Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-03-06

similar to the group which had cleaned
up Virginia City and Rannack twenty
five years before. Dick the Diver was
hanged to the second story of the
back porch of the Weekville hotel and
his nfeleSs body, full of lead, was
allowed to hang as warning to his
partners in crime. Ohio Dan of the
golden tenor voice took flight, as did
The Barber. The Barber was making
his way along on crutches when the
two were overtaken a few miles west
of Weekville. A vigilante trial was
held and the two were hanged to
tall pine tree without ceremony. Their
graves were dug beneath the tree
Ohio Dan had no marker to show
his place but at the head of The
BARRIERS grave we're stuck his cr1tches
and there they stayed for twenty
years. The bones of these two bad
men were eXhumed less than four
years ago when it was discovered that
piece Of highway. The tree from which
they were hanged until dead may still
be seen on the Cleveland ranch, mile
west Of Weekville.
Billy the Kid, a bold, fearless lad
in his teens, remained to face the
music as played by the Vigilantes.
Touched by his bravery in the face
of almost certain death, the Vigilantes
gave the boy a fighting chance. He
was taken to the rivers edge and told
to swim for his life. He walked to
the water and dove in and when he
was half way across the signal was
given for the crowd on the bank to |
Begin shooting. Accounts Of Billy's |
luck differ. Some say he reached the !
other bank and escaped to California |
where he continued his criminal career. |
More authentic reports say that he
never reached the other side Of the |
river.
New Era
The completion of the railroad |
brought a new era to the Clark's Fork |
Sawmiu towns grew up along |
the right-of-way and much OF the |
numbering was done by Chinese. Two |
close together battled for
the location Of the railroad station. The
two towns were Belknap and Thomp-
SON Falls. The railroad company fav-
ored Belknap but the citizens Of
Falls changed that. To /
force the stopping OF trains bringing
settlers west they placed logs on the
track and while the train crew was
removing them a delegation was sent
aboard to persuade the settlers to stay
Ia Thompson Falls. The trick worked
and soon the village was so much
larger than Belknap that the railroad
company was forced to make it q
stop.
During the winter Of 1883, 5000
people lived In Thompson Falls which
VAS then little more than a tent
village. The crowds were waiting for
spring to open the trails for the rush
into the newly discovered Couer d.
AIene gold country. Twenty saloons
operated in Thompson Falls that win
,er. among them the famous and no
,orious Shades" where hundreds OF
newcomers were swindled out Of their
funds by the gamblers. One OF the
rocked gamblers operating at the
Shades" that winter was Jack Nc
Donald, who was known throughout
he west for his ability as q card sharp.
One OF the first large buildings erected
n the town was a dance hall, which
,erved as q hotel when the festivities
# evening had closed.
Leading light In the gay entertain
nents of the winter was one Bronco
liz, a dancehau queen from Dodge
|ity, who dressed as man and drove
reight wagons during the summer
months. Popular tunes Of the day
we're Drunken Sailor, Shamus OBrien,
Buffalo Girls and Arkansas Traveller.
Thompson Falls also knew its vigi-
anteS during that memorable period
md hanging threats were mailed to
IS men during the winter Of 1884.
rwenty-four Of that number left with
nut saying goodbye but one Of them,
i'm Hardy, hid out IN a saloon. He was
hunted down and when the vigilantes
we're tt1st about to hang him they
hanged their minds and a collection
vas taken up and given TO the man
Nth the warning that he leave town
Immediately. He did. The Thomson
sails vigiIantes used the famous sym
,ol S-7-77, which had been used by
he vigilantes Of Alder Gulch.