in January, about the 10th, as I remember, a crowd of the rustlers came to town, and after filling up with bad whisky rode up and down the streets, pistols in hand, and declared they could take the town and burn it, and would do so “if there was any monkey business.”  Little attention was paid to them, people going about their business, apparently unconcerned.  But that night there was “monkey business.”  Three of the gang were hung to a juniper two miles above town, while another was shot and killed in town.  The next morning notices were found posted, with skull and cross-bones attached, telling all hard characters to leave the county.  There was then such a higera as has seldom been witnessed.  Men not before suspicioned skipped the country.  They stood not upon the order of their going, but went—­and went in a hurry.  Among the number was an ex-Justice of the Peace.

Again things quieted down.  The county was divided, courts organized and justice administered without let or hindrance.  The reign of the vigilantes was over, and citizens everywhere looked to the law for protection.

Chapter XX.

The Passing of the Mogans.

A few years previous to the occurrences before given, two young men arrived in the county and gave their names as Tom and Frank Page, being brothers.  I gave one of them, Frank, employment on my cattle ranch, but soon became satisfied that he was not the right kind of a man, and discharged him.  Both remained in the section, accepting such employment as they could obtain.  One day a man came along and recognized the Page brothers as men he had known in Nevada under a different name.  Hearing of this, they admitted that the name first given was an alias, and that their true names were Mike and Frank Mogan.  They were a quarrelsome pair and posed as bad men, and were not long in involving themselves in trouble and were shunned by the better class of citizens.  In a case against the younger of the two, Frank Mogan, a young lawyer, C. W. Barnes, was employed as opposite counsel.  This seemed to embitter both men against Barnes and some threats were made against him.  No attention was paid to the matter by Barnes, but he kept a watch on them when in their company.

Finally in the fall after the last lynching Mike came to town and in order to pick a quarrel with Mr. Barnes, began to abuse his younger brother, a boy of about 17 years.  The boy went to his brother and told him of Mogan’s conduct.  He was told that if he associated with such men as Mogan he must suffer the consequences.  The boy then went home, and securing an old cap and ball revolver, came back to the street.  Mogan began on him again, and after suffering his abuse for some time, drew the revolver and shot him through the chest.  Mogan ran a short distance and drawing his revolver, started back.  Seeing that young Barnes was ready for him, he turned off, walked a short distance, sank down and died the next day.  The affair created some excitement.  The boy was arrested but subsequently came clear.