Dec. 31, 1898.] 
FORE SI" AND STREAM. 
827 
gaged by one of our party, who had been located in the 
Madison Basin several years before. 
We went from Patt's to the Wickieup country, north- 
west from Patt's, staying there three days, our party get- 
ting two bull elk. The game having moved out on ac- 
count of the last storm or some other cause, we. de- 
cided to break camp and go to the Gallatin Basin, near 
the northwest corner of the Park. 
The weather having turned cold, at night skirmish- 
ing near if not a little below zero, two of the party de- 
cided, having killed their elk, that Patt's ranch would 
be more congenial, and not so "congealial," and pulled 
out. and Patt, Murry, Courtney and the three tender- 
feet started for the Gallatin. 
We struck the Gallatin Basin about a mile within the 
Park limits, Patt having been turned around in some 
rough country and canons wc struck, and getting lost 
came out three or four miles higher up than he had cal- 
culated. We made tracks out of the Park without delay, 
and on our way out Patt called attention to the Park line 
on the west, a "place called the Burnt Horse Corrals. We 
also saw a trespass notice. 
We established our camp about three miles below this 
point, where others had camped before us. We had 
warned Patt and the other guides that we wanted the 
greatest caution used in keeping away from the Park, 
and under no circumstances to get near or across the 
line. Before starting out next morning, Tuesday, Oct. 
1.9. to hunt, Patt showed us where the Park line ran, and 
said, "As long as you keep west of this side of that 
stream (pointing to a tributary of the main fork of the 
Gallatin River, coming from the north) you're all right- 
but don't cross it!" Nor did any of us ever do so. 
On Wednesday, the 20th. one of our party got a shot 
at a big silver-tip bear, wounding him. As it was late 
in the "evening, they did not follow him far, but next 
morning the entire party took the bear trail, and fol- 
lowed it until about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when, 
seeing there was not much show of coming up with the 
bear," Patt and one 'of the party left, and returned to 
camp. The remaining four, coming to a fresh trail 
of a band of elk going south, left the bear trail and 
followed the elk. We overtook them in the course of 
an hour. One of the party shot at one of the rear- 
most elk; this stampeded the band, which turned and 
ran southeast toward the Park line. We followed them 
for quite a. little distance, probably one-half or three- 
quarters of a mile, and when so near the band that Mur- 
ry's dog winded them, and was with difficulty kept in, 
Murry said, "Boys, those elk are going straight for the 
Park," and while we might overtake and get a shot at 
them, it won't pay to take the risk. We will let them 
go." And we did, turning short off to the southwest 
toward our camp. 
Within a half-hour we were overtaken by the two 
scouts. Matin and Scott, who, introducing themselves, 
informed us that we were within the Park limits, that 
we could consider ourselves under arrest, and that we 
would start for the Mammoth Hot Springs headquar- 
ters at on'ce. 
All hands at once protested, and disclaimed any knowl- 
edge of being nearer the Park than at least two or 
three miles. The guides and scouts compared com- 
passes, and as the western Park line is or was at that 
time only a surveyed line, and not even blazed, the dis- 
pute waxed warm. 
Finally I proposed, as it was nearing evening, and we 
were hungry, and had nothing on but light hunting clothes, 
no coats nor blankets, and as we could not make the 
Springs that night, that we would consider ourselves un- 
der arrest, go to our camp, get filled with good "chuck," 
stay all night, and start next morning for the Springs 
and our doom. This proposal the scouts accepted, and 
without any risk, as the guides were not armed, and we 
two tenderfeet were so badly scared that we never thought 
of resisting, and could not -have hit a county four feet 
away with a shotgun. 
At the camp after supper it was arranged that I, as 
a representative of our party, with Murry and Courtney, 
was to be taken to the Springs in the morning. Patt 
and the other dudes were to take the oufit to Patt's 
place, get the rest of the party, and all hands were to 
meet at the Springs and fight the line business out be- 
fore Gen. Young. 
After arriving at the camp, both Malin and Scott 
acknowledged that we had our camp outside of the Park 
lines. The compass contest was on again, and Murry 
offered, as did Patt, to take them up to the Burnt Horse 
Corral and show them the line as it was understood by 
the. public generally; also the trespass notice on the 
line. The scouts refused to go. They both admitted that 
the boundary line was vague and not plain, nor fully un- 
derstood by any one. 
