The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-11

Pioneer Relates Story
of Plummer's Capture
by Band Of Vigilantes
BY MARTHA EDGERToN PLAss.
MAN.

desperate. One morning in early Sep
tsmber Of 1863 as we were about to start
out on our daily journey northward
we saw u wagon train approaching
from that direction and, although our
oxen were yoked; the camp stove,
tent and eatables slowed away in, and
on top of the mess boxes in the rear
of the wagons; and the drivers ready
with the crack of their long whip
lashes to urge our travel worn ami
mails forward: whips were dropped
and the oxen left unattended, as all
the men in our party went TO inter-
view the on-cOming strangers. l. be-
Ing young and privileged, managed to
be near enough when the two par
ties met. to Overhear much of the con-
yersation that took place.
There We're the usual informal in
Productions. Then followed questions
as TO where each party was bound and
from whence it had come. The strang-
ers. we learred, We're from Bannack
our destination. But we also learned
some facts about our future home that
were not reassuring to those of our
number whose wives and children ac-
companied them and must face I'M
known dangers:
eannaek's Reign Of Terror.
The spokesman OF the Bannack train
said that u reign of terror existed
there due to n band of outlaws, whoi
had things pretty much their own
way. These robbed and murdered att
WILL and the man of them all most
to be feared was Henry Plummer The !
speaker. himself, was fleeing for his
life, having incurred Plummers en-
nifty. He told of the shooting of |
Plummer by Crawford, and OF how
the latter was forced to leave the ter
ritory then added |
'Pltmmcr, you see. is sheriff mp
there
4 day or so later we met another
train from Rannacll and with 1t was q
beautiful young woman who. we were
informed, was plummer's wife, She
never returned 10 the west. and was
happily spared tiff hast scenes of the
outlaws career
pIummer Frequently Seen.
When we arrived at Rannack my
father rented Il house al the upper
bridge of two huge logs Ibid side by
side. that ,spanned the Grasshoppcr
and led to Yankee flats. Across this
bridge Plummer passed to and from
his boarding place ut the Nails whose
sister he had married. | soon came
to recognize him-a slight figure
who did not look his real height of five
feet II inches; always we'll dressed
and with no western affectation. Ned
Ray wore fringed buckskin garments,
Il sombrero and his long red hair hung
we'll down over his shoulders His
chief would have none of this, but
always conformed-as far as possible
to eastern fashions. In appearances,
Plummcr WAS n gentleman and could
be so in manners. His looks certainly
helied the character sketches that
We're given of him on every hand y.
+. Langford, in "Visilante DAYS and
Ways states that Plummcr had cold
gray eyes, and the forehead and head
OF a murderer. never saw him but
once with his hat off. and l fail to re-
call any popularity about the forma-
ton of his head, but this might have
been due to the fact that did not
have my attention directed to it.
Thanksgiving Day Dinner
The one occasion when | say himl
hatless was when he and his sister
in law. Mrs Vail. called nj our house,
to invite my father and mother to a
Thanksgiving dinner. at which Colonel
and Mrs. Sanders were also to be
guests. Plnmmer. ] noticed was i'll ut
ease, and sat with his chair tilted back
A.
that my father knew something of his
reputation. If so, he WAS quite right.
We all of us knew that he was Il road
agent. and the Thanksgiving invita-
ton would have been declined had it
not been dangerous to do so---itS ac-
ceptance is proof of the gravity of the
situation to any one who knew my
father and Colonel Sanders, and theirl
absolute 'fearlessness.
Brave Man Stopped Fight.
I had one other opportunity to oh
serve the finished manners OF the rob
her chief. at close range-too close, in
fact, to be safe for the observer. On
New Years day of 1864, some young
girls, including myself, were in the
general merchandise store of Thomp-
son n swirl. Wncn an .llcftItlOnl
arose between Plummer and anothcrI
man. At first they carried on their
dispute in low tones. but soon their
voices rose enough to call the attcn-
ton of those who were in the store
and suddenly both of the men drew
their weapons. | was near enough tol
them to have touched Phmmcr. My
only thought was to get out of the
store. but before ! left | saw Mr..
Thompson part the combatants with
his hand on Plummers shoulder as
he rcbuked Henry" for his conduct.
1t was the bravest act | ever witnessed.
Not long after this exciting cXreE|
yicnce the curiosity of our household
was awakened by the sight of n soli-
,ary horscman coming down the Horse
Prairie hill into town. 1t was just
at dusk of dreary winters day--too
dark 10 determine from our outlook
who the rider was. The horscman vast