The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-19
WHEN BAD MEN RULED the WEST
THRILLING AND DARING DEEDS OF THE vIGILANTES WHO
CLEANED Up THE OUTLAW BANDS.

the neck. stark and cold, they beheld
the bodies of the three desperadoes
Justice had been anticipated. and the
flrst Vigilance committee Of the
Northern mines had commenced its
work. No one knew or cared who had
done it. but all felt that it was right,
and the community breathed frcer
than at II former period Of its his
tory.
Intelligence of the execution, with
me usual eXagSeration, spread far
ana wide through the mining camp. 1t
was received with approval by the
sober citizens. but filled the robber
horde with CONSERVATION. Charley
Harper while on the way from Flor
cnce TO Lewiston TO gather full par-
tlcularS, met a mountaineer.
Stranger he inquired, what's the
ncws?'
II s'pose you've heard about the
hanging of them fellers::'
Heard something. What's the
~particulars?'
Well, Bill Peoples. Dave English
and Ncls Scott have gone in. They
strung EN- up like dried salmon. Hap.
py larry got u of the way in time;
put II they get Club-I'oot George his
NE won't be worth a cent. They're
after Il lot more of en- up il Flor
nee.
DO you know who they're after?'
asked Harper.
Yes, Charley Harper's the big
chief they're achin' for the most. but
the story now is that he's already
hanged. \ Teller went into town day
before yesterday and said he saw him
strung up out here on Camas Prairie.
Did No" hear anything of it back on
the road?'"
Wise to the import Of the moment,
Harper fed the immediate scene. But
ne did not change his manner of life,
and his time of reckoning was to
come. Such. however. was the begin
ming of tho end for the outlaws and
gun men. A year or so later. when
inc Nlsllantes We're stron". we'll Or
ganized and Well advanced in their
cleansing work-Henry Fiummer and
other trouble-makers duly hanged
there was an impressive scene at Nir-
slnla CITY. 1t had been determined
to round up finally all known menu
h"rs of the robber band that had fol-
lowed rlummer.
ON the 18th day of january. three
DAYS after Plulnmer was executed. an
order vas quietly made for the Vigil
lanies to assemble at night in sufficient
force to surround the city. Not a
u w VIC ieIIlltleU 10 leave tne
city after the line of guards was os-
tablished. Bill Hunter. one of the
six marked for capture, suspecting the
plot, effected his ecapc ny crawling
beyond tho pickets in a drain ditch.
me city was encircled after nightfall
10y more than 500 armed men, so
quietly h a hone within. Except the
N~igilantes, knew it until the next
morning.
AN that long winter night, while
that Gordon of iron men was quietly
stretching along the heights overlook
ing the city. the executive committee
sat in council. celebrating upon the
evidences of guilt agains, the men en-
meshed in their tolls. At the same
time another small hand vas assem-
bled around a faro table in the cham
per of Il gambling saloon. Jack Gall
lasher suddenly broke the silence of
tho game with the remark:
While We are here betting those
death upon us
Wonderful prescicncc! He little
knew or realized the truth which this
observation had for him and his COM
rades in iniquity.
Morning broke. cold and cloudy,
discovering to the eyes of the citizens
the pickets of the Sigilantes. The
city was like an intrenched camp.
Hundreds of men, with guns at the
shoulder. We're marching through the
snow on all the surrounding hillsides,
With military regularity and precision.
The preparation could not have been
more perfect if made to oppose an in
vading m There was no misun-
Outstanding this array. People talked
with bated breath to each other Of the
certain doom which awaited the viii
lians who had so long proved upon
their substance and spread terror
through the country"
And doc nsday fell, sure enough. for
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Boone Helm,
Frank Parish and the rest-who had
the past prestige of terror to pit
against grim determination and plen-
~ of rope. The robbers met their
short shrift With various manifesto
tons of cowardice and bravado.
Helms last moments We're full Of bias
phemy and braggadocio. The fellow
himself leaves a bad trail through
many of Mr.. L.angford's pages. Con.
corning him VIC read:
Boone Helm was a native of KEN
lucky. His parents emigrated to one
OF the newest settlements in Missouri
While he was a boy. The rough pur-
suits OF border-life We're congenial to
his tastes. He eNcclled in feats of ply
seal strength. and delighted in moth
ing moro than a quarrel which
brought his proves into full display.
He was an inordinate drinker, and
when excited by liquor gave way to all
the evil passions of his nature.
"One of the exploits recorded of
him was that of hurting his bowie
knife into the ground and regaining it
With his horse at full speed. One one
occasion. while tho circuit court was
in session, the sheriff attempted to ar
rest him. He resisted the officer. but,
urging his horse M the stairs into the
courtroom. astonished the judge by
demanding with profane emphasis
what he wanted of him."
Nor was his the only notoriety in
the family.
Three brothers If Boone Helm
came to the Pacific coast between 1s4s
and 1850. They all died violent
deaths. AT the time of the return of
Boone Helm to Florence for trial for