Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-01-04

States.
where Dr. w. L. Steele, later for many
years a physician at Helena, was pre-
siding over miners court Dilling-
ham was standing close by when Buck
Forbes, all three members Of what
later turned out TO be Plummers
organized gang, came up. Practically
without warning Dillingham; was shot
down by this murderous trio.
SttnsOn, Lyons and Forbes were ar
rested. Forbes, handsome young fell
low, was acquitted, possibly on account
Of his good looks. although he after
wards laughed at the "softneaS" of the
miners who turned him loose StinsOn
and Lyons were found guilty and were
sentenced to be hanged. Then occurred
an exhibition Of sympathy for the
-bloOded murderers, which, while
successful in saving their lives on that
occasion, was never permitted to hap
pen again. Largely, history relates, be-
cause a number of women were PRESENT.
and begged the miners to save the
poor young boys lives" the order was
finally made that they be banished.
Grabbing horse standing nearby the
two desperadoes dashed out of the
gulch.
x. Beidler was one OF those who dug
the graves for the two men. Some time
later he was on a trip from Bannack
to Alder Gulch and stopped at Rat
tlesnake. Several deSperadOes who had
followed him accused him Of digging
the graves for Stinson and Lyons.
Eyes" he said, and you haven't paid
me for it yet" This raised q laugh and
drinks were ordered. Later they again
tried to draw him into an argument
and get him mad but about that time
q group of men rode up and saved x
from serious situation.
Trial of Ives
The story of the trial of George
Ives for the murder of Nicholas Tbalt
has often been told but it serves to
emphasize the quick wit Of X Beidler
This trial lasted three days from Dec
10 to 81, the latter being F'orefathers
day. The Plummer gang had hired all
the lawyers in Virginia City. four In
number, to defend Ives. Wilbur f. San
ders, a young attorney from Bannack
happened to be sojourning In Virginia
City and he took charge of the prose-
cution. He was assisted by Charles
Bagg, a miner. Nothing that had hap
pened before so aroused the indigna- |
ton Of the decent citizens of Alder |
Gulch as the murder of young Tbalt. |
The trial of Ives will ever stand out |
as the most important event in Mon |
tana'S early legal history, for it marked \
the establishment Of law and order In |
a community where no one knew
murderers or honest men were
in the majority. Sanders, intrepid, |
brave, commanding, dominated the en-
tire situation. After the evidence had
been heard he delivered an appeal for /
conviction that will stand for all time /
to come as one of the most powerful /
ever offered to jury
The verdict Of the miners jury of "a
was guilty. with the exception Of one
member, Henry Spivey, who refused to-
participate in the finding After NOV
ing that the verdict be adopted, which
vas carried, Sanders moved that George t
Ives be forthwith hanged by the neck I
until dead. Efforts were made by Ives
friends TO secure an adjournment until /
but Sanders motion carried
Ives then made personal appeal to
Sanders for time, assuring him ION his
honor" that no effort would be made
10 escape. X Beidler. from his perch
On cabin nearby where he sat through
The trial with his trlsty shotgun across
mis- knees shouted In sarcastic voice:
Sanders, ask him how much time he
gave the Di1tchman" That pertinent
and wholly consistent remark saved
4 difficult situation for Sanders. Ives
was given enough time to make his
VIII ana Wrlbe letter nome Out ~
was noticed that in his viii he left
everything he had to his lawyers and
friends and entirely ignored his family.
Vigilantes Organized
Three days after the execution OF
Ives the Vigilantes we're organized.
Beidler'S name did not appear on the
list of those who signed the original
bath for the reason that he had gone
70 assist in bringing in a wagon train
that was stuck near the Hole in the
Rock. However, upon his return, he was
of what had taken place and
he Immediately became one of Capt.
Jim williams able and trusted leu
tenants He was active in the pursuit
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