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The Rustler of Wind River
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This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
- GenresWesterns
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1917
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 25, 2015
The American Old West has been immortalized in thousands of books and movies and is an inherently American genre. Although somewhat denigrated by the literati, I would venture to say that to understand truly the American psyche one should delve into Westerns, especially books about the Old West. Books oftentimes are a better medium to wrestle with complexities than movies, and we seem to think a little more deeply as we read. As such, books better capture the nuances of the struggles and conflicts that characterized the Old West that, in turn, had a formative influence on the American character.
Rustler of Wind River (1917) by George W. Ogden (1871-1966) describes a main theme of the American
Old West. Settlers (or nesters) enter cattle country already controlled and utilized by great cattle barons. These cattle barons did not have legal title to the vast tracts of land on which they free-grazed their large herds of cattle, but they "were there first" and looked upon the land as their own. Their great ranches were the source of their income, social position and power; and power they certainly had, backed up by guns and influence in high political places. Settlers who arrived on that unowned land filed legal claims for their homesteads, built fences to mark and work the land, and to keep out the grazing, trampling cattle.
Cutting off herds from grazing and water lead inevitably to armed and violent conflict between settlers and ranchers. For the ranchers, the settlers were nothing more than thieves or rustlers and had to be dealt with accordingly. Faced with the wrath of the cattlemen, the settlers banded together and were willing to stand and fight.
The Rustler of Wind River opens with the haughty but respectable Saul Chadron, the local cattle baron, hiring veteran killer Mark Thorn to murder a list of settlers including Alan MacDonald, the chief "rustler" and head of the settler community. To Chadron, all settlers are lowly rustlers -- a terrible epithet in that time and place -- stealing land and cattle and worthy only of being intimidated and forced to move or suffer the dire consequences. Located near the Chadron ranch is the soon-to-be-closed Fort Shakie cavalry outpost, commanded by Colonel Landcraft. The love interest is provided by the vivacious and flirtatious Nola Chadron, daughter of the cattle baron, and Francis Landcraft, the Colonel's daughter, who at the outset is engaged to Major King, the fort's second-in-command. Both ladies become desirous of the heart of Alan Macdonald, the Rustler.
The assassin Mark Thorn commences his murderous work but is unsuccessful at killing Macdonald. Meanwhile, the settlers begin to organize to repulse further efforts made by Chadron's cowboys to oust them from the land. The climax comes when a large contingent of hired shooters is sent from Cheyenne, Wyoming by Chadron's fellow cattle barons to oust the settlers who have, in the meantime, retreated into a canyon in the hills for self-protection. The cattle barons also apply political pressure in Washington by telegraph to enlist the Fort Shakie soldiers on their side to put decisive and immediate pressure on the settlers.
The thoughtful reader will notice parallels with grazer societies in developing countries worldwide that utilize unowned, open range for their herds and flocks and are confronted by settlers, who enter the land to apply more labor intensive activities for greater socio-economic benefit. Oftentimes, although the grazers don't actually have legal title to the land, they are still successful at marshaling all the weight of public opinion, vested interests and political power to assert their so-called legal and moral "rights," although their claims are tenuous at best.
The Rustler of Wind River is well-written and fast-paced. The protagonists' positions are eloquently stated and larger forces influencing this era of American history are clearly described. This book is a good read for people interested in the Old West genre. I liked it.
George W. Ogden (1871-1966) was a newspaperman, editor of the Kansas City Star and Chicago Tribune and wrote many Western novels. Ogden's personal papers have been deposited in the archives of the University of Oregon and include a correspondence with Elizabeth B. Custer (Mrs. George A. Custer). It is interesting to note that Ernest Hemingway worked for a short time at the Kansas City Star (though not during Ogden's tenure as editor) and quoted advice to writers from its style guide in later life.
Rustler of Wind River (1917) by George W. Ogden (1871-1966) describes a main theme of the American
Old West. Settlers (or nesters) enter cattle country already controlled and utilized by great cattle barons. These cattle barons did not have legal title to the vast tracts of land on which they free-grazed their large herds of cattle, but they "were there first" and looked upon the land as their own. Their great ranches were the source of their income, social position and power; and power they certainly had, backed up by guns and influence in high political places. Settlers who arrived on that unowned land filed legal claims for their homesteads, built fences to mark and work the land, and to keep out the grazing, trampling cattle.
