The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-12-14

WALLACEf lOAnOs nuns
ed by any of his followers, became a
hend. and few there were among them
who cared to defy him. And yet a
majority Of those who followed him
were loyal and held him in the great
est esteem. His polite move in hav-
ling himself elected sheriff of both
Virginia City and Bannack threw the
populace Of both camps completely in
to his hands, and by means of his rob-
Der deputies whose legal functions
cloaked many crime. he ruled with
rod of iron. One of the deputies,
appointed by Plummer at the request
of some prominent citizens of the
camps, became suspicious of Plum
mer's activities, not being a member
Of the gang He was shot in cold
blood by three road agents on a street
or Virginia City
Then followed a carnival of crime
such as few communities in the Unit
ed States have seen. Murders and
robberies became so frequent that
men feared to take their lives in their
hands by riding in stages or on horse
back along the highways. Feeling
against the murderers finally culmin-
ated in the arrest and trial of one of
Plummer's lieutenants. George Ives.
for a particularly brutal murder of a
young German. and after a public trial
on the streets of Virginia City he was
convicted and sentenced to be hanged
Public sentiment had crystalized to a
point where justice would no longer
be denied. and despite formidable
demonstration by the road agents at
the trial and at the gallows, Ives was
strung up and the beginning of the
end of a reign of outlawry had come.
Execution Of Ives the Beginning Of
the End.
The execution of Ives was followed
by the organization of the famous
Montana vigilance committee known
as the vigilantes rive men in Vir-
ginia City and one in another small
camp nearby took the initiative in the
matter. Two days later, such was the
speed with which the movement pro
crossed. their efforts were united and
territory wide organization was es-
tablished and in working order On
January IA, 1864 five members of
Pummer's gang were hanged.
Plummer. some time before this,
had gone to sun River. where he was
married by a Catholic priest at st.
Tatarfo ,,,ieeior, 20 Mice T9r,,opt tta
Indian agents sister in law The
young woman accompanied him to
Virginia City. but so ominous were
the signs that Plummer began laying
his plans to leave Montana, and in
preparation he sent her ahead to her
former home at Cedar Rapids. Iowa.
giving her $4,000 in gold dust
On the 10th of January 1864, Plum
mer had completed his arrangements
to leave Bannack, and his horse that
evening was brought into town. He
realized that arrest and death were
imminent if he remained. The vigil
antes knew of his plans and arrested
him. together with two of his fellow
road agents, Buck Stinson and Ned
kay. RUNNER AT HfSl broke uOWn !
and pleaded for his life. but at the end |
died with composure.
pOsthumous son was born to the |
dead bandit leader some months after /
his death News Travelled slowly in /
those days, and the bride of Plummer |
was a widow and a mother before she |
knew of the summary fate of the |
Her little son was nam
ed after the father. When she knew
the truth she became very bitter to-
ward the man who. had married her
when he was red handed with the
blood of murdered men.
The work of the vigilantes was car
RED forward rapidly and before their
task of Kidding the territory of Grim
mails was completed more than 30
Dad agents had been hanged. There
after law and order reigned in the
northwest until territorial govern
nents were established and regularly I
constituted courts came into being in
he west