Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

Feb. 10, 1921

From all indications the entire county will be represented in Sundance on Feb. 22, the date of the good roads dance. Arrangements are being made to care for a large crowd, and if weather is favorable it will be a record dance for Crook County.

Progressive farm bureau members met on Sunday afternoon at the Earl McCelland place to discuss building a dipping vat. The attendance was not large, but those present were interested in the project, and a plan was developed which will enable the farmer-rancher to have the advantage of dipping his stock, without any great outlay of cash.

75 Years Ago

Feb. 7, 1946

A license plate stolen from the car of Ed Mathews of Sundance led to the capture Tuesday night, near Lysite, Wyoming of George Sidney Sitts, convicted slayer, escaped convict and wanted for the double slaying of Sheriff Dave Malcolm, of Butte county, S.D. and Tom Mathews, of Spearfish, special investigator. Officers found Sitts crouched in the seat of the stolen car and took him by surprise. The trail of the killer grew hot in Sundance when he drove into Crook County and Sundance after emerging from his ten-day hideout in the basement of the Ross Dunn home of Deadwood. Sitts at the point of a gun forced a young man by the name of Ronneberg to drive him in a stolen 1939 Chrysler car down to Beulah where he bought $3 worth or gas after the station had been closed, then drove on to some spot between Beulah and Sundance where he “kicked” Ronneberg out. He then apparently drove to the Moskee turn off five miles east of Sundance, turned and drove down past the John Guidinger ranch were his car skidded off the road, and he became stalled. He then went to the Guidinger ranch about 11 p.m. where he solicited the aid of Chet Guidinger and his wife in getting his car back on the road. Guidinger recounted that the man had come to the house, needed help and was in a hurry to get to his wife in Nebraska who was to have a baby. It was not until Tuesday morning when the Guidingers heard radio reports that Sitts was in the vicinity that they realized they had been dealing with the killer. Guidinger immediately came in to report the incident to Sheriff Blakeman. Tuesday afternoon Ed Mathews, who lives one mile west of Sundance, reported to Sheriff Blakeman that the license plate belonging to his car had been stolen, and not more than five minutes later, the sheriff’s office in Casper reported a car answering the description of the one stolen in Deadwood and bearing the Crook county license plate had been seen entering Fremont county; officials in that section of the country immediately took to the trail, blocked all roads and surrounded Sitts at Lysite where he surrendered.

50 Years Ago

Feb. 11, 1971

Gov. Stan Hathaway will be in Sundance March 19 for the opening day of the state meeting of the Wyoming Snowmobile Association. Dr. Jim Summers, Sundance, a member of the WSA board of directors, said the governor will dedicate the Bear Lodge Snowmobile Club’s new track here and will also meet with the group’s board of directors. Summers said that Charles Karalt, CBS newsman, has also been invited to attend.

25 Years Ago

Feb. 8, 1996

Tom and Honey Hooper of Sundance were presented with awards by Mardell Palmer following this year’s Freeze Your Fanny Race. The Hoopers were honored for being the “youngest old couple” in the race.