Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-11-19

run riot and life
and property appeared to have a better
chance to be sacrificed than to be pre-
served. There were signs Of coming
storm manifested by the law-abiding
portion Of the community, which stead
lily grew until 1t was only a question OF
some aggravated case coming up to
cause 1t to break out. 1t was not long
waiting for an opportunity. An inno-
cent German went down the gulch
from Virginia City to look for mule
which was missing, and which had evil
IDENTIFY been stolen He found the mule,
but 1t cost him his life.
The finding Of the dead body Of the
German was the sign Of the breaking
out Of the storm, and the now thor
oughly aroused citizens soon traced the
crime to rough character named
George Ives. He was captured, and
then the question rose as to what meth
cd should be adopted to dispose Of him.
There were two factions, one Of which
proposed that he should be tried by
! what Is known as a miners court, the
verdict Of which was arrived at by TAX
ing vote Of the entire number pres
ent. The more conservative faction
proposed to give the accused as near a
legal trial as was possible under the
existing conditions. They finally pre-
vailed and a jury was empaneled and
Judge appointed. A wagon box served
as dock, and another for the judge
and jury. w. f. Sanders, who was
afterwards senator from Montana, was
appointed as the prosecuting attorney,
and a young Kentuckian named Thur
man was designated to defend Ives, and
right royalty did he stand by his client.
The pleas Of both Of the attorneys
were able efforts, but the evidence was
30 conclusive that the efforts of law
yers on either side we're superfuous
and were only brought into play that
the forms Of law might be observed.
"a verdict of guilty as charged was
promptly rendered, and as promptly
carried into effect. There was no ap-
peal to the supreme court and no plead
ings for executive clemency. This hang
ing quieted the lawless element for a
time, but they soon resumed their old
ways. Horses were stolen, men who
were out on the many trails leading
from the mining camps to the larger
settlements we're held up and robbed,
and If they offered any resistance were
murdered. Finally some papers fell
into the hands Of the law-abiding ele-
ment which showed that there was a
regularly organized gang Of road agents
regular accounts Of their doings were
kept and a divide Of the proceeds of the
forays made. The gang was shown to
number at least eighty, and Henry
Plummer, the sheriff Of the county, was
ascertained to be its leader.
"This discovery led to the formation
OF regularly organized vigilance COM
mittee. and the members of the COM
mittee waited until they could catch as
many of the gang in town as possible
before making any move. When the
time for action came they quietly
placed a guard around the camp al
night in order to prevent the escape oil
any of their intended victims. Some Of
them got wind Of the raid in some
manner and did make their escape, but
five of the most notorious of them were
captured. A prompt trial and ready
rope were provided, and the five were
hanged before the setting of the sur
next day. Three of these were Boone
Hellum, Jack Gallagher (who was {
resident of Omaha before he went init
that country and Big Foot George,
The names of the other two have es
capped me.
zone of those who escaped was caugh
some time after over near Hellgate
which is in the vicinity Of where tn
CITY of Helena now stands. He had suf
fered greatly from the cold, and hi
feet were fozen. His condition, how
ever. did not save him. One difficult,
in disposing of the victim was encoun
tered. There was not a tree, Wagon
tongue or anything else in the neigh
borhood to which he could be hanged
The problem was finally solved by set
ting him on horse behind one of tn
vigilantes, tying his feet and hands sc
curely, placing one end Of the rop
around his neck and tying the othe
end to the pummel Of the saddle. TIL
horsefwas given a vigorous application
Of the whip and spur, and the victir
slid off behind and his neck was broke
by a sudden jerk.
"Henry Plummer, the leader of tn
gang. was tried by the vigilantes owe
at Bannock City and hanged. Othe
members were caught and executed {
various places, and altogether thirty
five paid the penalties of the crime
through the fundamentally Of the viz
, ilantes.
> "The most notorious man who eve
infested the border also met his deaf
at the hands of the vigilantes of vi
ginia City, but it was for no connectic
with this band Of road agents. TIL
:. was Slade, who, before coming to vi
ginia City, had left a bloody trail b
bind him on the great overland trai
lie was engaged in freighting fro
Salt Lake to Virginia City, and also re-
I n dairy Just outside of the camp ar
sold milk to the miners. When sob