The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-17

During the holidays of 1868 SHADES
freight train arrived at Cottonwood en-
route from Fort Benton to Virginia
City. The boys spent about two weeks
In riotous hilarity, putting up at Bun
TONS place, and they drank a lot of
whiskey. They left in good order and
continued on to their destination.
Along about the second week in
b January $50 vigilantes arrived in Cot
tonwoo6 from Virginia City in search
of John Cooper, Alex Carter and Bob
Zachary, supposed to be hghwaymen
belonging to the gang which the regula-
tors We're trying to run to earth. They
learned that these men had been in
Cottonwood, and had only recently left
for the west. So the vigilantes returned
to Virginia. Before they left, however,
they INDUCED their appetites for strong
drink and for two days kept up the
biggest drunk Deer Lodge ever saw. On
their return to Virginia at Laurin's
ranch they captured two men they
other known as Red" They We're
strung up with little ceremony. Still
there transpired during the process of
the execution an incident which has
made this story possible. Red" it ap-
pears, told the vigilantes that Bill Bun
ton was a man they needed very much
saying that he was one of the lieuten-
ants of the Plummer band of outlaws.
Now, l. want to say in this connection
that am positive that Red" lied when
he made that statement l knew that
Bunton and Red" We're bitter enemies,
and for this reason the outlaw took oc
cason to clinch Bob's life while yet he
had life to tell the lie.
Back came the $50 vigilantes to Cot
tonWood under command of Captain
Moss 1t was about 2 o'clock in the
morning when our cabin was surround
ed. / was sleeping with Bunton, and
on the floor slept ''Old Yank," a. trap
per and hunter, who was making his
temporary home with us.
Several voices cried OUT Strike
light and open that door, Bunton woke
me and said that the cabin was sur
rounded by vigilantes. He cautioned me
to watch my chance and as soon as the
door was opened to slip out and hasten
to tell his partners of the attack. 1 hur-
ried into my clothes and the demands
without continued with ugly defiance
and threats. l opened the door, but in
stead of slipping out / was forced back
into corner of the room by as many
men with guns as could pile up against
me. While 1 was securely guarded an
other squad attacked Bunton and
pinned him up against the bed in the
corner of the room.
Some one gave the command to bind
Bunton's hands and feet. and I heard
him say: Men, | was never tied by
any man, and won't stand it now But
he was overpowered by superior num-
bers, and his efforts We're naught They
gave no reasons for the attack, but
quietly went ahead and securely bound
the prisoner. He noticed then that
was still in the room, and he asked:
Dave, why didn't you do as you prom
ised you would, and tell my partners?'
Before could reply | was thrown down
and my hands and feet tied.
"Yank was included in the capture
and the three of us We're taken out and
marched to the saloon in which Bunton
was partner and there we were ranged
up in front of the door while the band
divided and stood at a safe distance on
either side of the entrance. Then the
command went forth for any one who
might be in the saloon to come out in