Horse Thieves Part 2 - 1915 Tales From Old Timers #8a –

  In the meantime, Bates heard of the fate of his partner and barricaded himself into an old shack, preparing to resist arrest. After a fierce gun battle, Bates was captured and made prisoner and the camp moved south. Bates was a large man and had the reputation of wearing the largest boots of any man in the settlement. A few months later a pair of size 12 boots was found in Snake Creek. The assumption was made that Bates and Ravenwood met the fate of all horse thieves who were caught with the goods.

Mr. A. McDonald settled in Minot in 1884 and was appointed Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff Coleman in 1887. His duty was to transport prisoners to Burlington and lodge them in the county jail. They were transported in an open wagon and a pair of horses. Only the worst characters were handled in this manner. Of course they did have an armed escort also