xpayers and of George's own reputation, and, in addition, was
making a tidy sum of money out of the trip. His transportation,
reservations, and allowance _per diem_ were paid, of course, by the
county he represented. George, having brought a load of cattle to the
stock-yards, had a pass for his return. But that was the sheriff's
luck, it appeared, not the county's. Morrill treated him most affably.
As they were nearing Medora, in fact, he informed his prisoner that he
would appear before the justice of the peace, explain that he had
discovered that the charge was baseless, and ask for a dismissal of
the case without a hearing on the ground that a mistake had been made.

But the sheriff was not taking into account the fact that Medora had,
during the past two or three years, emerged from barbarism, and that
there was such a thing as public opinion to be confronted and
satisfied. To the majority of the citizens, an accusation of
cattle-thieving was almost identical with a conviction, and feeling
ran high for a time against George Myers. But Packard jumped into the
fight and in the columns of the _Bad Lands Cowboy_ excoriated Joe
Morrill.

The affair spilled over beyond the limits of Billings County, for the
Bismarck _Tribune_ printed Morrill's version of the case, and a day or
so later published a stinging letter from Packard, who was nothing if
not belligerent. It did not hurt his cause that he was able to quote a
statement, made by Morrill, that "there's plenty in it if the justice
of the peace and the sheriff work together."

Myers, backed by Packard, refused to have the case dismissed and it
was put on the calendar at Mandan. There it rested until the following
spring.

Roosevelt, arriving in Medora in April, saw at once that a larger
issue was at stake than even the question of doing justice to a man
wrongfully accused. To have a man like Morrill officially responsible
for the detection of cattle-thieves was a travesty.

He promptly sought Joe Morrill, finding him at the "depot." In his
capacity as chairman of the Little Missouri River Stockmen's
Association, he was in a position to speak as Morrill's employer, and
he spoke with his customary directness. Gregor Lang, who happened to
be present, told Lincoln afterward that he had "never heard a man get
such a scathing" as Roosevelt gave the shifty stock inspector.

"Roosevelt was taking a lot of chances," said Lincoln Lang later,
"because Morrill was cornered.