Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-06-21
Bloodthrsty Member of Pumers Gang Saved Friends Lift
And in Doing So Lost Robber Organization 100000 in Col
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Og an the border ruffians Of the
red brotherhood Of Henry Piummer,
George Ives was the most ferocious.
He killed without computation, but
usually 20 some purpose, and Heav-
en- hahn the man who stood between
him and the loot he coveted. A
buIIet properly placed and there
VyaS q transfer of property, with no
one the wiser except the bandit,
vvbn had ant one maxim-tead men
keg NO tales. He went about VIZ
wfnia CITY and B&nnack doing the
hEooav work Of PEummer, and per-
hairs a little on the side for hhm-
self. and when the death gurgae
ratified in his throat on the gal
lows at Nevada City, his hands were
STEPPED to their finger tips In the
gore of his many victims.
This was 10 years ago, when young
Montana was at the mercy Of Henry
Plummer, the Doctor Jekyl and Mr..
F9vde of Vigilante days. Plummer was
,Iavino two roles; clandeStine bandit
chieftain. and, In the open, high sher-
If Of all the little gold camps between
Alder glilch and Bannack. he ruleo
the mountain country with an iron
hand. was In the confidence OF tne
miners who had elected him to office,
and was at the same time the brains
and dominant spirit Of as desperate q
crowd as ever cut throat or Scuttled
ship.
The Sign Of Slaughter
Tt Is said of Piummer that he never
ordered the death of man IN so many
words. He simply called aside the ruf-
fan he had selected for the particular
niece of blood-letting he had in mind,
whispered the name Of the victim TO
the all too eager killer, and drew his
fingers across his throat. That was all.
The killer knew what was expected OF
him. and that If he failed he would
be in the black books Of the chief. SO
he hunted I'D his man and killed him.
USUALLY there was the fiction Of row
over a poke of gold dust on the faro
table or about the painted Jezebel OF
some Virginia City dance hall, anything
tn rroyoke the doomed man and make
him take offense. This gave the sem
blance of self-defense to the murder.
But if he met his man in some DARK
corner, that was luck. There was no
pretense. He took a pot-shot at MS VIC
tim and went his way.
OF this villainous gang about Plum
mer. George Ives stood head and Shout
ders above his fellows in outlawry. He
was a cold-blooded, ruthless killer who
vloried in his work, and because OF his
brutal courage and his SureneSs, stood
first with his chief. Plummer never
gave him the lethal sign that it was
NOT answered in blood. He was a human
tiger and at the trial by miners court
which resulted in his conviction ana
execution. the statement was mace
that he had killed is or more men.
Sense Of Gratitude
But for all his gruesome record Ives
had within him the spark of human
kindness, or perhaps, keen sense OF
oratit,lde. He never forgot man or
vuonnan who had befriended him.
notable instance Of this Outstanding
trait in man so devoid OF mercy was
when he warned Milton MOODY, apout
to start for Salt Lake City with $1OO,-
600 in gold dust, that Henry Plummer
knew of Moody's intentions, the GATE OF
his departure, the value OF the gold dust
he was to take with him, ana was
planning his robbery. AS result OF
this warning Moody and his men went
out on their journey, armed cap-a-ple,
alert and ready to fight the moment
the robbers made their appearances.
And when the crisis came and Jhey
were attacked, although taken at a dis
advantage, they put up such battle
that Plummer's men were routed ana
fled for their lives.
Ives, by this action, betrayed his
party. but saved the lives of Moody and
his men because Moody had befriend-
ed him. 1t seems that Ives had