The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-08-29
A MONTANA LYNCHING.
A Totally Unexpected and Highly
Dramatic Denouement.
The Part an Old Mans Rife Played in the
Execution of a Desperate - He
Wasn't Interfered With.

indirectly and unconsciously /
made the moose with which the first
Oficial-or what the law of Judge
Lynch called oficial-hanging was
done in Helena, Mont, said member
Of the pioneer corps that made the pre-
itminary survey for the proposed route
of the Northern Pacific railway
through the Rocky y1mountains and foot
hills.
1T was in 1869 and Immediately
preceding our advent in Helena the
rustlers and bad men, gamblers,
miners, trappers. and generally dis
reputable cusses to be found in all
Western towns, held full sway there,
with only muttered thunder of pos
sible resentment from those who saw
the necessity of insisting upon law
and order. Fights and disorders of all
kinds were of constant occurrence in
the gambling hell, hurdy-gurdies, and
other similar establishments through
the town, until at last the regulators
had issued orders to these disturbing
elements OF society to leave at once or
be summarily cleaned out. The climax
OF the law abiding citizens patience
was reached about that time through
the holding up of the Fort Benton
stage coach by band of road agents.
The band was pursued by the Helena
regulators and engaged in a bloody
fight, which continued over distance
OF eight or ten miles. One of the
regulators was killed during the fight,
and several prominent citizens of
Helena and Gallatin were seriously
wounded. Exactly how disastrous the
engagement had been to the road
agents was never known, but one of
them, AMI a notorious one, was cap
tured. This was big Jim Daily, one
OF the most desperate characters in the
region, former employe on the fa-
nous Russelps ranch, known as ter
ror from South Havitos to Boseman,
and responsible for much of the law
lessness that prevailed in the COM
munity. He was shot through both
thighs, and, being unable to sit on his
horse, fell into the hands of the regu-
lators, although wounded, as he was,
he fought like fend to the last, re-
qulring the united strength of several
men to bind him with lariat.
'Ihe captured desperate was
brought back to the town, where he
was cinched with his back to flag
pole in front of the International Hotel,
the leading hotel at Helena at that
nne. Many Of his sympathizers and
friends stood around with ugly and
threatening looks and fingers itching
70 pull their guns, but the fear in
spired by the regulators and uncer-
tainty as to how many they might
really number in their ranks kept them
rom taking any overt steps toward re-
lease, The regulators were led by a
Nel-known judge, a man who had
stood high in the East, acollege gradu-
ase and very wealthy, even for that
country and time. He was man of
ss'StWart presence, and OF grim, de-
sermined disposition that was not to be
triaed with.
IT was at this moment that our party
o. engineers rode up. We were soon
made acquainted with the situation.
All Of the party except myself were
satisfied without detailed explanation,
ana after taking a look at the notori-
Gus captive. attended to their horses
ano went into the hotel about their
saelr business. was the youngest of
ne party, being but little more than a
coy and was full of youthful curiosity.
! nad habit when talking to any one
=. xnotting my lariat into various COM
p,lcaeed knots, the trick of tying which
! naa learned from sailors of the navy,
= whose company / was much thrown
suslng the war. While I piled the
suoge with questions about Jim Daily
s AUG nls doings kept manipulating my
.ataas u this way, and. as the Judge
se1sned TO be much interested in the
Aaoetylng, probably tied them with
s'sss than my usual skilI and facility. |