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The official newspaper files of the early West record many stories of famous and notorious
characters of that period. Among them, Cattle Cayden, born Ella Watson, who operated in
Wyoming in the late 1880s. She and her partner in crime, Jim Averill, kept one of the last
western frontiers in a state of terror.
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Hello, honey.
Hi. How many did we pick up, Jim?
About 500.
Those big cow outfits will never miss until roundup. You better pack up. Catch the night
train to Cheyenne. Make the arrangements with our contact.
You want to ship these, Kate?
Why not? I get through changing these brands, they'll pass inspection anyway.
You know, Kate, this is the fourth herd we've rustled this month. Somebody's about to start
checking.
Let them. We can produce a bill of sale for everything.
Yeah, forged. I hope our luck holds out.
It will. I'll keep stealing from these big outfits till I break them.
I'll say one thing for you, Kate. If things keep going the way they have been, we will
break them. I'll be back as soon as I can.
Stand right where you are, Kate.
Who is he, Jim?
I don't know.
The name's Cauterite, Cattlemen's Association. You're all coming in on the Sheriff's office.
You got nothing on me. You know yourself the legislature's passing a new law in Cheyenne
which says you can brand and claim any unmarked cattle.
They haven't passed any new laws about changing the brands. You're all under arrest.
All right. We'll come along.
Got him, Mac?
You'll be dead before you can use yours.
What do you want to do with it?
I'm a detective.
Only one thing too do Eddie, Jim.
You know that cigarette trick of yours never misses?
My name is Matt Clark and the railroad employs me as a detective. Not being much on paperwork,
I was relieved when my boss, A.T. Winthrop, dropped into my office.
Good morning, Chief.
Good morning, Matt. Sit down.
Matt, I've got another assignment for you. Some of the cowboys employed by the big ranches
have been killed and more than a thousand head of cattle rustled. And I'm sorry to say
that one of your brother detectives, a deputy employed by the Cattlemen's Association, was
murdered in cold blood.
Well, who was it?
Cy Cauterite.
Cy Cauterite? He was a pretty good friend of mine. Had a wife and three kids. How was
he killed?
We don't know. Your associate, Frankie Adams, was sent on ahead. I arranged to get her a
job as a clerk in the Cattlemen's Association's office in Sweetwater.
Oh, that's fine, Chief. She'd be a great help to me.
And I've also arranged for you to go to Sweetwater without attracting any attention. Now, this
is how you'll do it.
I picked up the 245 stage. We had found out Jim Haverill was going to be on it. Cauterite
had been trailing him when he was killed.
These are mighty rough roads. Is it like this all the way to Sweetwater?
Yeah, I'm afraid it is. You must be a stranger around here.
That's right. I'm from Utah. Ramrodded a trail crew up there. Thought I'd try my luck around
these parts.
Well, might as well introduce myself. I'm Jim Haverill.
Glad to know you.
I own the post office in General Store in Sweetwater. Might be able to make you a good
buy on a horse when you get into town.
Well, thank you very much. I may need one.
If you're looking for work, you've come to the right place. Wyoming's good cattle country.
You going to be staying in town?
Well, I don't know. I've been doing a lot of traveling lately.
Well, if you do, you'll be looking for a room. Maw Simmons Boarding House usually has an
extra one.
Thank you very much.
Hello, Kate.
Jim!
Come on, Mitch.
Hello.
Well?
Everything went fine. They'll give us the same money we got last time. Take all we can deliver.
When are we shipping?
We're not going to ship, Kate. We're going to drive the herd through the mountains.
That's no good. We'll lose too much weight that way.
Kate, there isn't a sheriff in Wyoming that hasn't heard about the rustling going on in
this county. Sooner or later, they're bound to start closing in on us.
Jim, don't you realize we've got to have help to move a herd this size any distance?
I'll find them somewhere.
Nobody's going to take a chance dangling at the end of a rope for a few bucks.
We'll have to cut them in?
We'll double the herd so we can take care of them.
Where do you think you're going to find these cowboys?
Well, I've got an idea where I can pick up a trail boss. The rest of them, we'll have
to get in the bars around town.
Who is this trail boss?
Get him on the stage coming in. Looks like he's running from the law.
