Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-11-19
A VIGHANTE'S DEATH.
The Career of OrossbOn.s Beid,sr. of Nom
tana Territory.
-.la Away In Sight Of One Of the Lost
Hsenuai Scenes Of His visilant Career
his Funeral Large One, Solemn and In
preasiNa

we told in these columns a few day,
ago the story Of the early career in
Montana OF Colonel Wilbur Fiske San
oers. says the n. Y. Sun, whom the
republican legislature Of the new state
mas elected as United State. senator.
since the appearance of that narrative,
there has died in Montana the man
who, next to Colonel Sanders himself,
WAS the most conspicuous figure in the
remarkable secret organization which
TOOK the law into its own hands in the
winter of lS63-6i, extermi mated Plum
mer's band of road agents and MUIR
derers. and for more than twenty
years ruled the Territory in the inter-
est of peace and order by the terrorism
Of mask and rope
John Y. Beidler was universally
Known In the west as *" and for
years that letter was odious to the vii
lalns oi the frontier. 1t meant to them
the crossbones under the skull In This
form, along with the mysterious num-
erals S-7-77. it was frequently visi-
bic In very black ink on a piece Of
white cardboard, measuring exactly
seven inches by nine, tackled to the
door OF house or cabin, pinae ed TO the
canvas OF a tent or nailed to q stake in
front of a ranch or wakiup in the viii
derness The desperate who found in
the morning that he had been served
with this dreaded notice knew that
Colonel Sanders Vigilsntes had been
considering his case. The warning
meant; Pack up and leave within
twenty-four hours, or swing on the sec
ond nightr'
There was no nonsense about the
placard- II = mistake had been made,
as happened perhaps once in q hun
dred times the victim Of unjust sus
picien s0ught out Colonel Sanders or
X. beidler; or some other prominent
citizen generally believed to be inau-
ential with the Nigilantes, and laid the
case before him, speaking as neighbo
20 neighbor. II the plea of the accus-
ed seemed good Il was kindly heard
an! passed along TO the midnight tri-
bunal TO be investigated further. Per-
bips the sentence was reversed and the
,ccused notified informally to that et-
feet. Perhaps il was reaffirmed by a
second placsrd- Then there was no
appeal
Oa the other hand. IL the gentleman
whose presence in the territory was
regarded as undesirable, was so fool
hardy as 10 disregard the notice and
defy the vigilantes, he found himself
on the second night in the hands Of
a score or more OF masked men, all
in dead earnest; and in countless cases
OF the sort the man who adjusted the
moose and gave the signal for the pull
that ran the wretch up into eternity
was Crossbones Beidler. Probably no
M hAr ind VIZ
assisted at 60 many hangings. Ger.
tainly no citizen ever acted as execu-
toner with 8 sterner sense of duty 70
the public
X Beidler wa, an esrly settler oil
Virginia City. town originally nam
ed V.rina, in honor of the wife Of JEFF
ferson Davis he was one OF the
originators Of the Vigilante movement
and one OF the principal actors in the
tragic events narrated in Professor
Thomas j. Dimsdale's"-weh haad al
/ most said Colonel Wilbur F. Sanders
valuable historical monograph His
rugged personality. his incorruptible
integrity and sense Of right and
wrong and his dauntless courage made
him notable figure 10 the organiza-
3 ton, and to his sIEewy hands, oftener
than to those of any other Vigilante,
vas entrusted the unpleasant task OF
actual execution He was widely
feared and universally respected.
/ The first Figilsnte execution In the
Quoted by Mr.. j. Y Beidler. and, says
the eminent historian who thinly dis
guises his identity under the pssudonym
Of Professor Dimsdale, ''evsrything
went of IN q uist aud orderly manner"
/ Harry Slater was q professional gam
bier, who months before, at Salt Lake
! City, had attempted to shoot Colouel
] Sanders in the back when that state s.
mar was on his way to the diggings.
Slater had emigrated to Last Chance
Gulch, where he was murdered in cold
blood by the celebrated highwayman,
Bob Black, whose real name was John
keene. Keene was caught red-handed
by c. j. ID. Curtis and X. Beidler
There was a short trial In a lumber
yard. The execution took place OIL
the hill Just north of the present towu
OF Helena, and IL was witnessed by g
throng Of people, including not smal
number Of ladies. " Beidler found
the gallows ready made: "a large
pine tree. with stout limb:
standing almost alone" heent
was transported to the hill in lum bel
wagon accompanied by the Rev. Mr.
I Mclaughlin. Under the sallows tree
plank was arranged with one enc
on a dry goods box and the other rest
ing upon an upright stick. Keene
stood upon this frail platform. the
moose around his neck. and the othei
end Of the rope attached 70 the axle o
a lumber cart This was his fare vel
address to the assembled ladies anC
gentleman of Last Chance Gulch
What / have done TO Slater / don:
willingly. He punished me severely
Honor compelled me TO what have
done He run me from town to town
tried 10 shuu him here. but he called
. me a - and smacked me In the face
Nv honor compelled me to do what
have done. am here and / must die
and If IVA. to live till tomorrow
would do the same thing again
sm ready. Jerk the cart as soon a
you please"
y. Beidler's funeral the other day
within sight of the hill where h'
hanged John Keene years ago, wa
the largest ever seen in Montana
was eminently appropriate that th'
funeral orsriou should be delivered by
Colonel Wilbur +. Sanders ''Hi:
heart was as large as the prairies h'
loved so well." said that eloquen
gentleman as ne stood over KS bier
This courage as large as the noun
tsins which lured him hither. He wa
our most active, our most sacrihclnR
our most laborious instrument Ih'
weather could not be so threatening
s.orms could not threaten destruction
90 much but that he was at the heaI
OF any enterprise. any expedition
pursuing like sleuth hounds thos
men that came here for robbery an
for murder"
|, And with these heartfelt If no