30 Years Ago

Thursday, October 13, 1988

Homicidal rumors spark evening of fear

The “rural rumor mill” was apparently working overtime last Sunday evening, as southern Powder River County residents were kept in fear by reports that a homicidal maniac was on the loose in their area.

Rumors circulated throughout the community that a man was in their area, fleeing Wyoming law enforcement officers after having killed several Campbell County deputies. According to rumor, he had also ran over and killed several motorcyclists near Spotted Horse, a small community on the highway about midway between Sheridan and Gillette.

There was in fact a man who was indeed fleeing Wyoming law enforcement officers and he did stop at several ranches knocking on doors for reasons unknown. He made no attempt to harm any resident.

And now, the “rest of the story.”

Powder River County Sheriff Don Pertuit said he was first alerted to the situation about 9 o’clock Sunday evening when the Wyoming Highway Patrol asked his department’s assistance in apprehending 55-year-old James Cecil Aldrich of Sheridan.

Aldrich was being sought on charges of speeding, eluding police officers and possible possession of a stolen vehicle. A convicted felon, Aldrich had been recently released from the Wyoming Penitentiary after completing a three to ten-year sentence. He had been convicted of shooting and wounding his wife during an incident five to six years ago, according to Pertuit. That, combined with warnings that he possibly had a gun in his possession and that extreme caution should be used when apprehending him, apparently sparked the rumor mill and the evening of fear.

Local officers were contacted when Aldrich turned north on the gravel near Spotted Horse, after having first stopped to aid a motorcyclist who had been injured in an accident.

Area residents were notified of the search by telephone and some picked up information from police band scanners.

It was also the rural neighbors who helped in the apprehending of Aldrich.

“We got a call from a family who spotted a car matching Aldrich’s” said Pertuit. “The vehicle had ran off the road near their gas tanks and headed south-west, towards Three Bar.”

Using the information, Pertuit, aided by his staff of deputies and a Montana Fish and Game officer headed in that direction. They spotted a vehicle described as identical to the one Aldrich was driving, near an old house, now used as a hunter’s cabin.

Pertuit said that when they approached the cabin they could see a man, matching Aldrich’s description, knocking on the door.

With guns drawn they ordered Aldrich to surrender. The suspect immediately raised his hands and told the officers “not to shoot.”

Although he offered no physical resistance, Aldrich was “very verbal” according to the sheriff. He was then handcuffed and detained at the scene until Wyoming enforcement officials arrived.

The vehicle was searched for firearms and a loaded .22 Winchester rifle was found, along with about half a case of beer.

Pertuit went on to thank all those in the neighborhood who assisted with information. “Thanks to them we were able to pin point the location of the suspect,” he said. “And, the community was very good about phoning the neighbors and alerting them of a potentially dangerous situation.”

Area fiddlers gather at Range Riders Museum

Otter Creek--Range Riders Museum at Miles City played host to Delbert Hanson’s Fiddlers from Montana District No. 7 Saturday and Sunday. Fiddlers and dancers from the Broadus, Ekalaka, Miles City and Forsyth areas, with other participants from other points in Montana and even from Canada and Texas and several other states met for music and dancing at mid-afternoon on Saturday to get things off to a good start.

Members of the Fiddlers and several guests were treated to a barbecue supper of steaks, baked beans, rolls salads and relishes with homemade cakes for dessert, at which about 115 were present. Tommy Zook on the guitar and Clifford Thex on the piano kept the music going during supper hour. Another highlight of the evening was a special interlude of banjo music, presented by a group that included Delbert Hanson, Archie Richards, Dale Benge, Clifford Thex, and others. Mandolin music was also featured. Music and dancing lasted until midnight.

Music and dancing started again early Sunday morning when about 75 of the group met again Sunday morning at the Range Riders for a sour-dough pancake breakfast.

About 20 fiddlers performed for the crowd on Saturday and Sunday. They were accompanied by back-up music on guitars, mandolin, bass, banjo, and piano, many of the fiddlers doubling on these instruments.

District No. 7 is the most recently formed of the Montana districts. It is centered in Miles City and schedules monthly jam session at various points such as Ekalaka, Broadus, Sonnette, Terry, Ashland, Jordan and others. The music presented spans a wide-range of years in its danceable tunes, and includes current tunes as well as old time dances such as the schottische, variouvienne, seven-step, heel-and-toe polka and various hoe-downs.

Local chapter host district FFA Convention

The Broadus FFA Chapter hosted the Eastern District Soils and Range Contest and convention here Saturday. About 40 students from four schools attended, participating in workshops in the morning in preparation for the afternoon contests.

Schools involved with Broadus included Baker, who won the team event, Plevna and Ekalaka.

Two Broadus students, Curt Philip and Andy Cathey, placed in the individual standings durning the competition. Philip placed eighth and Cathey, tenth.

The afternoon contests required participants to identify 20 plants and their characteristics, along with analyzing two range conditions on actual sites.

Tests were scored and tabulated by Anna Traub, Betty Aye, Diana Edwards, Patty Williams and Mr. and Mrs. Danny Lanning.