The times., 1899-12-15

process of law.
Every person executed on this tree prob
ably merited his fate; men were not wan
tonly executed in the quick judgment of
a mob. Each had a public trial, but from
which no appeal could be taken. He was
either guilty or innocent, and if the for
mer was the decision it took but a few
moments after the usual allowance of time
for religious preparation to march TO the
corner of Highland and Davis streets.
The first man hanged on this tree was
Coyote Evans. in 1863. who had deliber-
ately shot man in cold blood on Wood
Street in Helena, and for which there
was not the slightest provocation. Among
the other prominent executions We're those
of "Frenchy' and man named Daniels
both celebrated criminals. 1t was from
these executions that the tree derived its
name, That an idea of justice as admin
istered in the early days of Montana may
be had, the following account of the last
execution trial. and crime is given. Among
the old-timers the belief exists that it
was far better system than the one in
vogue today.
On the 29th OF April, 1870 John Am
norman rode into Helena, conveying the
startling information that George Leonard,
a rancher. living near the Missouri River
had been shot and was in a dying cOndi-
ton. evidently the victim of highWaymeu.
Leonard according to zimmerman, was
riding horseback when he was overtaken
by two men, one of whom drew revolver
and without warning shot him in the
thigh This caused Leonard TO fall from
his horse, whereupon the two men bounced
upon him and, beating his head almost to
a jelly left him for dead. after rifling his
pockets OF $2s5 in gold
Leonard was found unconscious upon the
highway the next morning by neighboTs,
who Immediately summoned medical assist
ance and aroused the community, Ammer-
man being despatched 10 Helena TO notify
the sheriff, who Instantly organized a
possee 10 search for the desperadoes. From
a description of the men and their horses
furnished by Leonard, who had regained
consciousness suspicion was directed to-
ward two men who had hired horses in
Helena the previous afternoon, giving their
names as Wilson and McCompton and stat
ing that they wished TO inspect some min
ing property near the river
The men were quickly located in Helena,
and Wilson was taken to the Leonard
ranch for Identification by the wounded
man, who recognized one of the horses as
that ridden by the man who had shot him,
but could not positively identify Wilson.
The horse identified by Leonard being rid
den by the man who had shot him, how
ever. was pronounced by the liveryman 10
have been one OF those rented TO Wilson
and McCompton. McCompton was then
taken to the Leonard ranch and positively
identified by Leonard as having been one
Of the two men who attempted his life.
At o'clock Thursday evening, April %,
1870. a poster was circulated in the streets
OF Helena calling on all law-abiding citi-
zens 10 meet at the courthouse square, the
object of the meeting not being stated,
but quite generally understood. The meet
ing assembled at p. m, large crowd be-
ing present wagon hauled up in the
centre of the square served as platform,
he first speaker being Colonel Lawrence,
of the law firm Of Lawrence & Hedges.
He said in part:
Fellow citizens: A old-blooded murder
has been attempted upon the life of an
inoffensiye and peaceful citizen, in order
to secure a small sum of money | am
satisfied that the authors of this terrible
crime have been established beyond all
doubt I favor swift and condign punish
ment."
motion was made that the prisoners
be tried by the people at 10 o'clock the
next morning. Another was made that
they be tried now.
John II. Shober then arose and made
an eloquent speech. urging in favor of a
public and fair trial at 10 o'clock SatIr-
day. and a motion to this effect was put
and carried without dissent.
At the hour designated a large assem-
blage had gathered in the square the
prisoners were brought forth and the
trial began All the evidence bearing on
the case was adduced as in an ordinary
1fial. which was of such a conclusive ma
ture that the prisoners announced they
had nothing in rebuttal to offer beyond
previous good character qualifications, al
though thew denied their guilt BY a
unanimous vote the desperadoes We're de-
cIared guilty and sentenced to immediate
death being allowed three hours to make
peace with their God, whereupon the march
10 ''hangmans tree was begun.
A large crowd accompanied the prison
ers. bur It was no boisterous demonsTa-
tive mob Conversations We're carried on
in the usual tone; one would imagine
body OF men marching TO an election
booth Arriving at the tree two ropes were
found dangling over the limb. The hang
mans nooses had already been prepared.
The victims walked under them with
a firm step, the nooses were frightened and
with the lifting Of his hat by the chairman
of the meeting the designated attendants
gave a quick jerk on the other end Of the
ropes and the two desperadoes had paid
the penalty of their crime
The crowd dispersed as quickly as II had
gathered after securing the distant end Of
The ropes TO the base OF the tree; the cor
oner was notified and the last public trial
and execution in Helena ex~ pt through
due process of law was at an end. Such
was Justice in the early d2' of Montana
before courts had established themselves in
the regular routine Of procedure.
The justification Of the procedure was
plainly evidenced from its results. Not an
innocent man. it isi believed, suffered un-
Justly at the hands Of a public jury and
Judge. That it deferred many crimes is
! indisputable for the ending thereof was
certain and not Of a lopg-drawn out ma
mre. The old-timers ait their recent meet
| ing were unSnimous in the statement that
compared with other early-day communi-
ties where courts and laws were unknown.
Montana was particularly free from the
daring crimes that were so frequent in new
mining districts.-ChiCdgO Record.