Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-06-03
Old Concentration

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when on these "sprees," that he mou
his horse-"Old Copperbottom, and
ride through the street, entering each
saloon as he came to it, firing at the
lamps, breaking the glasses, throwing the
gold scales into the street, and commit
ting other equally destructive acts.
These outbreaks were not infrequently
accompanied by unwarranted attacks
on bystanders. He also threatened many
persons although he never killed any
one in Montana Territory. Upon such
occasions, storekeepers quite often sus-
pended business, shut up shop and put
out the lights. Without exception, Slade
would revisit the scene of his escapade.
apologize and make reparation SO far as
it lay in his power.
However. people soon tired of this Pc
cuniary restitution and the gentlemanly,
remorseful apologies made by the man
when he was sober; and ultimately, all
respect that had been entertained for
Slade almost completely vanished.
After the Peoples Court lac been
established at Virginia City and Nevada
City, Slade acknowledged the authority
of this ribuna on several different &C.
casions, by paying fines which its Judge
imposed upon him.
Beidler and Slade
1t was February 9, 1864. hat Slade en-
tered Upon another and the final of his
RCA iOAl\R 0PlCCos AAlahAAlB Aio JO0l
from saloon to saloon, at each place be-
coming more n more under the in
1uence of Bacchus. 1t was on this day
that he came near to meeting his Water
loo at the hand of one other than the
Vigilante leader-John X Beidler. The
story is best told in Beidler's own words.
as set forth in manuscripts prepared be-
fore his death. Beidler says:
1.-THE day before he (Sladel was hung,
Kiskadden (JameS II. Kiskadden who
was a close friend of Slade) and l walked
across to the Washington Billiard Parlor
drinks and billiards so cents and every
body busy. Kiskadden was a friend of
Slade and they got into a conversation;
and not being interested, I got up to go
out when Slade shouted out, - you,
where are you going?' ! told him that
I was not interested in the conversation
and that / had the privilege to go when
l wanted to-but hat I did not have to
go. +.
when the people in the saloon heard
Slade and me having these words, every
body rushed out of the saloon, thinking
our guns might go off and somebody get
hurt, and were afraid of any stray balls
catching them. Slade saw the consterna-
ton of the people in the ROOM, but did
not see me move, and said, X, come
back: which I did; and when he asked
me to have a drink, l said / would
5OOueT 90 ludO tildli uBlt.
I'VE went TO the bar. Johnny Tom
linson was bartender and we took our
whiskey straight tKiskadden, Slade and
myself). After we got our glasses hlled
and we were going to drink, Slade, still
mad, said: You don't have to drink un-
less you want to-; (meaning that | could
fight Unsteady.
privilege, and I will not drink.
by this time, the people who had
stampeded at at our first quarrel were
getting in again when they saw us going
to drink: but, when they again heard
our talk, they once more rushed out
like a flock of sheep in q great hurry
with a band of wolves after them. Dur
ing the stampede Slade had insulted the
bartender (Tomlinson), and the latter
raised a big Cobbs revolver in front OF
| Slade, and declared himself ready to take
o. hand in the fight.
"Slade then weakened and said: Let Us
quit I replied that ! was glad, (know-
ing we'll, that right behind me stood al
least six of SHADES pals n fighters
ready to defend him instantly" :
Breaks Up a Show
That evening q travelling show troupe
was exhibiting in n of Virginia City's
halls, with the famous Kate Harpe act
ing in the leading role. The theatre Was
crowded with men and their wives anc
uduRnbeTS. OuIiuB Int piOBicoo Va tls
show, Kate Harpe came out upon thu
stage dressed as a ballet girl. just a.
she commenced to dance, Slade, In a vul'
gar voice, ordered her to remove the re-
mainder of her clothes. This disgustee
the audience and they proceeded to leave
the house. The performance came tt
an abrupt ending, leaving the crowd In
tensely embittered against the man WHIT
had precipitated the scene.
The following morning February 10
1864, Slade wa still going strong.
His first outbreak of the day was to &C
cost the driver of q milk wagon, stating
that he was thirsty n wanted q drinl
of milk. Slade attempted to drink from
one OF the cans and spilled some of thu
milk. The driver laughed, whereupor
Slade poured the remainder OF the mill
over the drivers head, and upset thu
wagon. He then carried himself mucf
after the fashion Of an Indian on the
~"warpath" after having imbibed of thu
white mans irewater. He proceeded VI
the street and whipped Dan Harding
and Charley Edwards, two of his owl
men. All the while, he was taking on
more liquor. and before noon, he wa
running the town for all there was IL
1t. In the language of one chronicler
he made of the town a perfect hell"
His Reputation Follows Him
SHADES reputation acquired on Thu
route OF Jne overland during PREVIOUS
years, had followed him to his new home
and this day, Virginia City was stricken
with terror. Most of the stores closec
their doors and saloon keepers trernbleC
when they saw the man about to entel
their places Of business. If. when h,
entered a saloon, things did not proceed
exactly in line with his temperamenta
tastes, he would almost invariably leave
the place a wreck. His friends discernec
plainly that the situation was becoming
tense, with public sentiment crystallizint
against the man. Jerry Sullivan, jim
Kiskadden and others implored Slade t.
get his horse and go home, as trouble
was brewing; but he only laughed anc
ignored these remonstrances.