Knowing that this man had actively participated in the murder of two of their fellow citizens, whose burned and mutilated remains they were then preparing for burial, and believing that his delivery to the military meant his discharge without trial for the crime committed, the spectacle of 200 well armed men standing by and making no protest is a demonstration of the highest type of manhood and a manifestation of supreme respect for the forms of law such as has never before been shown on the frontier, or anywhere else in this broad land. And yet these same men have been called outlaws and a price placed upon their heads by the cattle barons. CHAPTER IX. 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.