During the evening I was called out of the tent by 
Malin and Scott, and asked who Murry was. I told 
them. Patt was known to them. They did not ask who 
Courtney was, nor did I mention him, but a little later 
Scott said in confidence, "We know who the other man 
is." They evidently had never seen Courtney before. 
"He is Jim Courtney. We do not care about getting 
Murry. nor do we want Patt, but, by , we are going 
to take Courtney if we kill him. There is nothing against 
Murry nor Patt, but we do want Courtney, and we are 
going to take him." 
I hoped there would be no difficulty, I said, and soon 
after we entered the tent. 
As the article in the Forest and. Stream number 
states, a violent storm arose that night and continued 
nearly all day Friday, compelling us to remain in camp. 
The scouts remained. Murry and Courtney had given 
up the idea of convincing the scouts that we had not been 
trespassing, and had evidently formulated a scheme for 
themselves, although they did not give any of us a 
hint. 
On Saturday morning it had cleared. They .went out, 
roped their horses — and only theirs — brought them up in 
front of the tent and saddled them. Courtney before that 
in the tent had taken his Winchester and filled the mag- 
azine. Murry had no arms with him. And when they 
got ready to mount Courtney found he had not taken the 
hobble* off his horse. He stooped to do so. holding 
his rifle between his knees under his horse's belly and 
facing the two scouts, who were standing 30 or 40yds. off. 
Scott spoke to Malin and started toward Courtney, 
:vho was yet unbuckling the hobbles, at the same time 
reaching his hand for his pistol, and grasping it, walked 
a few steps forward and stopped. Courtney watched them 
keenly, but made no sign, though I've a dim suspicion that 
the Winchester was cocked, and Courtney has the reputa- 
tion of being a crackerjack with a gun. 
Courtney got the hobbles off, swung into the saddle 
and he and Murry rode away without a word. 
A few minutes later the scouts expressed the belief 
that Murry and Courtney had skipped, and we agreed 
to it. 
The chief prize having escaped, there was no use of 
drawing the net for such a small fish as me, so we agreed 
and obligated ourselves, Patt also, to meet at Gen. 
Young's quarters at the Springs on the following Wed- 
nesday. It was not difficult, as the guides gone, our 
hunt was ended. We broke camp, the scouts good- 
naturedly helping us to pack, and with expressions of 
good will all around we parted. They took with them 
Courtney's mule. 
We pulled into Patt's ranch that evening at 7:30 
o'clock and found Murry and Courtney there a few hours 
ahead of us. We tried to induce Murry to go with us, 
as there had been nothing against him previous to this; 
but with good reason he objected, saying, "I'm not afraid 
to go, and I'm sure Col. Young would do the fair thing 
about the matter, but I have been out with hunting 
parties all summer. I have no wood for the winter; no 
meat. I have all my work yet to do, and snow is already 
upon us. I can't afford to lose the time to go, but the 
first chance I get you can bet T'm going over to the 
Park to see the Colonel." 
Nothing was said to Courtney, as we knew he would 
not go, and we knew from recent events that the Park 
authorities had it in for him. 
As per agreement, we were at the Springs. We 
arrived on Tuesday and stayed until Wednesday at 10 
o'clock; called on Gen. Young, and explained matters; 
were kindly treated, and courteously excused from 
awaiting the arrival of the two scouts, who had not as 
yet reported, and whom we did not again see. Thus 
ended the first chapter. 
I had no knowledge of the particulars of Murry's 
visit to the Springs, as he merely wrote me that he 
had gone there, had had a hearing before the Commis- 
sioner and had paid a fine of $50 as the easiest way out of 
it. I therefore waited until I saw Murry last September 
and October, when he acted as guide for our party in a hunt 
in Wyoming. His version of his visit to the Park head- 
quarters differs materially from the article in Forest 
and Stream, and is as follows: 
"I went to the. Park headquarters last June, being in 
that vicinity, and having with me four horses. As the 
rules required, I went and registered, and was not sent 
by the guard, as is stated in the article in Forest and 
Stream. 
