Banditti of the Plains or The Cattlemen's Invasion of Wyoming in 1892 by A.S. Mercer. This is an extremely rare, first edition (1894) book on the early Wyoming cattle industry and the Johnson County Invasion of 1892. It has been assered that immediately after its printing in Denver, Colorado, cattlemen from Wyoming objected to having their activities exposed, and in the course of a libel lawsuit, the entire printing was impounded by a local court and ordered destroyed. While the books were in the custody of the court, a number of copies were stolen and smuggled to Denver. It is also thought that the rarity of the book is due not only to the impounding and destruction of most of the copies, but also for many years, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, their sympathizers, and descendents, destroyed every copy they came across. Outspoken author Asa Mercer was the editor of the Northwestern Live Stock Journal and later the Wyoming Democrat. Mercer gave up the newspaper business in 1893 and moved to Hyattville, Wyoming. An important part of Wyoming history. Hardcover with slipcase.