Cutting off herds from grazing and water lead inevitably to armed and violent conflict between settlers and ranchers. For the ranchers, the settlers were nothing more than thieves or rustlers and had to be dealt with accordingly. Faced with the wrath of the cattlemen, the settlers banded together and were willing to stand and fight.
The Rustler of Wind River opens with the haughty but respectable Saul Chadron, the local cattle baron, hiring veteran killer Mark Thorn to murder a list of settlers including Alan MacDonald, the chief "rustler" and head of the settler community. To Chadron, all settlers are lowly rustlers -- a terrible epithet in that time and place -- stealing land and cattle and worthy only of being intimidated and forced to move or suffer the dire consequences. Located near the Chadron ranch is the soon-to-be-closed Fort Shakie cavalry outpost, commanded by Colonel Landcraft. The love interest is provided by the vivacious and flirtatious Nola Chadron, daughter of the cattle baron, and Francis Landcraft, the Colonel's daughter, who at the outset is engaged to Major King, the fort's second-in-command. Both ladies become desirous of the heart of Alan Macdonald, the Rustler.
The assassin Mark Thorn commences his murderous work but is unsuccessful at killing Macdonald. Meanwhile, the settlers begin to organize to repulse further efforts made by Chadron's cowboys to oust them from the land. The climax comes when a large contingent of hired shooters is sent from Cheyenne, Wyoming by Chadron's fellow cattle barons to oust the settlers who have, in the meantime, retreated into a canyon in the hills for self-protection. The cattle barons also apply political pressure in Washington by telegraph to enlist the Fort Shakie soldiers on their side to put decisive and immediate pressure on the settlers.
The thoughtful reader will notice parallels with grazer societies in developing countries worldwide that utilize unowned, open range for their herds and flocks and are confronted by settlers, who enter the land to apply more labor intensive activities for greater socio-economic benefit. Oftentimes, although the grazers don't actually have legal title to the land, they are still successful at marshaling all the weight of public opinion, vested interests and political power to assert their so-called legal and moral "rights," although their claims are tenuous at best.
The Rustler of Wind River is well-written and fast-paced. The protagonists' positions are eloquently stated and larger forces influencing this era of American history are clearly described. This book is a good read for people interested in the Old West genre. I liked it.
George W. Ogden (1871-1966) was a newspaperman, editor of the Kansas City Star and Chicago Tribune and wrote many Western novels. Ogden's personal papers have been deposited in the archives of the University of Oregon and include a correspondence with Elizabeth B. Custer (Mrs. George A. Custer). It is interesting to note that Ernest Hemingway worked for a short time at the Kansas City Star (though not during Ogden's tenure as editor) and quoted advice to writers from its style guide in later life.
August 29, 2022
The Rustler Of Wind River - G. W. Ogden (1917 Edition) -
I had no idea what this book was going to be about. It had been sitting on my shelf for at least two decades, from the time when I was buying cheap old books to try to make my shelves look classy next to dying pot plants and old bits of jetsam from the beach, I was never quick enough to get the flotsam.
It had been hanging around so long that I actually had to stick it all back together with glue and tape, before even attempting to read it. I haven’t usually been allowed glue, because I kept sticking myself to things. I once even managed to stick myself to the floor whilst fixing my shoes, but I digress.
I also realised that I had to track down 2 pages that were missing, which was not as easy as you’d think in the digital age.
I actually thought that this book was called ‘Hustler’ Of Wind River and therefore expected something completely different to what I got in the end. The lead character could have been a gigolo or he was more likely to be a hard working man that hustled as hard as he could for a living, as far as I knew.
Either way I was annoyed to find out that it was a western and that he was alleged to be a cattle “Rustler” instead.
I am sick of westerns from my attempts to watch the films on the “Top Film Lists”, so adding another to my life was not what I wanted to do, but I have to say that I was won over by this one.
I really enjoyed the mostly simple writing and the easy way that the story flowed and I think that because it was set towards the end of the “Wild” West, that it was a better story that incorporated soldiers and cowboys alike, at the beginning of the development of towns and cities in those areas.
