Kate’s Notes: The following is just the type of story that has contributed to the richness of  Texas folklore. Although these particular accounts of Fine Gilliland and the white steer were published in papers from New York, NY and Richmond, Virginia, the story made a splash in papers across the country, sometimes accompanied by dramatic illustrations, as was the case for the Richmond Planet. Because the report in the Richmond paper had been sloppily edited, resulting in a rather confusing timeline for certain portions of the story, I am presenting first the tale as reported in the New York Sun on 6 November, 1904.
   For a less sensalitionist account of Fine Gilliland and the steer, see: http://www.tshaonline.org/daybyday/01-28-004.html and for an equally intriguing telling of the tale, see: http://www.texashillcountry.com/Stories/TheMurderMaverick.htm
   This story also appears in books such as Haunted Homeland: A Definitive Collection of North American Ghost Stories by Michael Norman.
   In the volume, Tales of the Big Bend by Elton Miles the author states that little is known of Fine Gilliland, though he was remembered as “a small man with a dark complexion and a mean temper.” However, Fine’s family tree can be found at this URL: http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/ARIZARD/2006-08/1155499288  Here we find that John Fine Gilliland was a son of Alabama-born James Carroll Gilliland and wife Rebecca Fine, and that the couple had migrated to Arkansas where they begat a sizeable clan in Washington County.
   Gilliland Canyon in the Glass Mountains near Marathon is named for Fine Gilliland, as the place where he died.

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From the New York Sun, New York, NY
November 06, 1904

THE MURDER STEER ALARMS
THE SUPERSTITIOUS NO MORE

   Alpine, Tex. -- A big white steer, which was known to cowmen and others in west Texas on account of the peculiar brand which it bore on its left side and the tragedies in which it had played a passive but important part, is dead.
   The steer was an outcast for twelve years. It roamed over the range at will and to many travelers it brought a chill of terror which they caught sight of the words branded in large letters on its left side. These words were: “Murder, 1889.” 
   The animal gave up its lonely life about three years ago and took up with a bunch of cattle which were being driven to the Bar H ranch in Ector county. It remained on that ranch until its recent death.
   Judge W. Van Sickle of Alpine is familiar with the incidents which occurred in the life of this steer. He said:
   “In Jauary, 1889, a big round-up took place on the Leon Cipa ranch in Brewster county. A dispute arose between H. H. Powe and Fine Gilliland as to the ownership and branding of a certain yearling and Gilliland killed Powe and escaped by riding quickly away.
   The yearling over which the dispute arose was roped and branded, “Murder, 1889.” The animal was then turned loose on the range.
   “At that time a squad of State rangers were camped at Marathon, thirty five miles east from the scene of the killing. Six weeks after the killing two of them, John Putnam and T. T. Cook, started on a scout for Fort Stockton.
   “Gilliland had been traced to the Glass Mountains and it was generally supposed that he was in hiding there. The two rangers decided to go through the mountains on their scout in the hope that they might come across their fugitive.
   “They were in the midst of the mountains and were riding along a narrow trail, Putnam in front and Cook behind, with their pack mule in the middle, when suddenly they came across Gilliland. The latter fought hard for his life. In that battle Gilliland was killed, Cook was crippled for life, and three horses were killed.
   “Putnam and Cook were standing surveying the scene of the fight when a white steer walked out of a bunch of scrubby live oaks nearby, and going up to where Gilliland was lying sniffed at his body. The animal turned to walk away and the two rangers saw the brand, ‘Murder, 1889,’ on its left side. 
   “That steer was more than 75 miles from where it was branded and turned loose six months before, and how it had got into the heart of the Glass Mountains was a mystery.
   “Following the killing of Gilliland, this strange steer was seen at many places where crimes had been committed. Ignorant Mexicans believed it possessed the spirit of the dead Gilliland. It seemed to haunt the spots where he and his rough associates used to hold high carnival.
   “Some time before the killing of Gilliland, ‘Jeff’ Webb, a nephew of Gilliland, and foreman of a large ranch, left Alpine in a terrific rainstorm with a pet bear which he was leading. The next day his body was found on the road toward Fort Davis. The pet bear was licking the face of the dead man and growled threateningly when a cowboy appraoched the body. He had been shot through the head.
   “The killing was shrouded in mystery. Gilliland suspected that Sam Taylor, a desperado, had killed Webb. One night not long after this Taylor was sitting in the back room of a saloon at Alpine playing poker when some one fired a load of buckshot through the window. 
   “The load scattered widely, but a number of the buckshot struck Taylor in the breast, killing him instantly. He leaned forward over the table, the cards still grasped in his lifeless hand. He had just won a pot with aces and eights, which was thereafter known as a ‘dead man’s hand.’ 
   “A ‘sweater’ from New York who was sitting in the game was shot through the back with a buckshot, and a Mexican who was standing nearby was shot through the shoulderblade. The ‘sweater’ died very soon.
   “In after years the outcast steer with its gruesome brand was seen at night standing meditatively near the window of that saloon through which the fatal load of buckshot was fired.
   “Later it was ascertained that Webb was not killed by Taylor, but by a Mexican who mistook him in the storm for an officer seeking to arrest him.”
   
