PBA Galleries

Typed and autograph letters, signed.

Letters concerning the Cattle Industry, rustlers, brands, mavericks, the aftermath of the Johnson County War, and related matters.

• On 23 Sept., 1894, Fred. Hesse writes: "I understand you are still taking rustler cattle, or so Gen. John Charles Thomson said last night in a speech he made here... I was assured before the convention was held, that the Invasion was not to be made an issue in this campaign... The late arrests made here have put entirely new face on the invasion, as instead of being outlaws & murderers the invasionists so called are looked upon as heroes by the granger element in the northern part of Sheridan county..."
• On Feb. 20, 1896, Jarvis Richard of the First National Bank of Chadron, Nebraska, writes: "A vast amount of rustling is going on in the vicinity of Hat Creek, which, as doubtless you know is part of the old -T range. That is to say, the people who do the rustling live in this section from where they go out on expeditions and do their operations often at a distance... I brought this matter to your attention because while my brother, Bartlett, in protection of the Spade cattle, has formerly employed a detective to work in this country, it has been a policy for the last few seasons to gather all his cattle and remove them to the Sand Hills... During the winter stock... are there butchered by the rustlers who are thicker to the square mile I believe than in any part of the United States..."
• On May 12, 1893, Attorney Charles Burritt sends notice that "We have men on the track of these fellows but the evidence that we receive is very conflicting as to the direction in which they are going... I can assure you that we are very anxious both the Sheriff and myself to capture them..."
• On March 7, 1895, John Owens, the (only somewhat literate) Sherriff of Weston Co., Wy., relates that "we have two Butchers here in our town and I think they are killing Cattle of all Brands accept there own. I am satisified there is lots of crooket work going on and it is going all all the time and has been since the town started... Both of these butchers here do not hang there hides up for inspection but take them off of the beef and put them right into a vat on the inside of there slaughter house...
• C.A. Campbell, of Clay, Robinson & Company, Stockyards, on Sept. 12, 1895, complains of "Wyoming inspection at these Yards. Mr. Withers, who is doing it, in my opinion, does not fill the bill. As you know there are quite a number of Wyoming cattle coming to this market now and he is very difficult to find... Probably this is accounted for by his recent marriage which requires more of his attention to inspect his new wife than it does to inspect Wyoming cattle..."