The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-30

he remained until forced to leave by sick ness. The young officer went to Montana where his uncle Sidney Edgerton, was gcvc-i.rr uf the territory. Tn short time Sanders became the foremost law yer of Virginia City,
 He took a leading part in the doings of the vigilance committee and wa5 credited with having presided at tho hanging of sixty-two men before the es- tablshment of routine law and order made the disbandment of the vigilantes a safe thing
 Sir Haskell has the honor of having printed the first paper got out in Mon tana. the Virginia City Post. in lse. IL was about this time that the trial anu hanging of Ives took place at Nevada City, about two miles from Virginia Clty.
 "As nearly as can remember Ives kill ed a Dutchman because the latter resist cd the disposesslon of pair of mules says Mir Haskell. "I know that there was a mighty lively time over the way In which the prisoner should be tried. Some wanted him tried by miners court but others desired a trial by jury. The sides divided into two groups on the street and after much hot argument It was decided to select twelve men to try Ives Tn men were chosen and seated in a wagon in the street,
 "A brilliant young Kentucky lawyer named Thurman was appointed to de- fend Ives. Sanders represented the prose cution. Both lawyers had revolvers pro truding from their pockets. The case was well 9onght ives was hanged that even ing. The following winter five bad men were hanged within twenty feet of an unfinished drug store where l lived. I think Sanders participated in all of these dealings sgt af justice.
 "I rarremoef distinctly when Slade was hanged ! printed some milk tickets for him a few days before he event. He YVES prospero1s man and lived on q ranch some distance away. A perfect gentleman when sober, he was species of fesil when drunk. I have seen him ride sp to S barber shop and make the barber mount Ais chair in Shades wagon and shave bir1 there. or walk into a sa- loon and saoet all the glasses and bot ties eff the bar.
 Finally Slades lawlessness got too bad to stand and he was sentenced to death for melting others to rebellion so the story goes. He refused to pay a $4J0 fine, I believe. Sanders was a friend of Shades, but I suppose he took the same fearless part in this affair as in the others. About the time the moment ar rived for the kicking of a barrel out from under the feet of the convicted man a horsewoman was seen wildly riding to- ward the vigilantes.
 As soon as 1t was known that she was Slade's wife the deal was finished and when she arrived the man was dead She was terribly wrought up. If they had waited until she arrived I am continent there would have been no hanging. A woman was power in Virginia City in those days. Forty men who assisted in the lynching tried to hold her horse and comfort her They took her into hotel where her husbands body lay. 70
 If my memory is correct Count 1reigh- ton. then engaged in Virginia City in merchandising, had started Shade home just before the vigilance committee made up its mind that the acts of the ranch men were getting to strong
 Sanders was fine man, an exception ally good and clear type of the pioneer who insisted upon good order and fair dealing before government followed along his courage It took lots of nerve to serve as he did for the vigilantes, for many of the criminals who swung had freds in plenty, Doubtless some were oftein ready and anxious to avenge the execution of sentences"
 Sanders was appointed United States district attorney for Montana by Presi- dent Grant in 1872, but declined the place. He served eight years in the territorial assembly and was a delegate to four re- publican national conventions. He was elected to the senate when Montana was made a state and served four years. This
 Is one of the stories related of him to cite his braverv
 In one of his first cases he was op- posed bv a certain Colonel Woofolk. who drew his gun and standing just back of young Sanders. said;
 "If you put that question again to the witness I will shoot you" Sanders turn cd until he faced the leveled piston and replied with contemptuous coolness:
 ''It would be just like you to shoot a man in the back"
 Then he turned calmly to the witness and repeated the question with added emphasis. ts