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From the Richmond Planet, Richmond, Virginia
January 14, 1905

STEER ALWAYS IN
AT THE KILLING
____________

GREWSOME PART PLAYED BY ANIMAL
IN MANY TRAGEDIES
____________

TRUE TO “MURDER” BRAND
____________

Crime Growing Out of Ownership
of the Steer, and the Subse-
quent Murders It Witnessed
____________

   Alpine, Tex. -- A big white steer, which was known to cowmen and others in west Texas on account of the peculiar brand which it bore on its left side and the tragedies in which it had played a passive but important part, is dead.
   The death recalls a series of startling murders in this region. The steer was an outcast at will. Many of the lonely travelers to whom it brought a chill of terror which they caught sight of the words branded in large letters on its left side. These words were: “Murder, 1889.” Judge Van Sickle, of this place, is familiar with the tragic incidents in the life of this remarkable steer. He said:
   “A big round-up took place in January, 1889, on the Leon Cipa ranch, in Brewster county. There were many cowboys in this round-up and some were desperate characters. A dispute arose between H. H. Powe and Fine Gilliland as to the ownership of a certain yearling. The two men fought a duel at close range with six shooters. Gilliland killed Powe, mounted a horse and fled to escape the vengeance of the cowboys, who had taken side with Powe. The yearling was roped and branded: ‘Murder, 1889,’ and then turned loose on the range.
   “Six weeks after the killing John Putnam and T. T. Cook, members of a ranger squad, started on a scout for Fort Stockton. In the mountains they came face to face with Gilliland. In the fight Cook was wounded and Gilliland was killed where he fought behind his dead horse.
   “Putnam and Cook were surveying the scene of the battle when a white steer walked out of a bunch of scrubby live oaks and sniffed at Gilliland’s body. As the animal turned to walk away the two rangers saw the brand, ‘Murder, 1889,’ on its left side. The steer was more than 75 miles from where it was branded and turned loose six months before.
   “Soon after this, ‘Jeff’ Webb, a nephew of Gilliland, left Alpine with a pet bear. The morning following his dead body was found on the road toward Fort Davis. Gilliland suspected that Webb had been killed by Sam Taylor, a desperado. Taylor was killed one night not long after this in the back room of a saloon by some one who fired a load of buckshot through the window. He leaned forward over the table, the cards still grasped in his lifeless hand. He had just won a pot with aces and eights, which was thereafter known as a ‘dead man’s hand.’ In after years the outcast steer was seen at night standing meditatively near the window of that saloon.”

-- transcriptions by Kate Maynard, 2009