"I asked the man in charge of the office if the 
Superintendent was in. He replied that he was in his 
office. Since Gen. Young was transferred, Lieut. Cress 
has acted as superintendent, and it was that officer I 
expected to see. He was not at the Springs, however, 
on that day, and I was surprised on entering the office 
to find Lieut. Lindsey acting as superintendent in, the ab- 
sence of Lieut. Cress. Had I known that he — Lindsey — 
was to hear my case I would not have called. 
"I told him my errand, however, and after some con- 
versation he told me I could consider myself under 
arrest. He placed me in charge of the guard, who put 
me in the guard house, where I remained over night. 
"In the morning United States Marshal Morrison 
came to the guard house and showed me the warrant 
for my arrest. We then went before Commissioner J. 
W. Meldrum, who gave me a hearing. I fully expected 
to be met at the Commissioner's hearing by Lieut. 
Lindsey, and have him make a charge against me. and 
be given a chance to defend myself ; but he had evidently 
made his charge the evening before. 
"I told the Commissioner I wanted to find out. if 
I was judged guilty of trespassing, what was the easiest 
way out of the difficulty. He replied that he would fine 
me $50. or I could refuse to pay, enter bonds and stand 
trial at Cheyenne at regular term of court. As that 
would reqrfire me to go from the lake to Cheyenne, to 
lose a great deal of time and to be under considerable 
expense, I decided that the payment of $50 would be 
the cheapest in the end. Not having all the required 
amount. I left one of my saddles as security. I was ac- 
companied by a trooper as far as River Side Station, 
which is nearest the lake. 
"I did not express surprise at the lightness of the 
fine imposed to the deputy marshal, though, consider- 
ing the fact that Lieut. Lindsey made the charge pri- 
vately, I'm surprised that I was not hung. 
"1 did not admit before the Commissioner, nor will 
I ever admit, that I was a trespasser in the Park, as 
charged. I paid the $50 fine under protest — and only 
paid it then, seeing that I was in the lion's jaws, and 
the easiest way out was the best." 
This was Murry's statement to me. I do not profess 
to understand the merits of the article relating to the 
action of Mr. Clark, U. S. Attorney at Cheyenne, but 
I presume he acted in the matter as his best judgment 
dictated, and in this case I think right, notwithstanding 
.that the gentleman who wrote the article evidently 
thinks that the balance of virtue and brains is or was 
centered in Fort Yellowstone. And yet I have heard 
one gentleman say he knew of one case, when he visited 
Lake Henry, where officers of Fort Yellowstone assisted 
in killing wild ducks at that point in such numbers that 
they could not be used, and the slain ducks drifted to 
shore and were, buried in a trench by a man' hired to do 
the wrric! How is that for conscientious game pro- 
tectors? 
Jivery man with whom I have talked in Idaho, Mon- 
tana and Wyoming, including these two "violent des- 
peradoes" Courtney and Murry, says that the Yellowstone 
Park is the salvation of the big game in the West, and 
is of immense value to all three States named. 
And in closing this rather lengthy explanation and 
history of our past in the matter, allow me to sav a few 
words regarding f lie personality of one of these men, 
Dick Murry. 
I have twice been on hunting trips with Dick Murry; 
have been with him in sunshine and in storm; when 
things were going right and 1 things were going very 
wrong when pack animals were going along like lambs. 
and again when these same lambs were sending their 
heels and loads heavenward and in all other directions; 
when a good many of our hopes were sailing toward 
Mars, and I have yet to see him lose his head or temper. 
The same good-natured, pleasant Dick, in the morning 
or at night; cool-headed, resourceful at all times, doing 
the right thing at the right time; no blow; no boast. 
The pronoun I is almost unknown in his vocabulary. 
His word I have found is as good as his bond* Of a,] I 
the guides I have hunted with, and I have hunted for 
the past twenty years, Dick Murry is the best hunter, and 
the most reliable. 
He always does more than he promises, a rare virtue 
in a guide, who, in a majority of cases, are inclined to 
lie down on you. He is a pleasant, frank, open-faced 
fellow of about twenty-six or twenty-eight years; neither 
chews nor smokes tobacco, nor drinks. Has a little 
ranch on the shore of Henry Lake, Idaho, making his 
4iving as a guide and hunting and fishing. He has 
assttred me on his word that,, for the past five years, he 
has never been in the Yellowstone Park except on legiti- 
mate business, and I believe him; yet I am satisfied 
that, if he did want to go in, all the scouts the Park 
employs could not keep him out. 
