The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-30

HELENA, Mon. July 7o.-The death
recently Of Wilbur Flax Sanders, pioneer,
Territorial oficsholder, q former Senator
Of the United States. and, above oil. tho
leader OF tho Vlsilantes, has recalled tho
part that he took In Kidding Montana OF
the gang Of road agents and murdsrers
who we're q menace TO the Territory In the
early 'oos.
Col. Sanders came West at time when
lswlossness was at its worst In Montana
The Territory was In the hands Of msn
who feared no penalty for their crimes,
sntbAt was rid Of them at the hands OF rnen
| no less lawless, but working to accomplish
what the laws could noe.
Montana was q part Of Idaho In 1868,
when Col. Sanders arrived there. He was
20 years old, had studied law In Ohio and
had fought In the civil war. He settled at
Bannook City, a mining camp, where he
began TO make living as lawyer.
Bannock City was only about O year old
and Virginia City and Nevada City, close BY
were just getting on the map. There were
no livelier settlements than these on the
face Of the earth. The craze for gold mao
collected there California gamblers and
cutthroats. Mexican desperadoee. deserters
from both the Federal and the Confederate
armies, fugitives from Justice OF dozen
countries. and Last and almost least Few
honest miners and peaceful tmngran~'
There was little government and no law
except a limited quantity Of the home
made article. 1t was here that Col. Sanders
became prosecuting attorney.
There was trouble waiting for the Sherih.
Henry Plummer was the head OF . Dig
rang OF road agents and murderers. Plum
mer's gang was the only we'll organized
band, Of men In tho community and con.
sisted Of about two dozen bad men
and a large number OF spies. scouts and
outside correspondents. These were tho
road agents who prompted the writer's OF
dime novels to do their worst In action
they wore black silk handkerchief over
their faces, an0 their secret service system
told them OF every expedition worth rob-
bling.
Individually the members Of Plumnaers
gang wore murderers who put small valua-
ton on human life. They killed for ven
eeance sometimes, for personal dislike
sometimes, even for .lpok' They hred at
women to frighten them and killed Indians
for no reason but pure wantonness.
| Plummer himself was said to DO the
quickest and surest revolver shot In tho
mountains. He could shoot with either
hand and, according to report. could draw
his pistol and empty its dve chambers IN
three seconds, making every bullet tell.
he came TO the gold camp with . record OF
three murders IN California and had taken
mart in an attack on Wells Fargo bullion
express.
When Sam T. Hauser, Later Governor OF
the Territory, started east with load OF
treasure Plummer gave him . red WOODEN
scarf to protect his throat from chill The
rcd scarf later served to inform Plumner q
man that the wearer was the victim they
awaited.
.Dutch John" and Steve Marslsnd Of the
Sberih's band hold up j. NJ. BoEeman
when no started for Salt Lake City With
$50 900 in gold, and Plummer himself mist
interviewed the passengers Of divers Salt
Iake coach whom It rolled into Bahnock
after having been held up by Plummer's
men.
This was the gang that enga ged tho A.
tention Of COL Sanders, and the n,ovenent
which brought about tho hanging Of twenty
two Of them, including Plummer himself,
followed the formation Of the Montana
v,ailantes OF which Col. Sanders was the
active head.
The prosecution Of George Ives was tho
beginning Of the end Of Piumner and his
gang. In tho few months preceding the
uprisinR there had been reign OF terror
in which no man felt that his Life was
ssfe. There had been no less than lo1
Known murders Which were charged to the
Piummer gang.
ives was one Of. the gang. Hs WAS sent
To buy two mules from 0srman-NiohoIaa
TbaIt in the Stinking~.s>- yalley-end
murdered the German to ave paying foi
the mules. He was caught redhanded, and
= crowd OF citisens dragged ham TO Nevada
City. Ives didn't worry any over his A.
rest. but this time the miners vere aro,Ded
and sent for Col, Sanders.
The trial took place In the open cir before
a huge bonfire late In the afternoon Of
Deo. u, 1858. Citisens came from miles
around to attend. Tho Judge sat In
vason. Col. Sanders had . clear case
aeeinst Ives, and he made the most OF every
III az evidence. Tho jury. which Was com
nosed Of the better element OF miners
found the prisoner guilty. and the prnss.
cutor moved that he be hanged at onoe.
/ VnQ0 IOI . low tluubOSSS ~ W~' - N~~~~~-
whether SANDERS or Ives would b the mn,
to die. In the crowd were many frienos o,
the prisoner and Of Plummer's gang. Tn
arrival OF Piunmsr With q rescuing ganl
was momentarily expected. and part Yf tn
mob made an attempt at rescue, but II va
repulsed. A pole was swung out Of th'
window Of an unfinished house near BY, ans
In ffty-eight minutes after he was CON
yicted the body of Ives swung ON rop,
from tho end Of II. That was the beginning
Of the campaign against Henry Plummsr'
gang.
Col. Sanders Was backed up by The decen
mon in tho vicinity and he made the mos
OF his hrst victory. With i've mon IN VII
sinia City, three others In Bannock an<
one In Nevada City he formed the Montana
yieilantes, q secret tribunal which Tor tn
next twenty years e1srtsd powerful h
nuenoe upon the Territory. Wtthm tn
weeks tho little band bad bold In sves1
settlement In tho region. In httls NOR!
than q month the vigilantss had oape1zed
sentenced 10 death and banged tweoty
, two msmbsrs Of Plummsr's band. tncspdtnj
Plummer himself.
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