Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-05-07

"A , USUAL, there was q Grove
~ gathered in the saloon whers
n AGENTS. nsa R Rsd Is sSRs e E'i
Bannack. The air was blue
with tobacco smoke and the OdOr OF
bad whisky was heavy. But now the
rumble of voices had died away to an
almost imperceptibIe murmur and the
clink of poker chips was temporarily
stilled. All eyes were focused on the
short, stOcky figure who had just EN-
tered He stood in the doorway mo-
ment, as though to accustom his eyes
10 the gloom before entering. Then,
srnilingly, he moved toward the long,
polished bar. His right hand was
thrust carelessIy in his pocket. He
greeted an occasional friend pleasant
", but shook hands with his left hand,
q gesture that did not pass unnOticed
in that motley gathering.
Buck Stinson and Haze Lyons eaSed
away from the bar against which they
had been leaning as the newcomer ap-
preached. Then Buck spoke IN voice
with hatred:
you are the - that voted to hang
me-" he accused.
The newcomer nodded and his lips
curled into a faint smile under his
fierce, dropping mustache.
YES. sir" he agreed pleasantly,
land if that question was put now,
still would be voting the same way"
Stinsons companion spoke up: you
are the - that dug grave for mel
Again the newcomer agreed. He
continued to smile, but his eyes were
cold and watchful.
cent for it."
Lyons clustered.
'No," the stocky man said regret
fully but he added hopefully, its stu
waiting for you; you'll get there:
Throughout this alteration, John
Xavier Beidler maintained his smiling
vigilance, shaking hands with his left,
keeping his right hand in his pocket
ready for action the moment hostile
move might be made.
Odds Against Him
But he realized the odds were TOO
much against him, so, as he related
in later years, he got my goods and
Lit out from there as soon as possible;
In those turbulent days OF 1S63-64
western Montana was pretty much in
headed by genial Henry Plummer, who
had been elected sheriff at Bannack.
Gold had been discovered only
few months before, and the main idea
Of most of the people who flocked TO
the new mining region was to make a !
stake and leave again as soon as pos
Iawlessness abounded; the law abid-
ing were too few to cope with the law
It was into this country that the
soft-spoken. fearless Beidler, or x, as /
he was known throughout the region,
had come to make a name Tor him /
self as one of the most fearless and 7
notwithstanding proponents OF law
r0T1ccrfgnr7flu IN
the hatred of the road agents.
Beidler was born in a Mennonite /
community near Mount Airy, Lancas-
ter, Pa, and had, in his early LIE,
worked as a shoemaker, a brickn1aker
and a broommaker. Then, for short I
period, he ran a saloon in Kansas.
But in 1858 the lure OF the gold fields /
called and he started overland for t
Pixies Peak, as Colorado was famtl-
iarly known in those days.
His ventures in the Colorado gold
fields were unsuccessful, so, when gold
was discovered in Alder gulch in 1858,
x Immediately headed for the Mon
tana country.
Small in stature. he was broad
shouldered and strong, and, as his
later actions proved, utterly without
fear. He had an inherent hatred for
lawlessness and had been in Montana
only a short time until he was inStru-
mental in organizing and carrying out
the work of the VigilanteS, that band
of pioneers who formed one Of the
most effective organizations Of all
time to suppress desperadoes.
In the fall of 1868, Beidler and two
partners, John W. Graimes and @.
Behringer, began working three claims
in Alder gulch. At that time the des-
peradoes headed by Plummer ruled
the area openly, highhandedly, with q
fine disregard for residents who were
trying to promote some semblance OF
law and order.
Plummer, driven out Of California
and Nevada, had been elected sheriff
his own gang being in the majority
and that face alone guaranteed i'm
munity to members Of his gang He
was not generally known as a road
agent himself, however, until after the
Vigilantes had been organized and had
unmasked members Of the gang. Muir
der was done openly, and the muir
derer usually was so confident Of go
ing free that he dared even to boast ]