Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-01-21
PRICE FIVE CENTS.

If An erica. The methods by which
IL WIS administered are not To be justi-
fled except by the plea NJ absolute ne
cessty. Ii was gu'sion uf killing
or bsing killed; ard publ,r - utiment
In Montana at ,hat tine aaa long
aiterward supported proceedings
which under any other circumstances
would have been intollerable.
"The terrible brevi'y Of the fret
campaign of the vieilantes cannot be
exhibited In more striking form than
by this list uf the namss, date, and
plsces OF execution of Plummel's men:
Geo. Ives. Nevada City, Dee p 1863;
Erastus Yagtr, alias Red Sinking,
water Valley, Jau. 4, 1864; G. w.
Brown, stinkir gwaier Valley, Jan. A,
1864; Henry Plummer, Ned Ray, Buck
StDn'on. Bsnnack City, Jan. 4, 1864;
John Nsggoner, alias Dutch John,'
Joe Pizsn,his, BSnpack CITY, Jan. IL,
1884, Gee. Lane, alias CLUB Foot
Fjank Parish, Hage Lyons, Jack Gal
ligher. Boone h N, Virginia City,
Jan. IA. 1854; Sieve Marsl-nd. Big
Hole Ranch, Jan. H.. 1854: Wu. Pun.
ton, Deer Lodge V, -y, Jan. 10, 1884;
Go. Shears, Fren ,niowu, Jan. "A,
1864; Cyrus Skinner. Alexander Car
ter, John Coop'r, Robert Zachary,
Hell Gate, Jan. 25, 1861; VIM. Graves,
alias 'Whiskey Bill +, rt Owen, Jan.
IS 1864; VIM. Hunter, Gillatin VAL
ley Feb. 8, 1854. -
The Incidents attending this ssries
OF Illegal executions In the interest ~
law and order afford material for q
hundred romances of frontier life.
When murderer or thief was caught
his fate was -ettlsd In this manner:
The Captain of the party OF vigilantes
would ray, All In favor of banging
this man (or these mem step to the
right side Of the 'ad. and those who
are for letting them go stand on the
left When Red wager was hanged
he shook banSs with all of bis execu-
tioners and said, Goodbye, boys; God
bless you. you sre on good under
taking He was left swinging by the
roadside, with the legend pinned 10
his coat, '"ked." r ad Agent ard
Me e'senger.' Plummer weakened
when in the hands of Col. Sanders'
vigilantes, and the once formidable
parsonage bVgged for his life, declsr-
Ing with tears and sighs fhst he was
40 wicked to die. Give man time
10 pray were bis last words. Boone
Helm died game, telling Jack Gala
CHER, who was cursing and crying ut
the gallows. n to max. q damned
fool Of himself' As the vigilsntes
pushed the box away from under Gall
lagher's feet, Boone Helm .houted TO
his late associate, Kick away. old fell
low, III be in hell With you IN min
ute.' Then he added. just as his own
rope twanged, Every man for bis
principles--hurrah for JEFF Davis. Let
her rip!'
"On the whole, II must he sid that
th Montana vigilsntss sri.d wi'H
discretion, caution. and wifh n steady
regard to the terrible re possibility
they assumed when they put on mssks
and went forth, rope In hand, to hunt
men against whom no magistrate hid
ever issued warrant. Pohlio. never
Influenced the decisions of the dread
ed rgsnizatiop; personal interest or
private malice, rarely. 1t wss inevit-
able tbst the power thus welded
should be occasionally abused. None
Of the old vIgiIsntes will claim that
no mistakes were made; mistakes ter
rible 10 the Innocent victims. Did
the courts OF law in old St ttl.d COM
munities never make q mistake 2 10
what would BE- ssked In reply tn such
o suggestion. Have there never been
judicial errors by which innocent men
were hanged?'
If Col. San els gets to Washington
and talks there ss freely rs is his habit
at home, and frankly tells all that he
knows about life In Montana in the
days Of the gold stampede, the walls Of
the senate cloak room will hear soms
strange tales"
a