THE PRISONERS ORDERED TO CHEYENNE--THE MARCH FROM FORT McKINNEY TO FORT
FETTERMAN--TRIPLE PROSTITUTION OF THE CIVIL TO THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES
Not satisfied with over-riding the civil by the military powers of
government in calling upon the President to order Colonel Van Horn and
his troops to disband the Sheriff’s posse while endeavoring to arrest
a mob of men who had committed murder and arson in the county, Acting
Governor Barber again prostituted the civil to the military forces by
seeking governmental power to prevent Sheriff Angus from performing
his official duty in the serving of regularly issued warrants for the
arrest of these same known criminals. They were held five days after
their surrender within three miles of the county seat of Johnson
County, yet the sheriff, by the strong military arm of the general
government and the order of the state executive, was not permitted
to serve his warrants. Again, having arrested and lodged in jail
some of the participants in the double murder and arson, the sheriff
was ordered by the governor to unlock the iron doors of the prison
and turn over the culprits to the military, thus completing a triple
prostitution of the civil authorities to military rule.
This is the first time in the history of the United States when, by
action of the state executive, the military has been called upon to
prevent a peace officer from the discharge of his duty in the execution
of the law. It has been reserved for Wyoming’s acting governor to bring
disgrace and shame upon the state by violating the universal law of
commonwealths which demands that he duly enforce the statutes.
Conformably to orders from the War Department and by request of the
governor, three troops of cavalry left Fort McKinney on the morning
of April 18th in charge of the captured cattlemen, headed for Fort
Fetterman. The weather was cold and stormy, but the trip was made
without serious mishap. The story had been freely circulated that the
“rustlers” would attempt to ambush the prisoners on the road, but this,
like many other wild rumors floating among the people, was the work of
white cap sympathizers, put in motion to create public sentiment in
favor of the returning horde, and thus lessen the hopes of conviction
for the crimes committed.
At Fetterman they were met by a detachment of soldiers from Fort D.
A. Russell, who took the prisoners in charge and escorted them by
rail to Cheyenne, where they were quartered for 60 days at the fort,
presumably under military guard. Instead, however, of being confined
to their quarters, as other men charged with murder are confined, they
were given a very loose rein. The cattlemen spent much of their time
in Cheyenne, those having families sleeping at their homes, or in the
houses of their friends. The hired Texans had the run of the town at
night, very often, and pandemonium reigned in the West end.
Major Walcott, the commander of the invaders, was released on parole,
and made a trip to Omaha and Chicago for the purpose of consulting
(the press dispatches said) United States Senator Manderson and other
influential persons as to the proper course to take in securing release
from the difficulties into which he had led his friends. State Senator
John N. Tisdale, another leader of the mob, and others of the gang,
were paroled and went to Denver to attend the Masonic Conclave and
enjoy themselves. How many others had leave of absence is not known,
but it was understood that permits were to be had for the asking.
On the way from the north, and after their arrival in Cheyenne, the mob
did not hesitate to publicly declare that they would soon get out of
their present trouble, and then they would go back to Johnson county in
force and “clean the rascals out.” This kind of talk was so common, and
certain Republican papers like the Sun and Tribune of Cheyenne, echoed
and cheered these sentiments to such an extent that the residents of
the northern counties lived for months in anticipation of a second raid
upon their homes and property.