The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-01-11
Joseph A. Slade, Whom Desperadoes Along Overland Stage Line Feared,
Himself Turned Iawless and Was Hanged by Committee of Viglantes

ton has been told in a dozen diff
terent ways, most stories being
widely divergent. One was to The
effect that Slade, finding REM tieo
to a corral post, began shooting a
him, w%ounding him each time in {
lspot that was not vital. This, &C
cording to the version that gained
the widest circulation, continued
over a space of several hours, Slade
taunting his victim meanwhile. He
is then said to have finally killed
REM and cut off his ears.
The story more generally credit
ed with being true, however, is told
by N, P. Langford, in Vigilante
Days and Ways, as follows:
Jumping from the box of the
coach upon its arrival at the stage
station, Slade walked hurriedly to
the door of the station, drawing a
pistol from the belt of a bystander
and remaFking, I want this He
then came out, and at a rapid gait
walked to the corral in the rear of
the station, where REM was a pris-
onec. AS soon as he came in sight
of him he fired, intending to hit
ihSm between the eyes, but the bull
let went low and struck him in the
mouth, glancing off without doing
material injury. REM sank down
and simulated mortal agony SO we'll
that for a few moments the people
around the corral supposed the
wound was fatal. Slade discovered
the deception at a glance.
~ have not hurt you,' said he,
and no deception is necessary. |
have determined to kill you, but
failed in this shot, | will
now, if you wish it, give you time
10 make your will
REM replied that he would like
10 do 50; and;a gentleman who was
awaiting the departure of the coach
0olunteeredtto draw it up for him.
The inconvenience of walking back
md forth from the corral to the
;taticn, Through the single entrance
n front tof the latter, made this a
Jrdtracted service. The will was
completed and read to Reri.
lie expressed himself satisfied
With it, and the man who drew 1T
vent torthe station to get a pen and
TX, with which he could sign it.
When he returned a minute later,
Ieni was dead. S1ade had shot him
! the head during that temporary
osence."
Shade Goes to Montana
,Slade was not even censured for J
ling REM and he retained his
'sltion as division agent for a :
uple of years. He was consider J
the most efficient man on the $
verland system. He had fire. !
lent trouble with ranchmen and .
loon-keepers. At one time after q
e of the latter had violated a
,ond request to sell no liquor to
employees, Slade riddled the sa-
IN and poured the liquor it con- :,
ned in the street. On one occa- :,
Slade and his men, without l
vocation, took possession of the >.
ler's quarters at Fort Halleck.
was followed to Denver and \
ested, and the army officers l.
aid not release him until the G
1pany assured them that he :.
uld leave the division. This =:
sw him out of employment, and
his career of lawlessness E,
I ended on the gallows.
.fter Alder Gulch was discover 70
went to Virginia City and m,
ted a ranch on Meadow Creek,
niles from the camp. In a wild mt
n he built a stone house that 90,
stands. There he established III;
wife, who was a remarkably
woman and whom he ma
d dearly. left
ade now began a series of acts cot
iolence that made him the ter beg