What officers believe to be a cattle stealing ring operating in this and adjoining counties for the last two years, may be in the process of being broken up, according to information from the sheriff's office this week.The men now in jail and facing charges of cattle stealing are Columbus Hunt, Virgil Tholl and John Tholl, all of Kiowa, and Herman Tholl of Hardtner and Herbert Hunt of El Dorado.
Under Sheriff Ben Harbaugh informed the Index Wednesday afternoon that two of the men had confessed to the stealing of six head of cattle from Ken Burgess, former sheriff of this county. At a hearing before Justice of the Peace W. L. Bragg on Tuesday the men waived their preliminary hearing and were bound over to the district court under $1000.00 bond. They have been unable to give bond.
Herbert Hunt denies any implications in the matter and has engaged an attorney to defend him. He contends that he was at the home of Columbus Hunt on a visit when the arrests were made. No hearing has been held for him or for Herman Tholl.
Sheriff Frieden and his deputies believe the stealing has been going on for some time and are busy checking up on other reported cattle losses, and are making satisfactory progress along this line.
The mistake the men made, if the charges are true, was in getting some of the cattle belonging to Ken Burgess, for he immediately got busy and soon picked up the trail at Pratt where the cattle had been hauled to be sold. Inquiring at Pratt Mr. Burgess asked an officer if he had noticed a load of cattle of such description as he gave. He was told about a trailer containing cattle answering to that description and this trailer which was broken down outside the town, as found to contain the cattle, which had been taken from the Jansen farm, near Kiowa where Mr. Burgess and Lester Wiley were feeding cattle. The cattle were recovered.
Tholl has been making his home with Columbus Hunt about three miles north of Kiowa.
Columbus Hunt is also charged with stealing a sheep lined coat as Hazelton, as well as the burglary of the Betty store at Hazelton on December 20th, according to Sheriff Frieden.
Sheriff Frieden was in Pratt Wednesday forenoon checking up on some more angles of the case and is confident he will uncover further evidence implicating the men. The particular case under investigation at this time is the loss of three head of cattle from Ray Howard.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!