Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-09-22
SENATOR CLARK, AT 70, SPENDS
A DAY AMONG GOLD DIGGINGS

his IS years, Senator Clark is wonderfully straight in carriage and brisk in
manner. He steps out like a young man, and little that is going N about him
misses his attention.
"This is great he kept saying as he trudged through the streets of the
old placer camp. Frequently he pointed out some building " other land
mark that recalled an incident in his memory of the old days, and then he
would stop and tell those with him the anecdote. 1t usually had a humorous
tnge.
After the Masonic ceremonihs, Senator Clark wa called upon for a
speech. "No!' he replied, "Ihm not prepared to speak today" He added
with a smile, "I want to enjoy myself However, after he had been press
ed for SOM time, he consented to talk to his old friends, although insisting
that there was to be nothing that would sound like a speech.
On taking the platform, the Senator expressed his pleasure and enjoy
ment at being in Virginia City once more. "You know this is what I like, ,
he said. eff I had my way I would spend a lot more time among the old
surroundings. Nothing gives m e more pleasure, but the fact is, as you people
may realize, that 1 have a young and growing family to support and it keeps
me hustlng'
This way of expressing his responsibilities seemed to tickle the veteran
copper king immensely, and the crowd appreciated the situation too, and made
a lot of noise over it.
During the day there were many anecdotes told about the early work of
the Mason in Montana. and how a group of men who had become Masons
back in the states before heading for the west banded together to organize
the vigiantes when Henry Plummer, cutthroat chiehan of a powerful band
it organization, robbed and murdered, and the manner rim hwich they brought
order ont of bloody chaos, hanging sixty robbers out of hand.
Virginia City, mecca of the gold hunter, was then about a year old. The
rich gravels of Alder gmch were yielding colossal fortunes every day the
yield in three years having been estimated at a sum in excess OF $lOOOOOp0o
Gold dust was the circulating medium. There va 10 cvic government
and Henry Plummer, clandesine bandit leader, a also sheriff of the min
ers' government, with jurisdiction all over the state.
When a big shipment of gold dust was to be made on the stage coach,
the owner would tell Pummer confidentaly, and ask him, as sheriff, to take
precaution to guard the shipment until it was out Of the bandit Plum
mrw would advise his cOnfederates, and the coach would be robbed 1t was
easy money for the highwaymen. Incident to these robberies there was much
wanton murder.
Virginia City vas fairly in the grip Of the hghwaymen. They were hail
met, happy fellows, and they spent their loot like water. They had a great
following in Virginia City, where they put a world OF money into crculanon'
and there was a strong party, profting by their robberies, and wlnklmg al
their methods. Every man was afraid to trust his neighbour because ne might
be in the bandit combination.
Such was the situation when a Mason found a Masonic brother dead in
Alder gulch. The square and compass were taHoed o the arm OF the dead
man. The Masons posted a notice at the postoffice, asking that all Mason
who should read the notice meet at ar appointed place the following night
for the purpose of giving the dead man burial under the rites of the order
Thirty Masons responded. Not one knew the other, but their affihatlor
brought them close in confidence. After they had disposed of the sad bust
ness in hand, they resolved themselves into a little club, and continued meet
ing. They discussed the deplorable bandtridden situation of the commun
4ity. Two of these mel had been members Of the old California Wgiantes
who had rid the western state Of somewhat similar conditions. They suggest
ed the organization of the Order of the Vigiantes. Everyone present ac
quiesced in the suggestion. The old oath of the God-fearing Cahfornlans wa
forthwith administered, and thus vas born the Montana Vglantes.
How the order spread, and what a power it became, is another story
But suffice to say here that within three weeks the Viglantes had grown t.
fifteen companies of or hundred armed men each, with a captain at tn
head of each company, sworn to go to any limit to bring order out of chaos
The captains constituted the executive committee of the organization, wit
power of life and death, m summary trial. They used this power to sue
good effect that there were some sixty executions within rs many days an
in this process many brave men, like the late Col Wilbur F. Sanders, mad
fame that is undying. The territory was swept clean Of the robbers, an
human life was given a value that hitherto it had not had.