The Cattle Rustler

Front:
$500RE-WARD FOR CATTLE THEIVES Just HELP US CATCH THEM WE WONT HAVE NOTRIAL WILLS RANCH THE CATTLE RUSTLER by Oren Arnold The sign means exactly what it says! If you know Western tradition at all, you can guess what happens to the "theives" brought in. This sign was posted in the Southwest-no, not in 1879, but in 1939-and within a year the reward was paid six times! Moreover, there was no trial! Note the bullet holes. Next to Indians, rustlers were the greatest enemies faced by cowboys in the Olden Days. A rustler would steal one or a dozen steers, re-burn ihem with his own brand and claim them for his own. Often he would drive off hundreds of cattle in one herd, to change their brands or sell them miles away. Many a gun fight, many a death, resulted from the war with rustlers. In modern times, most rustling is "rubber %3D tired." Thieves with trucks stop by the road- RD side, load on several fat steers, speed away to butcher them for a black market. Such thieves are hard to catch, wherefore- "$500 RE- WARD, and no trial!" STORIETTES ES DRAMATIC TRUE STORIES Sreat West No. 4 ©L. S. co. 3B-H1683

Back:
"ИР RE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1/24 COPYRIGHTED BY LOLLESGARD SPECIALTY CO., TUCSON, ARIZONA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1/2c Hi Earl, - Thanks for "fat" 1! You should've kept the PO : Mex. card; will return next batch. And there were some more such I've mailed you so when I run across them again 1/26 1/26 will return. I've always said you're to keep anything I send you k if not wanted, then re- tur. Presume all 1st days 7/31 but will check & include EARL H. STROUSE at least 1 for you. Best of 550 WILLOW STREET eve rything to one and alt; POTTSTOWN, PA, on ly