is of a suita- ble age. But what they do want Is that he shall marry at once. so that marriage may again be strictly legal in Korea- The Koreans, to