Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-05-20
HeIenas Citizens "Ried" When Hangman's Tree
FeIIed; 10 Men Swung From 1t During Early Days

Hangman's tree-the age-worn
pine in Dry gulch in Helena-fell
under a woodsman's ak in 1873,
and there was a resultant tumult
which had one man wondering il
he hadn't made a serious error in
judgment. 1t happened this way:
The Rev. w. M. Shipper, Meth
odist minister, moved to Helena
and bought a lot near the corner
of Blake and Hillsdale streets. On
it stood the old pine from which 10
Helena badmen had dangled at ropes
end. The Rev. Shipper, one day IN
1875, hired a wandering woodcutter to
fell the pine He said a recent flood
in Dry glllch had undermined its roots
and he was afraid 1t would crash on
his barn At any rate the woodcutter,
fortified with $3.50, began the job Of
running million dollars worth Of
history.
The old tree tottered and fell. Soon
word got around town "the new min
ister" had cut down Hangmans tree.
Helena was, to phrase it mildly, in
dignant A crowd gathered at Ship
pens house and there were rumors.
The Montana Post" puts it delicately:
There was some talk of subiecting
the preacher to indignity, but wiser
counsel prevailed"
Took Souvenirs
The Rev. Shipper explained he was
afraid the tree would fall. He allowed
crowd members to take souvenirs from
its limbs and trunk. He was sorry and
said he didn't know the people priced
the grueSome relic so much" The
crowd explained it wasn't priced as a
relic but as an object lesson to certain
gentlemen who might find it difficult
to stay "in line"
Helena didn't agree with the Rev.
Shipper, apparently, and about four
years later he moved away.
The late David Hilger, former state
historical librarian, recorded the &C
tual site of the tree. State historical
library archives which carry the ac-
count say the tree was near the cor
ner of Blake and Hillsdale streets" Tt
had been rumored as having stood at
the corner of Davis and Broadway, but
Hilger said this was not so.
An old account of the growing gall
lows reads:
"a few rods south of Helena and
just west of the present overland stage
road where it crossed Dry gulch, and
in Dry gulch, stands ven
cradle pine whose massive branches
extend 20 feet or more from the moss
covered trunk"
Adequate Limb of Law
The limb from which the Vigilantes
conducted their business was "15 feet
from the ground and Is feet long
an adequate limb of the law and one
which initiated, maintained and adj
ministered justice.
Ten men dangled from Hangman's
tree-and Helena knew peace from
the road agents.
Vigilante justice, swift, implacable
and without Partially, whipped a
roughshod mining camp into line with I
the only means capable of impressing /
It's outlaws-the moose.
Helena's first hanging, however, was
not group justice" There was a jury
trial. The grim visit Of justice in Sc ]
recy had not yet been found neceS-
sary
John Keene, an "outlander" who had .
a sprawling record of crime from Cali I
fornia to Tennessee, was the first to .
find outlawry end on the gnarled (
branches of the pine tree in Dry gulch.
Records show Keene came to Helena
IN June of 1865. He had recently been
n Salt Lake, he told companions, but
vas run out Of town when Henry
Slater CKeene said) showed derringer
n his mouth and told him Salt Lake
vas unhealthy. Keene was bitter about
It and while he later denied having
made threats, several said they had
heard him.
Killed Henry Slater
AT any rate, when Keene saw Slater
sitting In the doorway of Sam Greer's
;aloon on Bridge street in Helena he
iidn't waste any time. There was
lash of glnfire and Slater pitched
rom his seat, shot through the head.
<eene was placed in jail and a trial
cheduled.
The verdict was guilty. Hangmans
rec was to have its first visitor
The Montana Post" of June II, 1865,
hosen with due regard for convent
nee and economy. A large pine tree
nth stout limbs standing alone in
hallow ravine," was selected.
June 8, shortly before noon, Keene
vas taken to Hangman's tree. The
Post" says many ladies were on hand !
or Helena's first hanging.
A grim little note is injected into
he POSTS" account of the hanging
4 the paragraph: Everything went
IF in a quiet and orderly manner.
I
Z. x. Biedler."
Hanging No. 2
Hanging No. 2 was run off without
nuch attention to publicity. :
Jake Seachriest, alias Jake Silvie,
ound himself blinded by Vigilante
imelight, and one morning Hang
mans tree had another customer
Road Agent" That legend, pinned
o the body swinging from a hang
1an's knot, was sufficient to tell a
ity justice had been done.
NO at Hangman's tree was a very
cog in Helena's early day
rime machine-but the Vigilantes
verlooked no one.
Monday morning, Sept. 1s, 1865, Hell
ma residents saw Tommy Cooke
winging from the Dry gulch gallows.
. placard on his back bore the igno-
linious word "Pickpocket."
Con Kirby, No. on the stout pine