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'''86. A Range War Episode'''

Last week we narrated the method employed by stockmen to control the open range by purchasing scrip and locating it on water holes. In this manner they controlled the water, which was a sure way to control the range. We also mentioned that the filing of scrip and the grabbing of the water holes led to a great deal of animosity between flockmasters and cattlemen and was the cause of several range war incidents.

One such incident occurred early in January, 1901, when eleven masked men raided a sheep camp on Toomey creek at daybreak and killed over 2,000 sheep belonging to John Daut and R. R. Selway. This sheep camp was located about 15 miles from the Otter postoffice which is on upper Otter creek and was at that time in Custer County. It appears that there was only one man in charge of the sheep, and he was powerless to resist the eleven raiders, taking their advice and keeping out of the way. These raiders went into a corral where the sheep were bedded down and clubbed them to death. There was a story to the effect that the sheep were driven over a cutbank, but it was later definitely established that the animals were killed by clubbing, as first reported. It is also said that the herder was notified that the next time sheep were found in that community, the sheep would not be molested, but the herder would be "taken care of". This band was part of 5500 sheep belonging to Mr. Selway and was being run on shares by Daut. Daut had been associated with Mr. Selway for a number of years but had just previously gone into the Otter creek country with the sheep. 0. C. Cato was sheriff of Custer County at the time and was called to the scene of the raid, but, as in most cases of this kind, nobody knew anything about it with the exception of the herder and he could not identify the raiders inasmuch as they wore gunnysacks over their heads with slits cut for eyes. Needless to say, this incident received considerable attention from the authorities and was fully investigated, but without results being obtained even though Mr. Selway offered a reward of $2,000 for the arrest and conviction of the guilty parties.