Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-10-05

RUNNER possessed TOO much sense TO ag-
gressively antagonize the people in their ef-
fort 10 end his lawless depredations, and he
fully intended to fee before the popular up.
rising; but, like some other great public rob-
bers this country has known, the Montana
boss delayed too long. Three feet horses
were brought into Bannock City one evening
for the use Of Plummer, Stnson, and Ray /,
but that night the trio were arrested, the
chief being captured in his own house, Stin.
son while out visiting, and Ray at Il gaming
table. The three men were marched out Of
Bannook City, while a willing negro lad was
dispatched for a rope which prominent citi-
zen contributed from his bedstead. The re-
lentless and dreaded Plummer failed to sus.
tain his character at the end He earned the
contempt of all who had believed in his per-
sonal bravery by begging piteously for life,
and even kneeling and crying on the earth,
protesting that he was too wicked to die
Ray dropped with awful curses on his lips /;
Stinson exclaimed, There goes poor Ned
Ray !" and followed him into eternity. No
one stirred when the order came Bring up
Plummer." The leader moved toward him
and the wretohed man gasped, "Gve a man
time TO pray" Certainly" was the answer ,
'but let him say his prayers up here" The
robber summoned his fortitude at last, asked
to be given a good drop, and died without
a struggle, in the presence of a great throng.
Soon after two of the Vigilance committee
were killed while attempting TO arrest Mexi-
can Joe Pigautha. The people visited "the
greaser'' with summary vengeance by firing a
mountain -howitzer through his cabin and
burning the dead man in his habitation.
All the desperate elements of Montana were
now thoroughly alarmed, and arrayed against
the men who had punished the road-agent
leaders, and it was necessary to complete the
work of determination. The committee
therefore determined to purge Virginia City
at a single visit. In pursuance of this pur.
pose, the outside members gathered one raw
January night and surrounded the town
The blockade was perfectly effected no one
was allowed to leave without a written per.
NIT from the headquarters within, and
though one man managed to elude the guard.
lines, he was afterward captured and hanged
1t is related that, while these preparations
were being perfected, some of the men sen
fenced to death we're amusing themselves at
a gambling house. and in the midst of quiet
game of faro Jack Gallagher broke out with,
"While we arc here betting, those viglants
a volley Of oaths are passing sentence on
u.s." He was seldom so truthful, aud daylight
apprised all the people that the blacklegs were
in trap. Then came the steady tramp of the
men from Nevada, Junction, Summit, Pine
Grove, Highland, and Fairweather, who
marched in and halted on Main street. Small
arresting parties dispersed to pick up the
men wanted. They went by twos and threes,
with no parade Of purpose, and their mission
was suspected only when the victim was bid
den by men at his elbow, Throw up your
hands," Frank Parish, George Lane, Boon
Helm, Haze Lyons, and Jack Gallagher were
brought in one by one, all captured without a
gfr In ha NaA
were carefully examined, and when the guilt
of each man had been unmistakably establish
ed, the prisoners were ranged in a row facing
the guard, and informed that their time had
come. They were pinioned, guarded on each
side by citizen holding a navy revolver
ready for instant use, and then marched
down the principal street of the unkempt
town in the centre of hollow square, flank
ed by four ranks of vigilants, with column in
front and rear carrying shot-guns and rifles
at half. present. Citizens with pistols were
dispersed among the crowd
The ridge-pole OF an unfinished building
(now occupied by the post-ofice) offered a
reRdy-made gallows for the five prisoners wait
ing in line. Lane asked good man in the
crowd to pray With him. and his request was
complied with. Helm and Gallagher cracked
jokes with pals among the lockers on, but
Parish seemed much affected by his position.
The five nooses were adjusted with little pre-
liminary ceremony, when Gallagher begged
for drink Of whiskey, which was given him
Lane called out to friend, "Good-by, old fel.
low I'm gone" and, without waiting to
have the box on which he was standing
knocked away, he jumped of. Gallagher
went next, dying with awful curses on his
lips. Helm gazed coolly at the quivering
form beside him, saying, kick away, I'll be
in h with you in minute. Hurrah for JEFF
Davis ! Let her rip" his footing failed,
and the rope twanged. Parish and Lyons
died more quietly.
Two hours afterward the bodies were cut
down by friends and buried in Cemetery Hill,
overlooking Alder Gulch. There their Eve
graves remain, perpetual reminder Of pion.
eer days in Montana. The inquiring visitor
finds it difficult to gather up the facts which
l have briefly rehearsed for a score of years
is long time in the life of any Western COM
munity. Perchance the gentle postmistress,
as she passes out strangers letters, may
PROFOUND the odd question, do you see that
beam up there ?" The pilgrim" gazing at
the ordinary. looking stick of timber, admits
that it comes within his sight well" she
will answer five men we're hung from that
beam" Then the visitor is fairly started in
pursuit of information.
Space does not permit US to tell in detail Of
the capture aud execution Of Marshland, Bun
ton, Skinner Carter, Cooper, Shears, Zacha.
ry, Graves, aud Hunter. The aggressive re-
formers gave themselves no rest until the last
Of Plummer's band was discovered hanging
to a tree by a party of wood-haulers. The
Vigilance committee was maintained for q
time to assist in the enforcement of peace
and decency, being recognized and indorsed
by the legal authorities but now no vestge
of it remains, and justice holds her serene
sway according to the time e-ordainsd methods
of civilized society
This country will never again see anything
approaching the condition of things which
made the Vigilance committee of Montana
necessary, and its deeds the righteous remedy
for intolerable evils. Committees of safety
are still to be found in new mining camps
and they sometimes warn bad characters tc
move on, and occasionally ornament tele
graph-pole with the lifeless body of some
horse-thief or more dangerous enemy OF SO
cety but in these days of all-embracinl
railroads. which bind the sections of oul
magnificent country together with hooks o.
steel no widespread and temporarily pre-
vailing combination of criminals is possible
While in some respects Montana paralleleC
an earlier experience in California, in many
things her road-agents stood alone, and thei
deeds and punishment must always form
unique chapter in American frontier life. -
Solomon BulkIey Griffin in LippincOtts Mag
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