Books
Dusting Off the Old Ones was published in 1961 by W. B. Clarke, Miles City, Montana.
A White Cap Message
This week's story will concern an incident in the Powder River country. Along about the turn of the century, considerable feeling was being aroused between sheepmen and cattlemen over the control of the range. It must be remembered that in those days there were few fences and that the whole country was practically an open range, free for anyone who desired to use it and to graze whatever he desired--sheep, cattle or horses. However, with the preponderance of the grazing land being used by cattlemen and horsemen, considerable feeling was aroused when sheepmen came to take more and more of this range for their use. Along early in 1901 when Harris and Greenway were extensive operators in the sheep industry and moved their bands of sheep into the Powder River country, Hank Greenway received a "whitecap message" which ran as follows:
The message was printed in Roman upper case in an effort to disguise the handwriting of the author. It seems that Mr. Harris also received such a message, but evidently neither one of the gentlemen took the matter too seriously inasmuch as it is recorded that they continued their sheep operations in the Powder river country for many years.
"Shade Tree Bill" recollects that it wasn't long after the incident just recorded concerning the "whitecap" note that another sheepman on Powder river had Hank Greenway arrested and put under a peace bond until he could stand trial in Ekalaka. At the trial in Ekalaka, Judge Walter Peck found the defendant "not guilty", told him not to do it again and fined him $25. Such was the justice dispensed in those days.
IF YOU TAKE SHEEP TO POWDER RIVER
BRING YOUR COFFIN ALONG. YOU WILL
NEED IT.
The message was printed in Roman upper case in an effort to disguise the handwriting of the author. It seems that Mr. Harris also received such a message, but evidently neither one of the gentlemen took the matter too seriously inasmuch as it is recorded that they continued their sheep operations in the Powder river country for many years.
"Shade Tree Bill" recollects that it wasn't long after the incident just recorded concerning the "whitecap" note that another sheepman on Powder river had Hank Greenway arrested and put under a peace bond until he could stand trial in Ekalaka. At the trial in Ekalaka, Judge Walter Peck found the defendant "not guilty", told him not to do it again and fined him $25. Such was the justice dispensed in those days.