The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-14


what was his erimem again asked the
gentleman.
"Weexecuted Mp. Slade for treason-high
treason against the territory of Montana"
replied Sanders, thoughtfully, "and there
by hangs. tale.
LAS you know, was chief Of the viEi-
lance committee, and we had successfully
engineered about forty or fifty hangings,
when we became imbued with the idea that
q little more lawful form of government
you'd be 90 the better interests OF our camp,
Virglnie City, then having about 10000
population. SO, one evening we gathered
together on the outskirts of the town In an
informal mass meeting and proceeded TO
| choose from among Ourselves officers for
our local government. Our organization
was the simplest thing In the world. We
would turn to one OF our members
| and say: You are a pretty square
sort Of fellow, and we know you to
be as straight as a string, 30 You shall
be our judge and to another, You are
heavy built chap and have plenty of grit,
| and you shall be marshal was district
attorney because l had a smattering of law,
and it was upon my attidavits that all war;
rants were issued. 1t seems strange 10 these
days TO think of constituting court in
such an off-handed way and without the
| slightest VestiRe of federal authority; but
we did it, and our court was respected by
all the citizens Of Virginia City, Mont. That
| is, most all Of them. For a time all went
well, but after awhile, when they found we
were not hanging subsequently as before.
the lawless element grew holder and more
| aggressive.
''The leader of this tough part Of our
population was Mr.. Slade. | had known
| him for long time and wa we're the best of
| friends. He was warm-hearted and pow
erful friend to those he liked, but perfect
i 81 al Dc lie
| pleasure. | have seen him come into a
saloon where perhaps fifty men were en-
gagged in playing billiards. cards, etc., and
| insist that everything should stop at once
and that they all drink with him. He
would line them all up to to the bar and
generally had me next to him. He would
| raise his glass with the rest of them, but,
instead of drinking with them, would wait
| until they had finished, when he would
bring lis glars on level with his eye, and
about foot from it, and stare, stare, stare
| at it with terrible intentness for two or
three minutes. Then suddenly he would
raise the glass, dash it from him with ter
rifio force at the mirror, the floor, the bar
keeper, or anything that seemed to strike
his fancy, and dra " his revolver and begin
| shooting Unfortunately. l would say to
| him. 'Slade, give me that pistol and in a
minute he would hand me his gun and quiet
| down.
II suppose have done that same thing
ten or a dozen times. l never could under
stand him at such times. He was nos after
any one with deadly intent. He simply
seemed to be seized with mad passion,
| which he could not control. He was the
recognized leader of she toughs, aud had
about dozen satellites always on hand to
do his bidding. A favorlte diversion of
theirs was to dash down the mountain side
from their cabin homes, load up at the first
convenient saloon and proceed TO some
house Of pleasure, all the time getting
| drunken and dIunker. In, the morning
| when the peaceful citizens got up they would
see a pile of logs. not one left standing. and
a group of shivering and crying women.
| This scheme Of demolishing houses was the
principal pastime OF this lawless crowd.
Zone morning, after we had organized
| our court, news came that Mr.. Slade and
his chosen friends had spent night at a
| disreputable house. and in tbs morning de-
| stroyed 1t as usual. We sent our marshal
with instructions to arrest Slade and bring
him to court. In due time they both APP
peared, Slade peacefully enough aud very
| gentlemanly. After hearing the case, the
court imposed a fine of $25, which was
cheerfully paid by the defendant, and he
| departed, inviting us all to come and have
a drink. Not long after that Sade was
again before ue, charged with the same Of
/
paid with the same degree Of alaerity which
had marked the previous payment Sade
| did not seem TO profit by these Lessons, for
he was frequently before US. and was each
time fined sum double that Of the proceed
ing levy.
non one occasion, when the fine had
reached the sum of S400 Mr.. Slade said he
had not that amount with him, but would
bring it in the next time he came TO town.
/ He acknowledged our power, and didn't
care for money, as he was a man who made
IL easily. Well, he ceme to town several
times after that. but did not offer 20 pay
the 500. It was not in his nature to long
remain quiet, and soon he was again in
trouble for a like offensa. Our marshal
brought him TO the court room, which was
a portion of a grocery store, with barrels
of -four and grain around the floor and
bacon and hams suspended from rafters.
| We used soap boxes Instead Of chairs, Rad
were not a veFy'impoSiHg assemblage. Mr..
| Slade came in peaoeable enough, and stood
quietly while the court directed the mar
shal TO read the warrant. AS the marshal
pulled out the document Slade, quick as
flash, sprang at him and jerked It out Of his
| hands, at the same time leveling a revolver
at the heart of his honor. TWAS all done in
| a second, and the six or eight heuchmen Of
the tough had also drawn their pistols at the
same time Now said Slade, / am about
| LlreQ Oh bnlS DuslUesS. aLn not gong 10 DC
drained any more, and am not going to
recognize your authority nor shall l pay
that $500. | shall hold you personally re-
spons1ble for my personal safety, and il any
of your committee attempts to touch me
will blow your heart OUT
"While he was speaking l was thinking,
and, before he had concluded. quietly
turned and walked out, as If thinking Of
sonnet ing else l walked out on the street,
and almost the first man l met was men,
Der of our vigilance committee. l explained
the situation to him aud asked him to get
on his horse and ride to q camp about two
miles away and tell the boys we needed
them. He set off in post haste, and turned
back toward the court room. Just as
turned around | came face to face with
Slade and his followers, who had walked
boldly out of court soon after | came away.
Come in and have something, Sanders,
called the irrepressible. l said to him,
'Slade, get on your horse and go home as
fast as you can.'
"'What do you meant Why do you tell
me thatp demanded Slade.
"'Never mind what l meanP | replied /:
get on your horse and go home
lie didn't get on his horse aud go home,
but he got on his horse and rode all through
town. bringing up ct last at the court room.
He was inclined to be very proud of bis de-
fiance OF the orders Of the court, and was
insulting to his honor, who WAS still there.
He was staggering around the store, when