The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-11
vIGILANTEs.


HeW Ihey Fut Down Uorder RuHaua
I'm missouri ssfver Town.
For the past three months the busi-
ness men and respectable citizens of
Pierre have been secretly organizing q
vigilance committee to protect the In
terests Of the town. and to rid the com.
munity OF rouahs. cut throats and gar
roters that infest that lively little town.
The committee Is well organized and
drilled. They have a captain and as
sistant. and all provided with breech-
loading shotguns and heavy revolvers
The organization numbers about two
hundred OF the best citizens of the
place. but II was not until last week
that their services were called into
reluisition.
A littl, over week ago a eharactsr
named "Arkansaw," and the man was
killed the "Kidr last summer, with q
gang of followers went over to East
Pierre and began making themselves
little too numerous with their pistols
Arkansaw would occasionally pull out
his pistol, cock 1t, and request some
peaceable citizen TO come 10 him. and If
the least hesitancy was observed in COM
plying with his request the result would
be q volley OF pistol shots. after which
Arkansaw would put his revolver back
In the holster and resume his search for
another tesder-foot. Sometimes q shot
or two would take effect, but that didnr
matter; 1t only gave little spice to his
performances. His entire gang was
composed Of just such men as himself,
and on one afternoon last week they
succeeded In creating terror wherever
they made their appearance.
After creating all the disturbance
they could, and taking prisoner away
from q United States deputy marshal,
they went 10 West Pierre, with the
avowed purpose OF returning and clean
ing out the town. They did return, but
were met by 200 vigilantes, and two
hundred sbotguns staring them in the
face, and were requested 10 turn imme-
diately and never show themselves
again in East Pierre. The request was
complied with, but on Thursday night
Arkansaw and gang got on the var
patti, and each one stra ,ping on three or
four revolvers, the entire outfit, about
$50 outlaws, COWBOYS and builwhack-
ers, went over to East st. Pierre to
clean out" the boys, as they termed
1t. II was about ten o'clock when
they got in, and went directly to the
dsnce-house, now and then shooting
out light in some house as they
passed by. They shot everything
windows, lights, men, horses, and all
had to take it.
Every minute would be heard the
sound Of the pistol. Suddenly those
that took no part on either side, heard
the loud "bang," "bang" of the shot
gun and heard the tramp OF two hun
dred vigilantes marching in line, bear
ing down upon the roughs In moment
it seemed as If terrible canDonadine
was going on, and old soldiers say il
sounded very much like pitched bat
tie. The gang was driven to the river,
flying in every direction before n deter
mined fire of the vigilantes. Arkanssw,
little braver than his men. iesitated,
then made an atteDp; nj resistance. But
in hesitating he sealed his own doom,
for almost in moment fully fifty shots
were fired, and the cut throat brigand
Arkansaw fell to the ground riddled
with bullets. A review of the ground
showed three or four wounded, but none
others were killed. .-Dsa ltoood Dakota
Press