The Dickinson press., 1915-10-02
EARLY HISTORY
THE V|G|LANTS
Continued from page ~

severe. Because horses were the
most valuable Of chattel property,
and the easiest to make way with,
horse stealing was indulged more
than any other kind of thievery. 1t
was to suppress this great evil,
that the leading stockmen of Mon
tana held a meeting at Miles City
in 1882, and organized a Vigilance
Committee. The prime mover in
bringing about this organization was
Granville Stewart, then the richest
stockman in the west. The COM
company of men banded together for
the purpose of catching and sum-
marily hanging every man suspected
Of being a horse thief. The COM
mittee was composed of two kinds
of members, honorary members and
active members. The honorary men,
bers were those who did the organ
izing and planning, but who did not
care to risk their lives and reputa-
tions in actual execution. The active
members were those who did the
actual work, and their number was
about fifty. They were composed
mainly of shifters, irresponsible par
ties, men without property or charac-
ter, .ex-convicts and horse thieves.
They were hired on salary basis,
ranging from $500 to $4,000 per
month. For two years, this organi-
zation operated in all parts of Mon
tana and waged a successful cam
paign. 1t proved a highly efficient
instrumentality in riding the terri
tory of undesirable citizens in so far
as it was used to accomplish its
primary purpose, but at times it
served a secondary purpose which
overshadowed the first in Importance.
In the fall of 1884 it was deemed
advisable to make an expedition in
to Dakota. To this end a detach-
ment of about twenty men was made
up at Glendive and character
known as Flopping Bill was put in
charge of the party. Being in need
of suitable guide it was decided
to take Louis LaPache, a French
Canadian. who was at that time in
Miles City, awaiting trial for horse
stealing, having been arrested in
Dakota a short time before by U.
S. Marshal Aatte. Thus equipped
the committee moved down to Me-
dora and began preparations for an
active campaign into Mckenzie
county. The company first proceed
ed along the north side of the Little
Missouri river. Its first stop was
at the mouth of Beaver Creek in
ranch owned by VIM. Roberts, Geo.
Medlock and Jim Monroe. No one
was found there but their hired man,
Thomas Webb, an Englishman. The
fproprietors had received word of
the vigilantes, and had wisely taken
refuge elsewhere. After allowing
the Englishman to feel the sensation
| of a lariat around his neck he was
released on the condition that he
leave the county and never return.
Needless to say Mckenzie county has
not been visited by Webb since. The
| vigilantes further dignifed their
proceedings by placing the sign of
the skull and cross-bones on the
door of the cabin, together with a
notice to vacate upon the penalty of
death. They promised to return in
thirty days to execute their judgment.
The next stop was at the w Bar
ranch in old Mckenzie county. The
vigilantes expected to find allies at
this place, as the ranch was one of
the several owned by the noted Grece
and Webeaux firm, one of the large
stock concerns in Dakota and Mon
tana, members of which had partici-
pated in the organization of the
Vigilance Committee. However, they
were disappointed. The w Bar ranch
foreman, Charley Armstrong, and
his comrade, Sid. Tarbell, were not
IN sympathy with the movement,
neither did they feel themselves
the many forms of lawbreaking that
daily occurred, for only one was the
death penalty inflicted, that of horse
stealing. Assault and battery, rob-
berry, rioting and murder went not
only unpunished but often unnoticed,
except as matter of transitory in
terest. But with horse stealing it
was different. If a man was assault
ed, he would soon recover; if he was
robbed, he could soon regain what
object anyway; but if his horse was
stolen, he would be left afoot, strand
bound by the acts of their employ
ers, so they not only refused to en-
tertain the vigilantes, but ordered
Cnen u depart. L dSSAlS uOWL IAC
river, a sheep ranch operated by
Thomas McGregory, Scott Dunorout
and Bennett, was next visited. No
one was at home, however, for the
intended victims had been fore
warned and had taken advantage of
their opportunity. The sign of the
skull and cross-bones greeted them
upon their return. The committee
then went to Eaton Bros. ranch. 1t
is here that Hidatsa Indian, called
Two Shields, was captured, he had
been hunting in the woods. Being
anxious for amusement mock
hanging scene was put on, the Indian
was hanged to a tree with rope so
tied as not to strangle him. Then
he was told to go to his cabin, to
stay there three days and then leave
the country. Two Shields went to
the cabin, climbed upon the roof and
sat there singing and crying for three
days and nights, after which he dis.
appeared. At that time Hall and
Braden were running sheep ranch