In speaking well eft Dick Murry, I have no "axe to 
grind," as the next Congress will, no doubt, take 
in the country we have hunted m, and I shall hunt no 
more with Dick; but the remarks I have written here 
will be indorsed by every one of our party on both hunts, 
and if the editor of Forest and Stream had the oppor- 
tunity to talk with him half an hour, and was not faA'or- 
ably impressed with the man, I would set up a dinner at 
Delmonico's for the party. 
And this is the kind of a man the write in Forest 
and Stream would have its readers believe is a poacher 
and a bad man generally ; and while not knowing who he 
is, I'll wager dollars to cents that in character, and in 
everything that goes to make a man, Dick is a royal flush 
to his one pair of duces, and this will be backed up by 
all who know Dick. He is one of nature's gentlemen, 
and as that all that can be said. 
No one takes mere interest in measures looking to 
the protection of game of all kinds, all over the United 
States, and admires and applauds the efforts of Forest 
and Stream, as also all sporting journals, to that end 
than myself. I have been a constant reacler of all the 
best sporting journals for the past twenty years, and 
am glad to notice they are in line on protective mat- 
ters, and hope the coming Congress will take in all the 
country south of the Park to Jackson's Hole, I have 
hunted in it, and it will make the grandest game pre- 
serve in the world. Then let our kind Uncle Sam send 
a goodly number of his nephews; let them cut a wide 
swath where there be timber, and in the open country 
plant posts conspicuously placed, so that "Those who. 
run may read," and those who hunt may see. Let the 
penalty of trespass be a pack-horse load, and let him who 
sins suffer the ccyisequences, and no one cay say, "I un- 
derstood not." One of the Innocents. 
Proposed Colorado Law. 
Denver, Colo., Dec. 17. — Editor Forest and Stream; 
I enclose herewith a copy of a game law prepared by me 
and which will be introduced in the Legislature of this 
State at its coming session. 
I sent you a copy of same some days ago. This bill is 
the result of some years' labor in the effort to have it 
consistent with itself, and clear enough on every subject 
to require little or no construction. Its leading features 
are : 
1. To afford more adequate protection to game and fish 
belonging to the State. 
2. To enable, one lawfully killing such game or fish to 
utilize the same to the fullest extent consistent with the 
first proposition. 
3. To clearly indicate when game and fish of every 
character may be transported, stored, sold and used. 
4. To procure funds for the enforcement of the law 
from those receiving the chief benefits. 
5. To encourage private propagation of game and fish 
and to permit the sale of the same under proper restric- 
tions. 
6. To provide a method whereby paramount industries 
may be lawfully operated. 
7. A short open season for elk. 
Suggestions and criticisms tending to perfect it will be 
carefully considered. 
I also enclose a synopsis of the. provisions of the act 
made in as brief a form as possible to give anything like a 
fair idea of its scope. I thought you might be willing 
to publish the synopsis, as there are some features entirely 
new, and as I think, valuable. D. C. Beaman. 
Synopsis of the Proposed Colorado Act to 
Protect Game and Fish. 
Division A, 
department of game and fish created GENERAL, pro- 
visions. 
Appointment of State Game and Fish Commissioner 
authorized ; he to appoint and keep in service five chief 
wardens and ten deputies; also special wardens without 
pay ; the usual power given to the commissioner, wardens, 
all officers and Government timber officials to enforce the 
law by search, seizure and arrest of offenders. 
All game and fish declared the property of the State, and 
taking, killing, possession and sale forbidden, except as 
permitted by the act. All game and fish must be accom- 
panied by a coupon, permit or tag as provided in the act, 
or the possession is unlawful. 
Commissioner may replevy in name of State game and 
fish unlawfully held, and sell the same, and no bond in 
such case required. 
Division B. 
OPEN SEASONS, NUMBER AND QUANTITY. 
No open season on bison, mountain sheep, beaver, 
pheasants, quail, ptarmigan or fish 6in. or less in length. . 
Evidence of sex must be retained on deer, elk and ante 
lope as long as any considerable portion -of the carcass 
remains. Fish eaught rnusf be immediately killed, unless 
intended for preservation alive. 
Thfi "following is prohibited ; Th& «se of game for bait- 
