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

stunning blow on the head felled him
from his horse, and this was all until he
awoke from his lethargy in a house in
Helena surrounded by physicians AND
friends.
To make matters doubtly certain. q
novel process was resorted to, several
times used with effect in the early his
tory of Montana in criminal prosecutions
by the vigilantes. Wilson and Compton
were taken from Jail and led to the room
of their victim. being first placed in the
company of 10 other men selected at
random. The men marched INTO the
room and formed a semi-circle before tho
unfortunate victim of the murderous as
sault, whose hold on life was a marvel
to the physicians present.
Lenhart was asked If the men he had
described as his assailants were in the
lot before him. The crucial me had
arrived n eldom in the early history
of Montana die a more thrilling event
occur than this fnal decree of the guilt
Of the accused.
Lenhart looked carefully at each man.
his eyes following the line to the last
man. All was breathless silence. Then
attempting to raise himself he pointed
directly to Compton, saying: There Is
one of the men," and then pointing TO
Wilson, THAT is the other" Compton
grew deathly pale, his knees trembled
and he all but broke down. Wilson stood
up better. He was short in stature, stout,
quick in action AND determined Comp
ton was all of six feet in height, sparely
built but muscular.
Lenhart's Identification sealed their
doom. The %vigilantes still lived. Slowly
the procession marched out, not a word
being spoken. The prisoners we're taken
to jail and placed in the custody OF
DOC" Steele, the sheriff Of Lewis and
Clark county at that time.
April 80. 1870, dawned, a clear and
beautiful day. The sun shone warm and
kindly and there was not a breath OF
wind. There was no visible indication OF
the stirring events that were to take
place in the courthouse square; and the
old hangman's tree in Dry gulch stood Q
lone sentinel among the placer diggingS
upon hat fatal April day.
Crowd Gathers at 10
At 10 o'clock, suddenly, as if by com
mon impulse, men came struggling from
all directions, and a crowd gathered, tht
common center being at a point i'm.
mediately to the east of the old court
house and in front of the old log Jail
In an incredibly short time some 1,50t
men had gathered. An old Murphy wagor
standing in the neighborhood was util
lied, and willing hands oon ran 1t tx
the center of the crowd where 1T wa
used by the lawyers in making thei
pleas. Harvey English acted as judge, o
perhaps q better term would be chair
imam, while Judge Lawrence acted a
prosecuting attorney and Judge Georg
G. Symes opposed such an illegal action
In many respects this was one of tn
most interesting trials ever held unde
the auspices of the vigilantes in Mon
: tana, with The exception of the hangin
. OF George Ives, and differed from other
in this respect: in this case the jury wa
composed Of all those present, and par
took more OF an ordinary meeting Of citi
zens called together to discuss and &C
upon an ordinary matter.
Judge Lawrence made the opening ad
dress n detailed the circumstances c
the identification of the prisoners b
Lenhart II the other facts developed i
the case, showing conclusively the gull
OF the defendants, and strongly urge
immediate action. The prisoners wer
held in the old Jail and could near th
= arguments.
Judge Symes followed in a strenuou
attempt to delay matters. He did nc
deny their guilt, but argued that as Ler
hart was not dead, the crime of murde
had not been committed. He elaine
that there was an organized band {
murderers in Montana and that, by a fe
days Of delay, with the information tha
the prisoners were willing to give, til
whole gang could be captured. Fl
warned all those taking part in such vic
lent proceedings to desist, as the gran
jury would be called. and each and ever
man would be indicted who participate
He pointed to the courthouse less tina
so feet away and implored in the nan
OF law and order that they let the cour
try and punish the criminals.
| clearly remember the efforts Of I'll
attorneys in their pleas delivered fro
the old Murphy wagon, and they we
forcible and able. At times Judge Sym,
was eloquent and fervent to an unusu
degree. and he certainly used eve
strategy known. from sympathetic pleaC
ings to stern threats, in favor of Il
prisoners for a legal trial.
Only One Votes NO"
After the arguments, Harvey Englis
In a clear voice made q motion TIL
could be heard for blocks: "All those TIL
are in favor of taking Joseph Wilson al
Arthur L.. Compton and hanging the
forthwith all signify by saying aye"
never in my life heard q motion CARR,
with such force and 1t seemed that Il
ayes" could nave been heard on Il
top OF Mount Helena. The negative vo
was then called for. Only one ma