Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-05-25

character n was no novice at the per-
petration OF a crime, while Compton had
undoubtedly committed his first offense
and was at heart the better of the two.
AS boys. we knew Compton, who worked
for Dick Blake in q tinshop on Rodney
street. We saw much of him n his
greeting to us was kindly. while Wilson
was burly. rough and uncouth. We felt
sorry for Compton and believed that he
deserved a better fate. III we had no
sympathy for Wilson.
1t was no fault Of the executed men
that Lenhart was not killed. They left
him for dead and took a ina shot into
his body when they thought him SO.
1t is perhaps needless to say that no
grand jury was called as predicted by
Judge Symes and no indictments were
ever issued. After a lapse of SO years
II was but IL years of age at the time.
and my impressions in some particulars
may have been erroneous), there still is
no doubt in my mind of the absolute
justice of the trial and conviction. even
though it took place within o few feet Of
the forum justice. the Lewis n Clark
county courthouse.
Upon the day following the execution,
we boys resumed our inherent pastime
of playing marbles on the spot where
the old Murphy wagon stood the day be-
fore. We discussed among ourselves the
merits or dement's OF the execution.
While we may have disagreed on some
points, on n we fully agreed, in that
Wilson died game.
5000 at Hanging
! well remember the incidents and
knew the executed criminals as they
lived on Rodney street. Wilson used to
hang around the corner saloon on Brock
enridge and Rodney streets. not over a
block from where my parents lived. /
saw the trial and the hanging, in fact /
was in the throng not 25 feet from the
old Hangman's tree when they were
launched into eternity.
A oma by the name of Madame
Eckhart conducted a Photographic estab-
lishment on Main street in Helena and
will be remembered by all old timers.
She had her Photographic outfit on the
ground and took a number of pictures
from the neighboring hills. and later as
the great crowd dispersed, which was es-
timated at 5000, she wanted to get a
closeup exposure, perhaps an hour after
the hanging. To do this she had to cross
Dry gulch. somewhat difficult as the
banks were steep. She called On me to
assist her n / carried the camera across
the gulch.
After she had the Gamers adjusted she
requested me to get In front of the crowd
Of perhaps one hundr persons. and in
front of the camera II will see tina you
get in this picture for helping me to get
my camera cross the gulch,' she said.
And that is how I got into the picture.
Many years later, the late Toby
Hedges and myself found the negative
after an extended search. 1t is In the
hands of William H. Taylor. well known
old-tlme photographer at Helena. Strange
as 1t may seem 1t is the only picture of
a vigilante hanging in existence, as far
The old hangman's tree has long dis
appeared as that section was laid out In
town lots and This very large pine tree
fell a victim to the ak as 1t happened
to be located on some lots bought by
Rev. Shipper. minister. who wanted to
remove the grim reminder OF former days
from his premises. 1t nearly caused a
riot In Helena When reported
Thirteen men, an unlucky number,
were hanged on this tree by the vigi-
lantes of Last Chance gulch. A large
limb stood out at right angles from the
tree about 10 or IL feet from the ground
and was certainly well calculated for
such purposes. There was not another
tree within a quarter Of a mile. This
tree should have been preserved. A brick
residence now stands where once it grew
There is some dispute as to Just when
Continued on Fiction Page)