Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-05-08


One Of the final, but not the
least dramatic, accomplishments Of
the Vigilantes In Montana, 10
whom the inhabitants Of this ter
ritOry in the sunrise years owed
their safety, was the capture and
execution of Jake Sflvie, alias ia
cob Seachricst. None Of the des-
peradOes who had preceded him
was more worthy Of death than
this bloOd-stained miscreant.
In the face of impending death Sea-
chriest confessed to having been a road
agent, roDber and murderer for II
years. He was a native OF Pennsyl-
vania. It was his boast that his gun
bore a notch for every year he had
peen lin the business"
One of the crimes confessed to by
Seachriest before his execution was the
killing Of a man, the body Of whom
was later found by the Vigilantes and
buried in a willow coffin. SeachrieSt
told how he and a fellow criminal,
while walking along a road in SOUTH
western Montana, noticed q man Sit
ting near q stream, as II buried in
thought. He and his comrade cast lots,
ne said, to determine who would kill
the man and take whatever of value
he had on his person. The task fell TO
SeachrieSt. With his pistol cooked he
stole upon his victim and shot him
through the head, killing him instantly.
A stone was fastened to the body and
ii was sunk in a hole formed by an
eddy in the stream.
After months of the direst depreda-
tions Seachriest was arrested at Dia-
mond City, and the Vigilante commit
tee apprized Of the capture. Diamond
City was q flourishing new mining
camp In Confederate gulch, one Of the
largest and richest placer diggings IN
Montana, located about 40 miles east
of Helena, not far from the Missouri
river.
Gave Information TO Vigilantes
The charges against Seachriest we're
those of robbery, and obtaining goods
under false pretenses. The committee
made it known that they had suf-
ficient evidence that SeachrieSt was a
bad character to warrant holding him
for further investigation.
SeachrieSt pleaded that he was an
honest, hard working miner; that he
had come to the country by way OF
Salt Lake City, and that, under the
influence of liquor he had fallen in
with a band of robbers at Virginia
City. He gave the names OF about a
dozen members Of the gang and told
their signs of recognition, passwords
and signals.
On receipt Of this information, a cap
tain Of the VigilanteS with squad OF
four men were detailed to bring the |
desperate from Diamond City to Hell
ena. A party rode out and met the /
guard in charge OF the prisoner and |
escorted him back to Helena. Seachr1eSt |
was placed in a heavily guarded cabin
while the committee investigated the |
evidence and the record of their pris- |
1ner as far as available. They con- |
GUIDED the facts known were hardly |
sufficient to warrant an immediate |
conviction and decided to continue the |
,ase until further information could be /
from Seachriest'S own lips. |
The prisoner was removed to a cabin /
more remote where various members |
If the committee could have access to |
lin from time to time with view of |
sliciting more details of his past.
SeachrieSt stuck with ad.amantine /
to his first story, but |
alter, thinking there was not much to |
ear from the Vigilantes, denied 1t, |
saying that every word Of his state /
nent was false, and that he fell IN |
With no such band OF thugs at Viz
yinia City. On cross examination he
lgain returned to his first confession,
)ut qualified it by saying that he had
,onle to Virginia City along south
.rn route well known to the Vigilantes.
This statement was fatal to Seachriest
or the inquisitors linked the piece Of
up with the details Of the
murder related above in this story.
At subsequent meeting Of the COM
Mite 1t was decided that the prisoner
vas q road agent of the deepest dye
md should meet the fate of his kind.
The verdict was execution by hanging
rom the Murderer's Tree in Dry gulch
lt an hour after midnight.
When informed Of his sentence Sea-
hriest appeared not to believe it, but
egarded it as ruse by which to obtain
confession from him. Still, he re-
,eived q minister, feigned much re-