Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-01-10
Sanders Was Brave as Well as Smart;
Outnerved Road Agent Jack Gallagher

to having as sharp brain as anyon
who ever came into Montana territory
likewise boosted many other qualitie
of merit, one Of which was nerve.
Colonies Sanders, as much as an,
other man, sounded the death knel
of the road agents with his able con,
duct OF the prosecution of GeorgI
Ives, high-ranking lieutenant Of thu
crime ear Of the day. Sheriff Henry
Piummer This, In itself, took a vasi
amount OF internal stamina, what viii
a Sizeable force of Alder Gulch hooli-
gans directing threats out Of the cor
ner OF their mouths at the lawyer.
The criminal element was very much
in the saddle at that time and San
ders had good and sufficient reason
to know that the vandals not only
meant what they said but had the
machinery TO put it into effect.
Another instance in which the
colonel proved his metal occurred in
1853 when he outnerved Jack Gala
gher, who was to die not long after
ward on a scaffold at Virginia City.
Bannack, at that time, was swept
with excitement over the report that
Plummer, who boasted some distinc-
ton as a geologist, had been sent for
to examine some newly discovered
silver mines, the first heard of in
that vicinity. Silver was not then de-
preciated, and every man in town de-
sired to locate a claim as near as
possible to the discovery. Colonel San
ders and Leonard A. Gridley shared
the general desire.
Sanders approached the sheriff on
the subject, announcing that he would
be on the spot when the claims were
Staked. The sheriff tried to dissuade
him, but did not deny that silver had
been found, nor that he expected to
examine the rock, his experience IN
Nevada making him an expert in sill
yer. Sanders did not believe him, but
bided his time before acting.
The next day after this interview
with the sheriff, the latter began to
round up his followers, who generally
accompanied him on his frequent ex-
petitions away from town. He now de-
MED the silver story, saying he was
called away in the discharge of the |
duties of his office, and soon it was
known that the sheriff had ridden
away, with George Ives, Buck Stinson
and Ned Ray.
Colonel Follows On Mule
They had gone north presumably
to the RattleSnake, and there Colonel
Sanders determined to follow them
But he could not well go afoot, and
no horse was obtainable. Gridley and
others made a thorough search, and
were at last rewarded by finding a
diminuitive mule that could be hired
For awhile all went well, but soon
the tiny feet of the mule became
packed with snow and the colonel
found it safer to walk than to risk
being thrown. He walked or 10 miles,
leading the mule, and arrived at the
ranch on the Rattlesnake, where he
spending the night. .
This ranch had a bad reputation as !
it was said to harbor horse thieves,
put it was a choice between sleeping
here, or in the snow, and Sanders
10 coward, thought the ranch prefer :
lble. !
On entering, his first question was 4
Have you seen Plummer?" and he
eceived a negative reply. There was :.
nothing to do then but await the
heriff's arrival, so after supper the q
olonel went to bed. About midnight y
here came a loud knocking at the y
oor which, after due precautions, was u
pened and Jack Gallagher entered. y
Where's Plummer?' he asked. 1--WE II
cen hunting for him all night"
Weakened by the noise Sanders part A
? rose exclaiming, Il came to find B
hummer, where is he?" A
In an instant Gallagher was at the s
edside, with revolver at the head II
( the colonel, whom he cursed II
anders and His Gun ~
The feeling of the cold steel against ~
Is head was uncomfortable to say the =
ast, and suddenly jerking away from -
the colonel leaped behind the near es
? counter, and grasping gun he -
ad seen placed there, had his as p
lilant covered. The man in charge az az
the ranch then took a hand in the VI
ay and urged Gallagher to calm
WIN. This he unwillingly consented to RI
}, as he saw Sanders had the ad- le
4ntage of him He became concilia- ne
ry and insisted on treating the WI
ovid. so
On further questioning Gallagher, a. a.
lnders became convinced that Plum - 49,
er was not out in search of silver ~
its crude state, and very sensibly
mt to sleep again, until reused by
second knocking at the door, and Gil
its being opened, the visitors proved tn,
be Leonard Gridley and George
own, who had been sent by Mrs.
nders to find her husband, she hav- vol
: become alarmed at his failure to PHI
urn. {
Mrs. Sanders had other and better NC
lsons for anxiety. Henry Tilden, a eal
nth who had come from Ohio, was :. =
1t to Horse Prairie, south of Ban W.
OK, to bring in some cattle left t t,le
re. He returned on the evening of .lie
day Sanders left for the Rattle con
Ike, and told Of his having been N W
d up by Plummer and three other w.
sked highwaymen. They turned his Soll
,kets inside out, but as they con- CIV
ned nothing more valuable than GAG
pocket comb, let him go, with a vi
ming that he must not tell Of his vel !,
az waylaid.