July 26, 1911—The El Reno Democrat—Arkansas City, Kan., July 19—While the method involving a rope and a convenient tree is no loner in vogue in dealing with horse thieves in this section, the defenders of the sanctity of property rights in “hoss flesh” are still well organized. Several hundreds of farmers and stockmen met here to day in the annual convention of the Anti Horse Thief Association of Kansas and Oklahoma, which represents, it is said, a membership of nearly 50,000. The organization has been so active in dealing with rogues who steal hoses that most of them are in prison and the remainder are plum discouraged and have been forced out of the business. Now and the, however, some horse disappears, and the association never lets up until the animal is found and the thief placed behind the bars. Aside from the main object of the association, it is prominent in social activities of the farmers and stockmen of the southwest. The annual conventions are always big affairs, with entertainments galore and in nearly every community where the association has members there are annual picnics and community gathers held under its auspices. President Taft was invited to attend the convention here today, but was forced to decline.

Transcribed & submitted by: Mollie Stehno

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