The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-09-19
A COMMUNICATION.

Have We a Pirate Captain and a Pirate
Crew on Deck?
PAcToLA, S. D., Sept. 15.-[To the
Editor Of The UNION II hope you will
feel interested enough in this commune
cation to allow it space in your worthy
paper.
have had five mares stolen from me,
two years ago, and after much loss OF
time and money, 1 succeeded in finding
the guilty parties. Submitted my case
to our last grand jury and after d care
full investigation they returned a true
bill. During the time OF the investigation
the culprit stepped into the state OF
Wyoming, where he vas arrested and
lodged in Jail to await the action OF our
officers. Our governor, Mr.. Mellette, was
acquainted OF the fact by our district at
torncy and a requisition asked to bring
the culprit to justice. The governor
made the following reply:
Mr.. c. W. BROWN, Dear Sir;-Your communi.
cation relative to application for extradition
warrant is received. The legislature made No
provisions for the payment OF the expense OF
ctSii. NtlA AolleS tillu IL ltRNSldUuTG TeDteSe0GR The
people and their will. I do not feel like incur
ring q debt against the provisions of the con
stltution and the will of the legislature, conse-
quentiy il you desire a requisition, your county
commissioners must pay the expense Of it. In
case OF murder or similar crime, I would issue a
warrant 4 to bee9me 2 future charge against the
now are, Article XII Of the institution prevents
such payment in positive terms.
On receipt OF the governors commune
cation, our county commissioners pro-
posed to furnish the necessary security,
but our district attorney, with more
law, says: Gentlemen, you must not
interfere in this matter. Ihave found a
provision OF the constitution that says
you can be punished if you do.n 1t is
1t must have been good law,
for the culprit was set at liberty through
and by Mellette and Browns good law.
While this is strictly true and while we
expect no redress OF our grievances, still
such outrages whichinvolves special hard
ships to the innocent and long suffering,
under the influence OF high and sudden
wrath, may be righted %irregularly and
Illegally by the swild justice of Revenge
The history Of Pennington county has
been made darby tragic by the deeds Of
lynching parties and igilancecommittees
These stern men tried, sentanced and
executed criminals under the heat OF q
just indignation that could not await
the slow and uncertain motions OF the
regular legal tribunals. They were west
ern men and knew full well that western
courts would not do to tie to. They
had read, and some OF them personally
knew that the legal authorities were
themselves part and parcel OF an organ
lied band Of outlaws.
A very emphatic case ofthis kind APP
pears in the early history Of Montana.
It was in 1863, in Helena, and the war
II the rebellion, then raging at its height,
,ent a back-wash OF all sorts OF despera-
loes to the far rear Of that newly-dis-
gold country, in the depth OIL
he northern Rocky Mountains. There
then gathered togetherinM ontana's
hief city about aschoice and select an
lssestR,snto o. muTderers, thieves, GAM
,lers and all-around Williams ais ever be-
pre- lived in any nj spot outside Of hell
here was 9 lot Of crafty and brainy