The story was enjoyable and had intrigue and great characters. Frances was a very strong woman and it was easy to love the roguish MacDonald, who I knew couldn’t been as bad as he was painted. The characters were drawn in such a clear way, that you could clearly see the idiots and the bad guys separated out from the nice ones and that simplicity was refreshing compared to the current books available where they’ve had to be an enigma until the reveal at the end of the book that showed their true natures. I am always baffled at how quickly the characters fall in love though, despite being guilty of the same thing in some of the books that I write. It’s certainly not been my experience. Nobody loves me, except my Mum!
My only criticism of this book would be that some of the language was a bit slangy and of it’s time, but it wasn’t so bad that it couldn’t be understood.
There’s jeopardy and romance and a grit to the tale and although it wouldn’t have been my choice to read it, apart from trying to clear my backlog of books, I can’t decide whether to eBay it or put it back on my shelf.
It was as good as any western that I’ve seen and definitely better than some.
8.02/10.
I had no idea what this book was going to be about. It had been sitting on my shelf for at least two decades, from the time when I was buying cheap old books to try to make my shelves look classy next to dying pot plants and old bits of jetsam from the beach, I was never quick enough to get the flotsam.
It had been hanging around so long that I actually had to stick it all back together with glue and tape, before even attempting to read it. I haven’t usually been allowed glue, because I kept sticking myself to things. I once even managed to stick myself to the floor whilst fixing my shoes, but I digress.
I also realised that I had to track down 2 pages that were missing, which was not as easy as you’d think in the digital age.
I actually thought that this book was called ‘Hustler’ Of Wind River and therefore expected something completely different to what I got in the end. The lead character could have been a gigolo or he was more likely to be a hard working man that hustled as hard as he could for a living, as far as I knew.
Either way I was annoyed to find out that it was a western and that he was alleged to be a cattle “Rustler” instead.
I am sick of westerns from my attempts to watch the films on the “Top Film Lists”, so adding another to my life was not what I wanted to do, but I have to say that I was won over by this one.
I really enjoyed the mostly simple writing and the easy way that the story flowed and I think that because it was set towards the end of the “Wild” West, that it was a better story that incorporated soldiers and cowboys alike, at the beginning of the development of towns and cities in those areas.
The story was enjoyable and had intrigue and great characters. Frances was a very strong woman and it was easy to love the roguish MacDonald, who I knew couldn’t been as bad as he was painted. The characters were drawn in such a clear way, that you could clearly see the idiots and the bad guys separated out from the nice ones and that simplicity was refreshing compared to the current books available where they’ve had to be an enigma until the reveal at the end of the book that showed their true natures. I am always baffled at how quickly the characters fall in love though, despite being guilty of the same thing in some of the books that I write. It’s certainly not been my experience. Nobody loves me, except my Mum!
My only criticism of this book would be that some of the language was a bit slangy and of it’s time, but it wasn’t so bad that it couldn’t be understood.
There’s jeopardy and romance and a grit to the tale and although it wouldn’t have been my choice to read it, apart from trying to clear my backlog of books, I can’t decide whether to eBay it or put it back on my shelf.
It was as good as any western that I’ve seen and definitely better than some.
8.02/10.
June 24, 2021
Didn't read the illustrated version just a Kindle. It's pitched as a classic. It's a romance of the West, similar to something from Zane Grey. Ogden was a newspaper man which shows. The writing is very much of the time. In total, not a bad book.
October 1, 2021
Good Read
Not written in the style I'm used to reading but I enjoyed this book and the way the characters were brought to life. I hope Banjo finds his way into his own story
Not written in the style I'm used to reading but I enjoyed this book and the way the characters were brought to life. I hope Banjo finds his way into his own story
March 7, 2017
Exceptional
The stories of the Old West have always been interesting and a joy to read about as the history unfolds and the future begins.
The stories of the Old West have always been interesting and a joy to read about as the history unfolds and the future begins.
June 23, 2016
Great novel.
A well written story, of love and war, during the the down fall of the cattle barons. It was sad, because the barons had no title to the majority of land they grazed. They had used the land for generations and thought they were Invincible until Alan came along and all hell broke loose.
A well written story, of love and war, during the the down fall of the cattle barons. It was sad, because the barons had no title to the majority of land they grazed. They had used the land for generations and thought they were Invincible until Alan came along and all hell broke loose.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews