Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-10-12
Beautiful Electra Bryan of Sum River
Won Heart of Early-Day Bandit King

The world knows of Henry Plum
mer, as a bandit chieftain OF the
golden days of Alder guIch, who
PLAYED in the role of DIR. Jeckyi and
Mr.. HYDE, in that, while clandes-
timely he was the head Of one Of
the strongest organizations OF ham
dts ever existing In the west, he
also enjoyed the confidence Of the
public, and was high sheriff OF the
border. elected to that office by the
miners whom he and his band were
plundering. He is remembered as
the commander of the cutthr0ats
who ruled the territory, man of
blood and iron, ready to commit
murder on the slightest prOv0ca-
ton. But he had a softer side.
He fell in love with and won thC
| affections of Electra Bryan, a beauti-
! full girl, who lived with her relatives
at Sun River crossing. He married hel
while at the height Of his career When
he felt the net of the VigilanteS clos
ing about him he sent her to her home
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Shortly after
her arrival there he sent her $4,000
in gold dust. She bore him son.
Finally Had Proof
Until his execution the girl did not
know of his real character. Tales
reached her of his misdeeds, but she
would not believe them, and was
hearbroken when, after he was dead
at the hands of the VigilanteS, proof
came to her he was the head of the
bandit organization.
Mr.. and Mrs. Vail had charge of
the government stockade at Sun River
crossing. They kept a little roadhouSe
there for the accommodation OF the
travellers. Electra Bryan was Mrs
Walls Younger sister
Plummer and some of his gang fire.
quently rode on forayS from Virginia
City to Fort Benton. They would stop
at Sun River crossing to recuperate.
On one of these trips Plummer met
Miss Bryan. She was a tall girl, Of ex-
quisite features and beautiful figure,
with a wealth of auburn hair.
Was This Girls Hero
Plummer was fine looking man of
middle age at the time. He was the
best dressed man in the territory, and
had an eye that would look right
through a man. He came TO the girl in
a halo of romance, as the dashlng
frontier sheriff, who rode forth every
day and took his life in his hands in
the discharge of his duties.
Plummer's men, all staggering cut
Threats paid him the difference that
private soldier would to a colonel. They
we're contemptuouS of all but their
and this did not detract from
Plummer's attractiveneSs In the eyes
Of the girl.
It was in the days of quick court
ships. Plummer and the girl met in
the morning. That night they were
engaged to be married. Mrs. Vail gave
her consent and the 'robber, with his
men, rode away happy.
In a few weeks they returned, and
spent several days at the crossing.
F.. S. GoSS was living at the cross
ing at the time. He was in Wallis en-
oloy With Plummer on this occasion !
,ame the infamous Jack Cleveland, the |
Killer, one Of Plummer's lieutenants.
Cleveland's sharp eye, always on the |
alert, saw danger in GoSS. He asked !
Toss if he was not from Galena, Ill. |
TosS was. Cleveland then told him |
hat he, too, was from Galena, and |
hat his real name was William Farms
worth. He explained his change Of |
name by saying that he had gotten
nto some difficulty, and had to leave
he state.
II am safe here" said the killer, as
lis eyes bored through Goss. THAT is
Unless some ------------------
ike you writes back to Galena about
ne. want to give you some advice.
+ you write anything east about me
our life viii not be worth 10 cents.
will kill you"
Goss told Vail of his conversation
With Cleveland He also expressed the
pinion that Plummer and his as
ociates were band of cutthroats, and
dvised Vail to be on his guard.
Vail told his wife. Mrs. Vail told
slectra Bryan, and the fat was in the
ire. The enamoured girl told her
Drummer plrlF1aT11nr.
urious. GoSs has stormy interview
18th him. When the conversation was {.
farming up, Mrs. Vail came into the
Dom, and nothing more was said.
A few hours later Plummer saw
loss alone again. The robber took a
ifferent tack. He told Goss that he
Ould place him in nice easy job in
and the discreet Goss ac-
epted the job and said he would re-
ort in Bannack as soon as he had
nished his work with Vail.
Later Jack Cleveland wrote GoSs :
tier, in which he urged him to hurry
} Bannack to go to work for Plum
Ter. But GoSS became suspicious. He j
1t that Cleveland wanted to get him
ut of the way. Instead of going to !
annack he went to Fort Benton, where ]
e was in comparative safety, as the
hummer gangs operations were con- ;
ned largely to the country around Vir- ;
mia City and Bannack.
Continues COurtship S
Plummer continued to pay his devo-
ons to Miss Bryan. The girl was
IMPLY wild about him. In May, 1868.
2, with some of his fellows, rode l
Ter to the crossing and escorted Miss
ryan to st. Peters mission, where the
lest made them man and wife.
A few days after his marriage Plum
er and Bill Brunton held up the Fort l
enton stage at Dearborn, and robbed