Dispatches from Montana Territory
From the Medicine Lodge Cresset, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Jan 31, 1884
The following description of an encounter with a panther, is taken from a letter written by Fred J. Cartan, well known here. Fred is on the Little Missouri, in Montana Territory, and says that game of all kinds and horse thieves are plentiful:
"I was out rounding up my horses the other day and happened to run onto a very, large male panther. He was on the creek bottom and started for the hills. I threw the steel into my horse and in no time had my rope on him. I tell you it was Fourth of July times around there for a few moments. Finally I got a run on him and turned him about half a dozen times, and when he got onto his feet he made a run for me.
Talk about a fellow trying to make his horse leave the country in one jump; you ought to have seen me. He came very near catching me once and had I not had a good horse would have done so; but my horse understood his business too well to let even a panther catch him. I had a forty foot rope and when he turned the other way I took a run and broke his neck. He weighed 122 pounds and was ten feet, four inches from tip to tip."
Feb 14, 1884
Fred J. Cartan writes from Montana Territory that many of the cattle on the Little Missouri range, are fat enough for beef. He also states that horse thieves are plenty and getting away with a good many horses. Rewards are offered and some of the rustlers have already been captured but more trouble is anticipated.
Mar 27, 1884
The way They do it in Montana.
The following extract from a letter written by Fred J Cartan illustrates the way they do business and the class of citizens they have to deal with in Montana Territory:
"We are having lively times on the Missouri this winter. The thing has come off at last. It came off on the 14th. Jess. Pruden was arrested in Miles City for stealing Indian horses, and officers went from Deadwood there to bring him into the hills for trial. It seems that Axelbee, captain of the gang, heard of the arrest, and the intention of taking him to Deadwood via Stoneville for trial and determined to take him away from the officers.
The stage line from Deadwood to Stoneville crosses the Little Missouri river at Stoneville, which is about the center of our range. Axlebee with five of his men came down to Stoneville about three days before Pruden was due on the stage. He made threats against several of the officers and also against Joe Ryan, who had charge of Pruden, and said he intended to kill him, Ryan.
Word got into Spearfish and Deadwood of his intention and Fred Willard, Cass Willard, and Jack O'Hara, U. S. and Deputy U. S. Marshalls, came out to Stoneville to see Ryan through with his prisoner. As they drove up to Stone's stable, Geo. Axelbee and his men were mounted and just leaving the saloon to go up the trail after Ryan. The officers, drawing their guns, all having 40-90 buffalo guns opened fire on the rustlers.
At the first fire two of them, Axelbee and Jack Campbell, alias Buckskin Jack, went off their horses, and soon after Harry Tuttle received a shot in the arm, knocking him from his horse. The fight then became general, the rustlers firing from behind their horses and from the brush, and the officers with their buffalo guns making things whistle. One of the rustlers, known as the "Kid" happened to be behind the rest and had not mounted when the officers commenced commenced shooting.
Pulling his gun from the scabbard, he told the officers to "turn their monkeys loose." He then began cutting down on them killing Jack O'Hara and cutting the clothes of the other two. One ball struck Fred Willard on the shoulder and ran around between his undershirt and his skin and came out on the other shoulder. You bet the "Kid" was a stayer and was "getting there Eli."
The officers then broke for shelter. While the fight was going on, about fifteen "cow punchers" were standing in front of the store, some of them emptying their "sixes" just to add to the racket. As the rustlers gained the brush they opened fire on the "punchers" killing Bill Cunningham, and wounding Jack Harris, formerly from the Nation, in the leg, from which wound he is not expected to recover.
All of Axelbee's men got away that night with the exception of Harry Tuttle whose arm was nearly cut off. As his horse was killed he gave himself up, and was taken into Spearfish to the hospital from which he was taken three nights ago and hanged.
"Buckskin Jack's" horse was killed and he took refuge with a ranchman about five miles below Stoneville. The next day he sent up to Stoneville for a horse probably not knowing that any one was killed, and the "punchers" sent him one and about twenty men with it. This was about elven o'clock at night. The man he sent after the horse went in the house and told him the horse was out by the stable. He started toward the stable and when about half way, the boys that were concealed, told him to throw up his hands. He pulled his six-shooter and fired two shots. Just then about twenty 45's hit him and they left him where he fell.
The result of the fight was three men shot and killed, two wounded, and about six or seven horses killed. A report came into Stoneville yesterday that Alex. Grady and Broncho Charley, two of Axelbee's men were hung above Miles City, but how much truth there is in it I can not say."
