Territorial Outlaws Submitted by: Mollie Stehno

It seems strange that some combination is not formed between the different railroad and express companies and the United States marshal’s office for the suppression of the numerous gangs of outlaws that infest the territory. It seems as though it would pay simply as a business proposition. The losses of the railroad and express companies alone in the hold ups ought to make it very desirable for such that the outlawry now going on be checked. If a few successful raids were made it would have a healthy influence. The fact of the matter is that train hold up has been so successful that a child might now stop a train and make the crew and all the passengers hold up their hands. No one hardly ever thinks of resisting. It is conceded to be useless, because every prior hold up proved in favor of he robbers and it is granted that it can’t be otherwise.

The deputy marshals of the territory all state that if there was a sure reward for any of the men and it was large enough the outlaws could be caught. But as it is now the marshal or posse of them that would go out must do so at their own expense with no surety of a reward. If they do not succeed they are not sure that the reward will be gotten.

Were a few of the outlaws worsted it would have a salutary influence on the future actions of other ambitious would be Daltons. But as long as they have a clean walk away and get the best of it every time, they come in conflict with any resistance, any petty larceny thief that is placed in jail for chicken theft will consider himself as an outlaw and go on the road as in intimidator of the public—and, in the absence of knowing whether he would shoot or not if pinched, will succeed in holding up people and trains just as well as though he were really quite a man. State Capital

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