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Show 2 - SECESSION TIMES - APRIL 15, 1998 ORAL HISTORY FROM THE CASTLE VALLEY AREA Sewemup Mesa [on the east side of the La Sals] was so named because of a bunch of cattle stolen from the Seiber Cattle Company on Pinon Mesa, whose brand was S+ and was commonly called the S Cross Outfit. The cattle were driven up on the mesa between Sinbad Valley and Rock Creek, where the thieves cut the brands out, then sewed the hides back together. Ed and George Gordon of the Picture Gallery country on Pinon Mesa were suspected of being the rustlers. Some time afterward, Uncle Sid Pace was riding not go to prisonjust for stealing a calf since he hadjust returned from serving in the Army. The notorious outlaws, the McCarteys, were related to the Maxwells of Moab, Utah. At the time, the Maxwells had a ranch in the lower end of Spanish Valley near the Colorado River. Maxwel owned a beautiful, strawberry roan horse named Sunday, the fastest horse around, .but who periodically disappeared. With every disappearance, there was a robbery somewhere in the area. Once the McCarteys robbed the train at Helper, Utah, then, racing Sunday via a shortcut, outran the train to Price. When the train rolled into Price enroute to Greenriver, the McCarteys were sitting on Main Street with a perfect alibi, because obviously no one could have beat the train. The McCarteys were killed in a shootout at Delta, Colorado following a bank robbery, one of them shot off the from the Rock Creek Ranch to Sally's Hollow by way of Uranium Park and the Big Hogtrough. Along the trail horse, Sunday. After the gun battle, Maxwell went to Delta between Uranium Park on the hill leading to the Hogrough, and got his horse. At the southeast end of Pace Lake in the the from up worked had that cattle those of he saw some La Sal Mountains, there is a tree with the McCartey names lower end of Sewemup Mesa where they had been turned carved on it by the outlaws. loose to heal up. When I was eighteen, two young horses turned up Uncle Sid put a bunch of steer weiners down the Dolores missing one morning from the Bar A pasture in the La Sals. the in there them winter to Colorado Gateway, River below The next day I found one of the horses, all covered with red fall of 1912. The next Spring, Uncle Sid had me ride'West dirt coming back home across Pine Ridge. I figured Gateway look to Gateway below river the of side north Creek and the was a good bet so I started riding down there. On the way I for the steers. While riding this country, I stayed at the Bill saw a kid riding the other horse and yelled, “Where’ (1 you get in them had and head 12 about gathered had I Ranch. Overton that. horse?” The kid asked, “Mister is this your horse/” the field there. The next morning I discovered the yearlings When I assured him it was, hejumped off the horse and ran. were all gone. WhileI was looking around to see what had Since it was late, I rode on into Gateway and stayed become of them, I met George and Ed Gordon and George overnight at Oscar Foy’s place. The next morning I had one and Willard Foy. Ed took hold of my bridle reins while of the horses all saddled up and my lariat on the other one George Gordon got off his horse and pulled the rifle out of ready to leave, when three men rode up. They told meI ‘ the scabbard on my saddle and broke it into pieces on a rock. wasn’t going anywhere with those horses: Whenl said they They then threatened to whip me, but the Foys objected, were mine, they asked, “Where’s your proof of ownership?” saying, “Oh leave him alone.” We parted then and I went to About that time I heard a click and there was Oscar behind tell Uncle Sid what had happened. 'He was staying at Ethan me with a cocked rifle and he said, “Here’s proof.” With that, Casto’s place across the river from Gateway. He decided there I left with my horses. was no use trying to do any more riding then and sent me (From Lorraine Mitchell’s oral history interviews with Sid back home to Castle Valley. That summer Uncle Sid sent Pace and Lester Taylor. This historical material was made ' his son, Reece Pace, and me to Pinon Mesa to ride with the S+ outfit, a large cattle operation owned by the Seiber Cattle available by the Moab BUM) Co. Everyday as they were working the gathered cattle, I was asked to look through the bunch, but during the whole ride, I Castle Valley Times never saw any of ours. The Castle Valley Times is available at cost for those In the fall of 1922, my sister, Zella, her husband, Carl who wish to receive it. The printing and mailing costs are Gilbert, my wife, Lucile Pace, and I were on our way just covered by the $10 per year requested. Other incidental horseback to Sally’s Hollow from Castle Valley. We crossed expenses incurred in getting out the CV Times have been Beaver Creek by way of Amasa Larsen’s pasture. As we were covered by donations. If you would like to receive the Castle passing their corral, we saw some of our cattle in the corral Valley Times. please contact Jack Campbell at (435) 259— so decided to take them along. When we turned them out, one cow without a calf ran over to a nearby pine tree where a calf had just been butchered, clearly indicating that it was her 5115 or write to Castle Valley Times, HC 64 Box 1903, Castle Valley, UT 84532. calf. Amasa Larsen, his son, Brig, and George Foy were there by the tree where the calf was hanging. I said, “It looks like that calf belonged to a Double X cow.” We traded a few more words, resulting in a fight between Brig and 1. He said, “I’ll show you some Army stuff,” indicating to me his resentment that I had not served in the Army. When we started to fight, Amasa said, “Go to him, my boy, go to him. He called your Dad a liar.” It wasn’t much of a figh,t and I came out on the short end. It must have looked kind of funny because Brig was 6’ 6” tall and I was 5’ 4”. While we were there, Carl Gilbert picked up a piece of fresh hide which proved to be the Double X brand cut out of the hide of the calf. We filed suit in Grand County Court. When the case was tried, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. One of the jurors told me they knew Brig was guilty but felt he should “Castle Valley View Points.” Castle Valley resident Dave Porterfield has opened a Website called “Castle Valley View Points." The web address is: www.gj.net/~talldave Dave welcomes e—mail comments. He hopes to provide a forum for Castle Valley issues plus other information of interest to residents and property owners in the valley. Some CV Times material will be available at this site, and some of Dave’s material may appear in the CV Times. Having information available both in the printed and electronic media will help get information to a broader range of CV residents and property owners. |