All right. Bring him around. I'll talk to him.
Come on. I'll buy you a drink.
There was no trouble getting a room at Ma Simmons' place. But right now, I was anxious to see
Frankie at the cattle association office.
Pardon me, ma'am. I'm just trying to find out if...
It's all right, Matt. We're alone.
How'd you make out?
Well, everything worked out as planned. I met Abraham, the stagecoach, and he seemed quite friendly.
Look, why are you coming around here? You learn anything?
Not much. Except whoever's behind this cattle rustling is plenty smart.
Do you know anything about Averill?
Nothing except that he has political pull being postmaster and a leading citizen.
Well, that isn't much. Do you think Averill's tied in with this rustling?
I don't know. He must have been under suspicion, or Cy Courtright wouldn't have been trailing him.
Has anybody around town questioned Averill?
The sheriff did, but he denied knowing anything. One thing's sure, it's not the big ranchers.
He's always talking against them to the smaller ones that usually hang out at the bar.
What bar?
Cattle Kate's. Come to think of it, she's a close friend of Averill's. His girlfriend.
She lives three or four miles from here, runs a few head of cattle herself.
There's something peculiar about the way she operates.
Go ahead.
Well, she has a small herd, but she runs quite a few head of cattle out every week.
Claims she gets it in payment for bar bills.
You mean these ranchers are trading their cows for whiskey?
It looks that way. Her real name's Ella Watson,
but the small ranchers around here gave her the name of Cattle Kate, and it fits her like a glove.
Remember, she's Averill's girlfriend.
You said that once before, but this is strictly business.
I think I'll go over and have a drink with Averill. Maybe he'll introduce me to the lady.
Lady, remember what you said. Strictly business.
I took Averill up on his deal to sell me a horse.
The best place to close a horse trading deal was Kate's bar.
Well, I sure appreciate you giving me a break on that horse. He's quite a mighty fine animal.
He is. You couldn't make a better buy anywhere.
Hey, where's Kate? Oh, bartender, set her up here, will you?
Well, now that you're back riding again, I suppose you'll be looking for a job.
Maybe. You cowboys are all alike.
Once you've got money in your pocket, you won't work.
Where's Kate? Drinks for everybody. Give me one too.
Ha ha! Got him.
Hey, cowboy, you've had enough.
Why, you! Kate's a boss around here, and I've got plenty of cattle to pay for my whiskey.
Leave me alone, or I'll pull a gun on you.
All right, Jim, throw the bum out.
All right, gals, come on. Clean the place up.
Where'd you learn to fight like that, cowboy?
Oh, here in our own cattle drives.
Cattle drives? That's right.
Well, he won't bother us anymore. Thanks.
You meet Kate? Just now.
She's a good girl.
Thanks. You meet Kate? Just now.
What's your name? I didn't say.
He's looking for a job.
He won't have trouble finding one.
Maybe I can use him.
Yeah. Yeah, maybe you can.
Hang around till we close up. I'd like to talk with him.
All right. Wash up and be back.
Be seeing you.
Yep, she gave me a personal invitation to come back and see her when she closes up.
Think you'll be safe?
Oh, I've been around.
Come in.
What do you say, Tom? How do you feel?
Oh, I'm all right.
Oh, you put up a real fight tonight.
Yeah, but you didn't have to use that left hook as often as you did.
Say, how'd the plan work?
Well, I think she's going to give me a job.
Say, Tom, I want you to follow me.
And as soon as you find out where we're going, get a posse together.
You'll need one. Kate's planning something real big.
What can I do to help?
Keep your fingers crossed.
You don't seem very anxious to work for me.
Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not.
I'm kind of tired of working for the other fellow.
Next time I get a job, it's going to be for myself.
If you work for me, it'd be like working for yourself.
I'll cut you in on a percentage.
Percentage of what?
Cattle.
Percentage of your small herd would be peanuts.
It isn't my herd.
Oh?
They'd catch you before you got to the railroad setting.
We're not shipping them. We're driving them overland.
How many?
Got about 500. We'll pick up 500 more on the way.
Where do I come in?
I need a trail, boss.
What about your boyfriend, Jim Averill?
Oh, he... he didn't know anything of a steer from another.
