Hide your wives and daughters: Frank's unsavory pals are in town!

'Cattle Rustlers' by Russ Vickers

One thing I'll be sorry to miss when I go home Thursday: the 2008 Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion. Never heard of it until we were driving down the road and I saw a road sign for this unique event, organized by Frank Phillips (1873-1950), grand poobah of the Bartlesville oil industry in the roaring '20s, whose log cabin retreat, known as Woolaroc, has been preserved and enhanced with a museum and wildlife preserve.

My sister tells me Phillips, who founded Phillips Petroleum (later Conoco-Phillips) had a soft spot for cowboy thieves and outlaws, and used to invite them for a big annual shindig where they were guaranteed impunity and in return agreed not to practice their usual modus operandi on the premises. I can imagine the neighbors gave the place a wide berth when the festivities, which must have been pretty riotous, were in progress.

Nowadays the general public is invited, and many show up in cowboy gear brandishing faux firearms, according to my sister. She didn't know for sure if any genuine cow thieves and outlaws still participate. Although I can't imagine why not, what an opportunity for networking! Say you're looking to replenish your gang, after most of them were hauled off to the hoosegow...

The website says only that more information is available Sept. 13, and displays some photos from past reunions, showing folks in chaps and leather vests they probably bought at the local western wear outlet. Pretty tame looking cow thieves, I'd say.

Oh, well, I left my cowboy boots back in Mexico anyway.

A recent reunion of the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion
(Photo from the Woolaroc website). Do these people look like they steal cows?