The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-22
MONTANA YIGILANTES.
Story of the First Lynching in the
State.

dispatch from Great FallS 10 the
Anaconda Standard says: 1t was an
old timers story and related to the
first lynching in the territory of Mon
tana. A few evenings since two pio-
neers were seated in front of a coy
fire in the parlor of a south side resi-
dence They had come to Montana
together in the early COS, but had not
met for nearly quarter of Il century.
Both had turned gray and with sufH-
cient means to make them comfortable
for the balance of their lives. They
leaned back in their chairs with lighted
pipes to review the stirring times when
they first landed in the territory. Many
incidents, some half forgotten, were
recalled, when the conversation re-
Verted to the organization of the vigil
lantes, and some of the peculiar work
done by that body to preserve law and
maintain order when the civil authorl
ties We're unable to cope with criminal
offenders.
The organization had just been per-
fected and included in the cast some
of the best, bravest and brainiest men.
as well as some of the most coWardly
ruffians III the frontier territory AS
yet the vigilantes had not been called
upon tc execute justice.
The story opened, as each remem-
| bered it, one bright August evening in
1862, when three men who gave their
Spillman and 3. F. Jernigan, arrived
from the south and struck camp al
American Forks, in Missoula county.
They had with them five head of horses.
In appearance the men represented the
type of typical toughs and little friend
ly disposition was shown them by the
citizens They had been in the little
Icx- h., srrI,+
two strangers rode in, and, furnishing
q description OF the three men, asked
if they had been seen lettering about.
Yes, they were there, and their camp
was pointed out Then it was the two
strangers explained their mission.
! Their names. they said, were Bull and
Fox, and they lived at Elk City. The
three men in camp were wanted in tlc
latter camp for stealing five head Of
hl rises. The assistance of the citizens
was asked to aid in their capture, and
such aid was freely given. A commit
tee of five was appointed, and all seven
of the men proceeded to Frank Wor-
den's store, the largest mercantile es-
Establishment in the Forks Spillnan
was there making purchase. He was
quickly covered with guns and threw
up his hands guard was left with
him while the balance of the commit
tee proceeded to hunt UP Arnett and
| Jernigan. They were found in a saloon
where they had opened up monte
! game. Both were engaged at play, Ar
nett, as was his custom, with his gun
lying on his lap. When the committee
entered the joint a command to throw
up hands was given. Arnett made a
dive for his gun, but before he could
bring it into play was greeted with a
! load of buckshot in the breast and
head, some of the shot having pene-
trated his heart. Jernigan rushed to
the further end of the room and, put
/ ting his hands above his head, begged
not to be shot. II surrender" he cried
and he was marched off with Spillman
| to spend the night under guard.
The following day the ceremonies be-
gan with the burial of Arnett, who is
! believed to be the first man killed by
the vigilantes in Montana. His body
was deposited in a shallow grave on
the hill just outside of the camp. That
afternoon a jury of "a men were en-
panneled and Spillman and Jernigan
/ placed on trial. Two hours later YER
dict of guilty was returned against
| Spillman and Jernigan was acquitted.
! Half an hour later Spillman was sem
! fenced to death by the rope and Jerni-
/ gan was given six hours to get out of
camp, which, it is needless to say. he
complied with in less than quarter of
an hour
Sunrise the following day saw a
crowd of citizens gathered about the
| small shack in which Spillman was a
prisoner 1t was the first execution
under the auspices of Judge Lynch,
and naturally created great deal of
/ interest. During the forenoon the con-
demned man was led forth and es-
| corted to a tree 500 yards from Wor-
denis store. He was nervy to the last,
refusing to deny or affirm his guilt or
appeal for mercy. 1t was short work
The moose was quickly adjusted. a
sudden jerry broke his neck, and in II
/ minutes Spillman had solved the mys-
teries of the future
The body was cut down and placed
in grave beside Arnett, and there on
the hillside today lie the bones of the
first two men to meet death at the
hands of the Montana vigiIantes.