I need a man for this job.
How about it?
By the way, what is your name?
You pick one.
Oh.
All right. I'll call you Big Boy.
All right.
Partners?
It's a deal.
Let's seal it.
We'd better get on back to the ranch.
Jim and the boys will be waiting for us.
All right.
We went to Kate's ranch for a final talk.
It's a good thing I told Tom to follow me.
I wouldn't have a chance to contact him again until the showdown.
Jim.
Jim, where are you?
I'm here.
Jim, where are you?
Well, no use going over the plan till he gets here.
Can I make you a drink?
No, thanks.
Where have you been?
I want to talk to you, Kate.
Talk freely. We got a partner.
I want to talk to you alone.
Now what is it?
You were followed last night.
Yeah, I know.
You know, that jealousy of yours is going to get you killed, son.
Come here.
Take a look.
This is the man that was following you.
Cowboy that was beating up my place.
What are you following us for?
I just wanted to get even.
The search him?
Sure.
Take a look at what I found.
Detective.
You weren't following us to get even.
Talk.
It's no use, Kate.
I've worked him over already.
He won't talk to you, see?
He doesn't talk to anyone.
Jack.
Hello, Frankie.
You sent for me?
Yeah, Sheriff.
It's been three days and we haven't heard a word from Matt or Tom.
I'm worried.
Well, there was a report I heard with Russell from one of the British outfits.
But I've had my men covering every railroad sighting.
Well, I guess all we can do is wait and hope for the best.
Keep your eyes open.
We've been looking for you.
Kate hasn't been seen around her bar for about three days.
If she shows up, I'll let you know.
All right.
Oh, Sheriff.
Yeah?
I've got an idea.
Can you go riding with me?
Sure, Frankie.
All I got is time.
Well, come on.
We've been on the trail four days and no sign of the posse.
Where was Tom and the Sheriff?
Kate would be turning over the herd in 24 hours.
Hey, big boy.
Will you keep the herd moving?
I've got a date with a buyer right over the hill.
As soon as it pays off, I'll turn the herd over.
Come on.
Come.
Hey, come on.
Yep.
It's all there.
Here's your bill of sale.
All right, let's go.
Come on.
I'll take these.
I told you not to take any partners.
Shut up.
How about a cigarette, big boy?
Give her a cigarette.
It's not big boy, Kate.
I'm Matt Clark, a railroad detective.
How about a light?
All right, get those hands back.
Put them down now.
All right, big boy.
You can give her a light now.
Matt, we lost six men in the fight back there.
Feeling's running pretty high against these two.
Here, here.
I'll handle this.
Take it easy.
Sheriff, we better get these two to jail
before something happens to them.
The posse wanted to take the law into their own hands
until I told them the prisoners would be delivered
safely to the sheriff.
Our part of the job was done.
Kate was charged with being the ringleader of one of the
biggest wrestling mobs in Wyoming.
This alone was enough to keep her from getting
in jail for a long time.
There was also a possibility of another charge, murder.
Well, you two have done a fine job.
I'll get in touch with you when the trial comes up.
Thank you.
Well, I guess we can pack up and get back to headquarters
now, Matt.
Yeah, I reckon so.
Goodbye, Kate.
Goodbye.
You big boy.
Frankie, get your horse and lead me down to Reuben's house.
We'll go down and check the stage schedules.
Sure, Matt.
I'll settle in at Reuben's house and pack the trail.
All right, all right, hold it, hold it, hold it.
I'll help you know my violence in this town as long as I'm sheriff.
The prisoners will get a fair and just trial.
Until such time I ask you to go on home peacefully.
Let the law take its course.
All right.
Jim!
Oh!
Hey!
Matt!
The mob took Kate and Avril out of jail.
We gotta go after them.
Matt!
We were too late.
Cattle Kate and James Avril met their doom by lynching at Sweetwater, Wyoming on Sunday, July the 20th, 1889.
Well, we've missed the 1216.
The next train through has orders to stop at the pass and pick us up.
Matt, do you think Kate could have alibied her way out of a long prison sentence had she been brought to trial?
No, Frankie, as the good book says, all they that live by the sword shall perish by the sword.
There's no alibi for crime.
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