The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-05
WORK OF VGILANTES.
WHAT THEY DID IN VIRGINIA CITY,
NEV.. IN THE COS.

PIainsmnn, Recalls some Charae-
tiers and Their DepredatiOns
which Made Lynch Law "A Neces-
sIty.
Virginia City. New. Correspondence of the
Chicago Record.
In the summer of 1868 Jim Bridger and
started out from Truck Meadows with the
intention OF going to Fort Kearney. Jim
Bridger was going from there TO Missouri
to see some of his relatives. 1 was going
to New Mexico to see Kit Carson. When
near Rock Springs, which Is close to the
mouth OF Bitter creek, We met a train Of
emigrants on their way to Montana. They
had been troubled with the Indians the
day before and had lost some OF their men
and some OF their stock. We camped
with them that night After they learned
who We were and what our business was
they proposed hiring as to go with them
TO Montana. Bridger said, Il can't go,
but probably you can make arrangements
with this man. turning TO me. He knows
the country as well as 1 do"
They made me an offer then and there.
in the morning. When morning came 1
accepted their offer and we pulled out Jim
Bridger going one way alone and ] going
another way with the emigrants. 1 asked
the captain of the train if / could choose
four or five men from among the emf
grants TO assist me in scout work, asking
him TO allow me to pick such men as /
pleased
1T.
find some good men in the outfit" That
night when we camped and the picket
guard was put out l selected my men.
These men were to be exempt from all
picket or camp duty, as a scout was sup
posed TO be all ready TO go at any time
when necessary, day or night.
Following "Lander's Cut-Oh."
We took what was called at that time
'Landers cutoff" leading us in by what
is known now as Soda Springs, and from
there to Fort Hall. Al that time there
were no soldiers at Fort Hall-nothing but
mountaineers and trappers. When near
Fort Hall the Bannock Indians attacked
us and we had quite a fight, but lost no
men nor stock. We succeeded in driving
the Indians Off and camped there until
next day. We crossed Snake river almost
due north from Fort HAM,
1t was on the second day, I think, after
crossing Snake river that we met the
stage coming from Bannock to Salt Lake
The stage was making trips every two
weeks and invariably had six horses at
tached, but when we met it that day the
driver had only three horses, His name
was James Brown. He said he had been
attacked by road agents up in Coon cam
yon; that they had killed all the passen-
gers, four in number, and also one of the
Them. We went on to Bannock, but the
news Of this stage robbery had reached
there ahead of us-how l never learned.
Work of Road Agents.
From Bannock we went to Alder Gulch,
now Virginia City. We got there early
enough for some of the emigrants to stake
some good claims. At Alder Gulch l stop
ped with Boone & Bivian, who were mer-
chants there. They had a train of goods
coming from Salt Lake City, and asked
me TO go out and meet the train and assist
It in The day was set when 1 should
start.
During the few days previous to my
starting there had been a number of rob-
berries committed on the road. One Incl
dent l remember particularly was the rob-
bling of the Southmaid brothers. These
two brothers had come to Alder Gulch
from the state of New York They told
me after the robbery that their father
had mortgaged his home for money to send
them out into that country to make a
raise" They had good luck that season,
and the younger brother had started to
Bannock with $500, which was TO pay off
the mostgage and still leave the old folks
$500 to live on. AS there was no express
company at that time in Virginia City il
was necessary to go TO Bannock to ex-
press the money. When fifteen miles from
Virginia City road agents attacked the
stage and took Southmaid's money away
from him. He was obliged to walk back
TO town. Afterward a vigilance commit
tee was secretly organized In the lower
end OF the gulch, about a mile below Vir-
ginia City. A great many miners In and
around the city Joined the organization,
and 1 presume that all the business men
IN the town knew of 1t.
ViSiIantes in Pfcket-Lines.
The morning before 1 was to start to
assist this train in for Boone & Bivian
1 got up early and went down TO a ravine
10 get a bucket of water. On the way
down there l looked up on the ridge north
of me and saw a picket line, and l knew
from the actions of the men that they
were on picket duty. When started back
/ looked In another direction and saw
another line.
When I reached the house l woke ur
Mr.. Bivian and told him the town was
under guard. Yes" he said, In a laughing
way, mo doubt it is under guard, and we
Will see some fun before long
A short time after breakfast was over
the vigilance committee marched into the
town, probably fifty to eighty strong, all
we'll armed The first man they arrested
was Boone Hellum, the next Jack Gala
CHER. They came to Boone & Bivian's
and asked if they could put the prisoners
in the back Of the store which was par.
titioned off for living room. They were
allowed to do so and strong guard was
put az the doors. They kept on picking
up men until they had seven. Hellum, Gal
lagher Hank Parish and "Clubfoo
George are all whom 1 can mention now
Within a short time after they had go
the seven they were marched TO the upper
end Of the street. to point where new
building was being erected. The building
had neither roof nor floor, but the uppel
and lower joists were in their places. Tn,
committee placed goods boxes on the lowei
joists. stood the prisoners on them, tiet
ropes around their necks, threw the rope:
over the upper joists and tied them dowr
ae al