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

! AAuA ShSN a. 1IAsliis III Stu lOENdTu Nv tIlt
gun carried by the one on horseback
Down the Hill they came; crossed the
Grasshopper and took their way
4 through Main street. 4 little later
we learned that it was John Fether-
stun we had seen. bringing in his and
Neil Howie's captive Dutch John.
Dutch Johns Arrest.
Those who have read "Vigilante
Days and Ways may recall the inter-
esting description given therein of
| Dutch Johns arrest by HOWE and of
| the difficulty he experienced in find
| ing any one brave enough to aid him
In taking the prisoner to Bannaci and
| thereby incur the vengeance of the
road agents. 1t was John Fetherstun.
who alone Of an asked, consented to
undertake the dangerous task For
| three days they had joulncycd with
f, the thermometer 30 degrees below
zero. and no other food than the shank
| of small ham. uniting with it the
risk of assassination and of personal
contest with robbers" with the great
est danger to be apprelcnded when
they reached Bannack and ran the
gauntlet OF those OF Plummers adher-
ents who were there. Happily it was
the vigilantes into whose custody the
bandit was given.
Confession Breaks Band.
The same night and far into the
morning, the prisoner was interroga.-
ed, and At length confessed freely his
connection with the dcsperadoes, and
that Plummer was their leader. The
next day men dispatched from Virgin
ia City, arrived with the same infor-
nation of Plummer's captaincy. This
added testimony was the verdict of
death against the chief of the road
agents. and also for Buck Stnson and
Nod Ray.
How Plummcr was to be executed
had now TO be determined He kept
his horse at the stable a short dis
lance up the street and on the oppo-
site side from our house. 1t was once
suggested that he should be warned OIL
his danger. and when he went to the !
stable for his horse. some one should
be lying In wait to shoot him. This
plan gave way to the proposal that
hung on the same night
That night soon arri,cd for delay !
held greater danger for the vi@ilantes
than could possibly have been cn1aicd |
by an immediate execution.
had heard all these matters talked
over, and knew the night the blow YVES
to fall AT sunset of the preceding
day | saw Plummer cross the bridge
and 30 to his boarding place fer 1nu
last time. He WAS with a friond--a
%oang business man who was deyot-
cdls attached to him with no suspi-
c'on of his real character until long
ate. the hanging. This young man
haG purposely been kept in ienorancc
of what was transporting Had he
known it was feared that believing asF
he did in Plummer's innocence he,
might have betrayed the vigilantes.
The Fatal Night
The fatal night wore on as we anx.
lonsly awaited the passing OF the de
tail that was to arrest Plummer while
two other small companies took Ray,
and Stinson. 1t was bitterly GELD,
and the snow creaked loudly under
the feet of the men when at length
they drew near. passed and tho sound
died away. Then followed moments Of
feenest apprehension for lis who raal-
lZed what little hope there was that
all who had gone over the bridge
woaiu return alive. once asain the
street bit it was some time before n
n1pSSGnuay al, al
length of rope, assured us that all Of
the road agents We're captured and no.
one was shot. However, there was no
sleep for any of MS until the eruasomc
undertaking had been completed
We were told that of the three mon
hung. only Henry I'lummor weakened
This Tray have been due not to COW
aldice, but to hope OF rescue. His las;
act after removing his tie. was 10 give
II to a bystander, with the request that
his friend. the young man already
should have it.
The One Fast Friend.
The bystandcr may have kept the
tie as souvenir-something to remind
him of a deed best forgottcn---it Ger
'ainly never reached the one for whom
t was intended. nor did the lattcri
hear of it until several months had
pa $: ed. and he had reluctantly become
convinced of Plnmmcrs guilt
i never dreamed OF Henry's bcingt
what they say he was he admitted
to nae. How could !, when he always
tried TO keep ME from doing wrong?i
This is no place for you. he would say,
as Re took me out of some gambling
he'll. or other vice resort"
Ii IS one of the remarkable instances
of tic strange contradictions to be
fonna in human nature. that Henry
Piunmer--the hardened criminal still
possessed qualities that won for him
the confidence and respect of his
wifc's relatives, with whom he made
his home for several years: the ad-
miration and ardent friendship OF :,
youth Of education and refinement;
and the love of 4 good woman; ana
these qualities, together with his intel
ligence and daring. made him the con-
trolling force OF the road agents.