man that wished to hire me and some of my friends to run his outfit of cattle was very wealthy and a member of the Wyoming Stock Growers’ Association; that the association had had a good deal of trouble with their stock in Johnson County, and that the Wyoming Stock Growers’ Association was the largest and wealthiest association of the kind in the world, and if I wanted to go to Wyoming to work, and if I and my friends would fill the bill that money would cut no figure with the stock association. I thought the matter over a minute or two. I was satisfied there was something wrong. I told Mr. Bernard that I would think the matter over and have a talk with Mr. Stearns; that I could see Mr. Stearns in Nampa on my way to Boise City. I then went on to the Hot Springs ranch. When I got to the Hot Springs ranch I told some of my friends that Old Bernard was up to some of his skulduggery; that he had another scheme in view; that I did not take much stock in it, but I was going to see Mr. Stearns when I went through Nampa on my way to Boise City, and that I would learn more of the particulars. At this time I was not acquainted with Stearns. This man Bernard that I had the conversation with in regard to coming to Johnson County, Wyoming, to work, was one of the leaders in the stock association in Owyhee County, Idaho, seven or eight years ago. Everything in the line of the stock business in Owyhee County, Idaho, seemed to be running smooth until the stock association was founded at Silver City, Idaho. There was at that time little or no complaint of stock stealing in that part of the country. About the time the stock association was in working order there were rumors of cattle and horse stealing by the wholesale started around the country and men who belonged to the association said if the small stockmen did not sell out or leave the country that they would make them costs enough in court to break them up. When court sat in the fall the men who belonged to the stock association kept up their howl about the amount of stealing that was going on. The sheriff of the county had turned out defaulter to a large amount of money, and in order to cover up his defalcations had committed a number of forgeries. The sheriff picked up the grand jury on the streets and managed to manipulate them in such a manner that the grand jury found two indictments against me for branding cattle, and indicted a number of others besides myself. The amount of money the sheriff was a defaulter was settled for him and the courts failed to convict a man that was indicted by that grand jury. This man Bernard took a very active part in the prosecution of all cattle cases. I know him personally to be a thief and a perjurer. He was continually talking about the need of a vigilance committee while the stock association was in its glory in Owyhee County, Idaho. The association only lasted about two years in Owyhee County, Idaho; it then went to wreck.