This territory he was to invade was generally known as the Bosler range, although it was occupied by Boyd brothers, of which Ex- Governor James E. Boyd was one ; and the other ranches of less importance in relation to size. Schleigel had been at the work two or three weeks, when he took two men and teams and crossed the country to Sidney for supplies. He bought his provisions at the old C. A. Moore supply depot, then a big concern of the frontier town.

The Boslers and other big cattle men did not approve of the survey, for it meant the final settlement of the land by homesteaders.

After the wagons were loaded, one of the drivers of the party failed to show up. When

they were ready to depart they made a search for him,, and in a cottonwood tree that stood in the vicinity of the garrison at Sidney, they found the teamster hanging to the limb, dead, and on his body was pinned a placard, "Horse Thief."

SchleigeFs party believed the dead man had stolen no horses, but that cattlemen thought so little of human life, they had hung an innocent man, in order to scare them into giving up the survey.

There was no evidence that it was the work of the Boslers or any clue as to the identity of the parties who committed the deed, and perhaps the man had stolen a horse some time and the vigilantes had just caught him.