Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-06-23
HELENA AROUSED.
THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE CALLED
TOGETHER FOR CONSULTATION.
Governor Leslie Gives a List of Burglaries
and Offers Reward-MayOr Fuller
Follows Suit-A Street En-
counter.

Helena is in a state of excitement on :
ccount Of the burglaries which have
,ecome so common. The oldtime vigi
ance committee, which has preserved its
organization, is aroused and is working
secretly but effectively. The committee
las been called together by a public letter
which is issued in times of emergency.
This letter is as follows:
To THE EDITOR: 1t is unnecessary to
submit longer to the raid of thieves, bur
glars and other criminals in our midst.
Let us reorganize the committee of safe
ty quick and strong, and cooperate with J
the civil officers in the capture OF the
gang, and by promptly administering
proper punishment Ga wall. in some in
in others a hundred lashes on the
bare back, and in the worst cases a dose
of hemp scientifically administered), |
will guarantee that in ten days all fear Of |
such wretches will cease. They will be |
spotted and watched, and their arrest,
conviction and punishment will be quiet, ,
speedy md certain.
Let's clean them out! 3-7-7.
HELENA, June IL.
On seeing this letter the members meet
at headquarters and prepare to take mea-
sures for the public safety. They have
hideous card for evil-doers, which they
leave at the house of The toughs, send
through the postotfice or serve in some
other way. This writ from the people
means that the receiver is "to get up and
git" within twentyfour hours, for that is
the sum of the figures signed above.
The card bears these figures and
the words, "Beware~ slrmonted
by cross bones and deaths
head. Some members of the old yigi-
lance committee survive and are MS resO-
lutte as when they dealt out summary
punishment to Con Murphy and other
,nalefactors.
Governor Leslie is doing his part tow
ard suppressing crime. He has issued a
proclamation in which he says: ..
Whereas information has been filed in
this Office showing that at various times
within the present month OF June, 1883,
the dwelling houses and private homes Of
]. w. Barker, w. F. Sanders, r. L. FISK,
D. A. G.. Flowerree, j. j. FAINT, @. D. Haasl,
A, Il. Koldrup, William Davenport and S.
r. Hauser, all citizens Of Lewis and Clarke
county, were broken into and entered in
the night time with felonlous intent by
one or more persons who did plunder, rob
and steal from within each house various
and sundry articles of value, the property
of said householders, and carry the same
| away.
And Whereas, Such thieving peace
| breakers have within the past month and
within the same community made num-
Der of other attempts in the night time to
break into and steal from other family
residences, so it seems to be clearlthat this
crime of burglary has been regularly set
up and is being prosecuted as part OF a
business avocation of certain evil disposed
persons against the citizens of Montana
and has already produced much unrest
and apprehension in every home OF honest
people. &
Governor Leslie concludes his proclama,
tion. by offering $500 reward for the con
viction of each burglar. Mayor Fuller
also offers inducements to go for the bur
glars in these terms:
A reward of $500 will be paid for the
arrest and conviction of any person, ant
800 for each additional person, engaged
in any burglary that has been or may
hereafter be committed within the city o
city Of Helena. The delivery of the deae
body of burglar will be accepted in lie,
of arrest and conviction.
i TWO ROBBERS CAUGHT.
Two robbers have been caught and on'
of them narrowly escaped lynching. Ol
Monday night Auctioneer Short, who wa
at the Northern Pacific depot, heard SOM
one calling for help. Mr.. Short pulled hi
revolver and started in the direction o
the stock-yards, whence the sound came
He soon arrived at the scene OF danger
and saw man struggling with thre'
highwaymen and shouting Justify TO
help. Two of the foot-pads fled on tn
approach of Mr.. Short, who prompt.
emptied his revolver at them, though
unfortunately, without effect, and the fu
gitives escaped in the darkness. Ih'
third robber was held in the grasp. OF NJ
intended victim, and so tightly
He is one John Mccarthy, who had jus
been liberated from Jail after serving /
short term for vagrancy. After the stock
man was rescued one of the bystander
secured rope, tied it around McCarthy'
neck, and was redhot for stringing hin
up, But cooler heads advised ditferen
course, and Mccarthy was lugged off te
Jail with the rope still around his neck
His conductor would occasionally give
the rope a jerk, which would so terrifJ
the prisoner that he yelled bloody murder
whenever he felt the hemp Tightening
around his wind-pipe He was safely
escorted to the city bastile and lodged II
jail for the balance Of the night, Paul
Peeler, who was the man attacked by the
foot-pads, resided for some time iI9sl, in oho no,
teau county near the Old Mission, but
now he is on his way to Washington ter
ritory to settle there with his family lie
was was attending to the shipping of his stock
when he was held up. Tuesday morning
John Murphy was arrested forcompllclty
in the attempt at highway robbery. nc
was found hidden in hay stack near the
depot and has been identified as one me- OF
| ....., ,,,bp opcou1ta1 Mr.. PaHler,