The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-01
TRIBUTE DUE TO RUGGED "MUG-
GINS" TAYLOR.
A PIONEER PEACE OFFICER
TapaT Justice May Yet Be Done One
Who Died for
o Others.

On an eminence overlooking the
city a mile east Of town are the neg
lected graves OF a 0 or more of
people whose remains were inferred
there before Billings had a place On
the map. These graves were made
when Coulson, now only a memory,
but then a village on the banks Of
the Yellowstone, al having its boom
and prospered by reason of the in
coming tide of home-seekers and ad-
venturers. In the language of the
late Thomas Flanagan, once a noted
character of this locality, chose were
the palmy days Of the Yellowstone
country Money was plenty and for
works." Every side of life was there
represented. The merchant flourished
and so did the dance hall and the
keepers of dives and the gambling
hall. The siren figured prominently
in the population, and life there for
a time was largely a do-as-you-like
one.
All the country comprising Yellow
| stone county was then a part of Gus
ter county. The authorities of the
latter encountered a great deal of diff
ficulty in trying to maintain even a
semblance of order in the embryo
city, and finally concluded to depu-
tie "Muggins' Taylor to take charge
of the place in the capacity of sheriff.
Taylor was a fellow who was known
for his cool-headedness and bravery,
He had been a scout and Indian fight
er and won his spurs in that field
Numerous shooting and cutting at
trays, prior to his appearance in the
town we're chalked up against Coul
SON.. Taylor proceeded to lay dowr
the law and declared that he would
enforce it, even at the risk of his owl
life.
For a time "Muggins" was supreme
The tough element feared him, but IL
the course of a month or two q bulle
put him asleep while in the perform
ance of his duty. His body was con
veyed to the hill which by common
consent had become the resting place
of all who passed over the "great di
vide' while residents of Coulscn.
Some of the little mounds O. TIN
hill mark the resting places of mel
who figured prominently in the cal
ly affairs of this region. They wer'
the men whose ambition was Away
to preserve peace and make it posi-
BILE fer the mandates of the law to b
respected. Like Taylor they paid tn
penalty then too often exacted o
those who tried to do what was right
Other graves in that little, neglect
ed city of the dead mark the place
where rest the unruly ones who's
death at the time of it's occurrenc
; was accepted as a blessing to tn
community.
: Fitting to the memory of the ma:
: whose heroic deeds mark an importan
. epoch in the history of this region,
Z was suggested by a gentleman once
, resident of this locality, but nov Ii,
! ing in New York. that a monumen
be erected on the grave of "Mut
: gins" Taylor. At the time the sus
gestion met with favor from thos
= who knew Taylor during his life time
but no definite steps were ever take
: in the direction of putting it into pra'
y tice. A short time ago the matte
. was revived and it now appears pro'
) able that even at this late date a sui
able shaft may be reared to mar
the resting place of one of the me
: who gave up their lives that due II
u spect might be given to law and o
= der and the rights of life and prope
= ty observed.