The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-02-07

Mr. Fl. Hart arrived last night from
Nissoula and gives a thrilling count
ofthe summary manner in which the
aouIv organized v~igilantes Of Weeks
lille dispense even handed justice. Less
4bon ten days ago it will be remembered,
Billy the Kid, well known in Butte,
,ae captured, shot all to pieces and
thrown into the river; but last Sunday
,,as the bloodiest red letter day ever
Known at the terminus. For many
weeks past a spirit Of lawlessness, rob
berry and murder has reigned supreme
at that point. Good citizens were ter
rorized. and the rule of the robbers was
On notent that it became unsafe for any
man with a dollar in his pocket to APP
near on the street, ever in broad day
Iioht: while under cover of the darkness
carnival of crime was conducted by
tbe thugs and cutthroats, who SO greatly
out numbered the good citizens that any
ATTEMPT to arrest and punish the crimi-
nails was attended with almost certain
death to these who might otherwise have
bpen willing to aid in the enforcement
of flaw and in visiting upon the heads Of
the guilty the proper penalties for its in
fraction. Dire alarm took possession Of
the business community, and it finally
became evident that unless all good
men were willing to sacrifice their prop
erty and leave, some immediate and de-
termined effort was necessary to term
nate the existing reign of terror. The
courts were paralyZed and their edlcts
were defied. Urged to desperation by
the eXtremities of the situation, a vlgl-
lance committee was organized with
great secrecy, and the accesslons were
soon sufficiently numerous to render It's
members bold enough to announce their
purpose of suppressing the high-handed
outrages almost hourly coming to light.
Once organized no time was lost in car
rying out the object of the association.
On last Sunday night three desperadoes,
known as Ohio Dan, Blondy, Ed. En-
right and another mar were arrested.
The three first mentioned We're hanged
without ceremony, and the fourth was
converted into a lead depository. A
the "Y,n another camp two miles ives
of Weeksville, a similar scene was en-
acted, three men, names unknown, be
ing hanged on the same tree and all al
the same time. When the coach lef1
WeeksyilIe, SO a lady passenger stateo
to Mr.. Hart, the bodies OF two meI
were still dangling in the air from tn
limb of the tree, giving the early morn
ing scene q CHASTITY aspect. 1t was alst
reported to her at the same time tina
three victims at the "Yn were similarly
suspended, having been thus left by tn
avenging v~igilantes SO that there shouie
be no possibility Of a return OF life. III
hanging of these seven men has, IN al
likelihood, exerted a salutary effect Il
improving the morals of the town, an
if the protective society executed onl.
those who deserved the death penalt,
the fact that the courts were ~inoperatlv
will largely justify their conduct.
On another authority it is learned tia
last Monday Witnessed the hanging Q
three more men, whose high crimes ha'
became known and who were considere'
too wicked to be allowed to afl1lct tn
earth any longer with their presence
The truth of this statement we can nc
vouch for, but Mr.. Harris report IS PEI
fectlv Observation-Disclosures 27th.