The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-01-19

weighed and determined, and nothing
shall prevent the execution. of the
malefactor."
It is especially noteworthy to record
here the fact that, by reason Of their
refusal to permit Dolan to make good
the balance to Brady, the man injured
by the theft, after the execution the
Committee, itself paid to Brady the
deficiency.
John x. Biedler, the Jealous and ef-
ficient, had gone to the new mining
camp in Last Chance gulch at Helena,
and it is probable that he organized a
branch Of the V~igilantes there. At any
rate he appears to have been the lead
ing spirit in maintaining law and order
in Last Chance. He superintendent the
execution Of Keene and other outlaws
at Helena. That he was acting in con-
junction with the Vigilance committee
at Virginia City is pretty evident.
Shortly after the discovery of gold in
Confederate Gulch it was reported to
Beidler that robberies were being per-
petrated at Diamond City and that a
villainous looking character was strong
ly suspected of the crimes; he had been
arrested, charged with robbery, obtain
ing goods under false pretences, and
the like. This information having been
conveyed to Virginia City, the Commit
tee concluded to take a hand, and
Captain Williams rode to Helena at
once; upon his arrival a captain with
four or five men vas dispatched to
Diamond City with orders to bring the
prisoner to Helena; they departed at
once.
On the next day Williams and Beid-
Ter met the party and accompanied 1t
with the prisoner to the city. The
prisoner, who had been going under the
name of Jack Silvie, but whose name
probably vas Jacob Seachriest, was con-
fined in a cabin, the same one in which
John Keene had been incarcerated, and
a strong guard "a placed about it.
The Committee heard the evidence
produced, together with a statement OF
the prisoner in which they found many
important contradictions. The mem
bers consulted, but were unable to sat.
isfy themselves upon the matter; and
the prisoner was given another exam
nation, and a thorough cross-examin-
Observation-Disclosures is. often 'the
sword of truth; as a result of which
the Committee was satisfied that he
was a desperate and deserved death.
He finally made a full confession and
there are two accounts as to how it was
brought about. One is that the Vigil
lantes invited (commanded) a minister
of the gospel to join the prisoner in the
cabin and prayed with him, the pur-
pose of wringing a confession from him,
and that the minister after having Ia
bored f%ervently with the wretch, finally
broke down his reserve and obtained a
full confession.
That through the minister's efforts
the prisoner prayed to his Maker for
forgiveness there is not much doubt.
The other story is that the confession
did not come until the culprit was un-
der the hangman's tree in Dry Gulch.
Whenever it was, during the confession
the prisoner stated that he had been
engaged in robbery and murder for a
dozen years, his last murder having
been that committed on the Snake
river, in which he had shot his victim,
who was sitting by a camp fire, in the
back of the head, after which he rob-
bed his victim of all he possessed,
wrapped the body in a blanket and
threw it in the creek. Thus it wa that
the presentiment of Captain Williams
that he would be present at the execu-
ton of the dead mans murderer within
one year, was verified.
So far as I know, this was the last
action of James Williams as executive
officer of the Vigilantes.
He quit his gruesome work with a
sigh of great relief, and retired as
quietly as he could; his departure from
his powerful position was even more
transformations than was his advent in
to it: thereafter he seldom talked of
his connection with the organization,
except to those who served with him,
and not often with them. He always
maintained the closest friendship and
affection for those who had been as
ISOLATED with him in the work. When
he was induced to talk of the actions
of the Vigilance committee he was
generous in his praise of his associates,
notably John S. Lott. Neil HOWE, x.
Beidler, Adriel B. Davis, and others.
Nothing has been said by the histor-
ians respecting the activities of q sub
committee of the Executive committee,
which was called the Ferreting commit
tee. This was composed Of the execu-
tive officer, and it would seem such
persons as he detailed from time to
time to assist in what might be termed
detective and other executive work.
From the ~treasurer's book kept by
John s. Lott, it is ascertained that the
businessmen and miners Of Alder gulch
contributed various amounts aggregat-
ing in excess of 5000 to. the "Ferret-
ing Fund" The subscriptions were all
made during the year 1854, and most
II not all Of the money was paid out
during that year. The first subscrip-
ton was by Lott & Brother, $25.
Evidently some Of the leading vigi-
louteS canVaSsed portions of the Qllch