New-York tribune., 1867-08-21


they would deliberately shoot down men on the
streets of Virginia, Nevada, or BannOck, and none
dared TO call Them to account. Encouraged by
habitual success and confident that there was no
power equal to the task of bringing them to punish
ment they finally flung over Montana reign of the
most appalling terror, and men were compelled to
defer TO Pummer obey his authority rs an officer.
and submit in silence to his atrocities to save their
own lives.
But though "the mills of the gods grind slowly, they
grind exceeding fine" Many prominent citizens had
been murdered or robbed and the depredatOns of the
band on the routes TO the States were so frequent
that no one ventfed to return with treasure. Every
good citizen felt that there must soon be terrible
remedy applied all Legitimate pursuits abandoned
Strange to say the murder of one of the humOest
residents of MOntana-a simple, friendlcSs German
was the feather that broke down public forbearance'
and called into existence power that has executed
nearly 100 men, self-banshed hundreds OF others and
restored order safety and peace in Montana without
single stain of injustice upon its fame. The Ger
man was murdered to obtain some mules he had sold
and was on his way to deliver them TO the purchaser,
who had already paid him for them. lie had been
in the employ of Mr. Clark an old resident OF Calf
fornia and a member of the Nigilanters there The
lfeless body had been secreted in thcket OF sage
brush and the story circulated that the German had
left for unknown parts with the mules and money.
For some time there no data to controvert the
explanation made by the murderers; but, finally,
hunter brought down a grouse, it fell in the very
thicket in which the body of the German was con-
cealed, and told the story of another murder by the
Road Agents" The body was taken to the city,
and Mr. Clark was the first man. believe, to give
form to the rpened resolution against the despera-
does. The effort was generally and promptly sec
onded and once started, its sweep was boundless
and mercilcSs. 1t was q perilOus undertaking. "A
single failure would have been fatal to all concerned
in it. and il was not doubted that the lawleSs were
in decided majority Had any ten or even fifty
men been suspected of snch purpose before the or
ganizatOn was effected, not one could have llVed 10
see their plans succeed; but they were discreet as
resoute their vengeance was unseen and unfeared
until it took the murderer from his bed ana the ight
of morning dawned upon his lifelesS body suspended
from tree There was no muttcring thunder before
the terrible bolt fell with piless destruction upon
the wrOng-dOers
OF the many brave men who inaugurated and
Openly sustained this movement no one can justly
be awarded exclusive praise; but there IS one who
figures rs conspicuOusy in the history OF the Nlgl-
lanters as did Plummer in the reign OF terror.
Some 70 years ago was accustomed to meeting on
the streets of Chambersburg Pa, young man
named John y Beidler. His frugal wants were sup
piled by the manufacture of brooms. and finally no
mixed the hest of cocktails and juleps at a neigh
boring Summer resort. He was as amiable and un-
offending lad as the community could furnish,
and his Jolly. genial humor made him favoritc with
all who knew him. Although he had attained his
majority he was scarcely five feet six inches in
hight and was far below the average of men In
phvsical power He finally wandered West in search
of fortune and soon after the advent OF Plunmer
came "Xr the only name by which he is univcr-
sally known in Montana. Thus tile bane and the
antidote were close upon each other. strong IN his
inherent love of honesty stranger to fear. not
powerful hut quick as thought in his actions and
firm in his purpose as the eternal mountains around
him, he naturally entered promptly ands earnestly
into the effort to restore order and safety to society
That little was expected of him when he first east his
lot with the stern rcfoTmers is not surprising but his
tirelesS perseverance, unfalterng courage, and sim
gular skill III thwarting the plans of the common
enemy soon made him the chief pillar of the organ
ization, and the unspeakable terror of every des-
perado This diininutive man, without family or
property to defend has himself arrested of the
most powerful villains and has executed in open day.
an equal number under the direction of the wonderful
fountain of rcribution that unseen but was surg
ing around the hasty scaiod So expert is he with his
faithful pistol that the most scienccd of rOgues have
repeatedly attempted in vain to get the drop" on
him. Quick as a fash his pistol is drawn, cooked
while drawing il, and presented TO the doomed man
with the stern demand, hands up, Sir" and the
work is done. At one time, without aid, he arrested
of the most desperate thieves in body all well
armed, and. marched them before him to prison.
Hands mp, gents" was the first iutimation they
had from him that he had business wi tn them and
/ submission the only course Of safety Had any
! one of them attempted to reach toward his belt he
would have fallen that moment There were citizens
close by, and how many Of them if any, were sworn
to protect aud ready to aid Beder. he knew while
| the prisoners did not This indefinite unseen i'm
measurable force seems TO have ever stricken the
most courageous thieves and murdcrers ncIyeless
when It's sudden and fatal grasp was thrown around
them They would fight scores of men for their lives
/ in any ordinary attempt to arrest them, but they
were invariably weakened" when the citizen con-
frOnted them il the name of public safety. No
tOrmalities were known. No process was read bear
ing the high seal of the courts When or where the
dread summons of the great unseen tribunal would
come could conjecture. The sleeping companion
of the desperate in some distant rancho would
probably drink and breakfast with him, and then
paralyze him by the notice, You're wanted
| business at Virginia. In no instance did any
of the many lawless characters arrested by the
| vgilants even fire pistol in their own defense,
even when they knew that death was inevitable.
In most cases the opportunity TO do was but slight
but under all ordinary circumstances the narrowest
chances would be taken TO effect escape From "X
no criminal ever got away To have attempted it
would have been but to hasten DEATH So much did
the desperadOes respect, as well as fear him, that
most of them, when condemned TO die by his hand,
committed their last requests to him. and with him
they have been sacred. Order and public safety
have been restored but be still has employment in
his favorite line He continues to act as the chief de