Vigilantes of California, Idaho, & Montana

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The streams of immigration now diverged toward that point, crossed the mountains between Fort Lemhi and Horse Prairie Creek, and taking a cut-off to the left, sought to strike the old trail from Salt Lake City to Deer Lodge and Bitter Root valleys. A mining camp was also established with success on Grasshopper Creek, afterward called Beaver Head Diggings. It was the first to work the gulches east of the Rocky Mountains. From these incipient labors flowed the great mining industries which in an incredibly short space of time gave to Montana her well deserved reputation as the richest gold-mining field discovered since that of California

Fort Lemhi in 1900 courtesy Idaho State Historical Society

To illustrate the class of desperadoes engaged in this nefarious work, we will take the case of Henry Plummer, a man of such smooth manners and insinuating address that he was termed a perfect gentleman, although known to be both thief and assassin, and had once filled the office of marshal of Nevada City, whence, after having been twice imprisoned for murder, he had fled to Oregon , and thence to Montana. In Montana he was elected sheriff of Beaver County. He first made his way, in company with his companion, Jack Cleveland, to Bannack City, whose fame, in the winter of 1862 and 1863, had widely spread. It was the first mining camp of importance established east of the Rocky Mountains, and a large immigration ensued, with the customary number of the ruffian class. Among them all, Plummer was chief, noted for his desperation and his skill in the rapid handling of his pistol. He shot and killed his friend and old acquaintance arid companion Jack Cleveland, who was disposed to dispute his title as chief, and frequently boasted of his own murderous exploits.

Henry Plummer

Shortly after that occurrence another of the gang, named George Ives, was conversing on the street with his friend George Carhart, and not liking the style of his speech, laid him low with a shot from his revolver.

Another eminent road-agent, named Haze Lyon, owed a citizen of Bannack four hundred dollars for board and lodging, and one morning, having won a large sum of money the night previous at the gaming-table, was asked by his landlord to settle his account. He answered the modest request by drawing his revolver and ordering the citizen to dust out, with which gentle command he immediately complied.

Plummer was tried for the murder of Cleveland, and acquitted on the ground that his opponents language was irritating. Charles Reeves and a man named Williams, who had fired into a camp of friendly Indians just to see how many they could kill at one shot, were also tried and acquitted. Others who had likewise been guilty of heinous offences were also acquitted, and the baser elements  of society felt themselves secure in the performance of their lawless deeds, and murder and robbery went on unmolested.

Plummer, who had been chosen chief of the road-agents, had likewise, as previously stated, succeeded in having himself elected sheriff of the county, and appointed two of his band as deputies. In the mean time an honest man had been elected sheriff at Virginia, and was in formed by Plummer that he would live much longer if he would resign his office in his favor. Pear of assassination compelled him to do as bidden, and Plummer became sheriff at both places. With his robber deputies to execute his orders, the people of Montana were at the mercy of thieves and bandits. One of his deputies was an honest man, and becoming too well versed in the doings of Plummer and associates, was sentenced to death by the road agents and publicly shot by three of the band. There was no longer any security of life arid property.

A Dutchman sold some mules, and receiving the money therefore in advance as driving the animals on a public road to deliver them to the purchaser, when he was met by Ives, murdered, and robbed of both money and mules. The sight of this man body brought into town in a cart stirred the blood of the honest men of the community, and they determined to capture and hang his murderer. A party of citizens thoroughly armed scoured the country, surprised accomplices of the murderer, and wrung from them the confession that George Ives was the murderer. By the following evening he was captured, and taken a prisoner to Nevada City. He was given a trial. The bench was a wagon; the jury, twenty-four honest men; the aroused citizens stood guard with guns in hand while the trial proceeded, with their eyes fixed upon the desperadoes, who had gathered in force to aid, support, and, if possible, to rescue their comrade in crime. Counsel was heard on both sides; reliable witnesses proved the prisoner guilty of numerous murders and robberies. Condemned to death, his captors repressed every attempt at rescue, arid held the prisoner with cocked and leveled guns. It was a moonlight night, and the camp fire shed its gleam on all around Amid the shouts and yells and murderous threats of the assembled ruffians, the condemned assassin and cowardly murderer was led to the gallows, upon which he expiated his manifold crimes. The next day the far-famed Vigilantes of Montana were organized. Five brave men in Nevada City and one in Virginia City, the towns lying adjacent, formed the secret league who opposed, on the side of law and order, force to force and dread to dread against the road agents organization. This league became as terrible to the outlaws as they themselves had been to the honest, order-loving, and industrious part of the community.

Plummer, the sheriff, was seized, and before lie could escape, was executed on a Sunday morning, together with two of his robber deputies, on a gallows which he himself had erected.

The Vigilantes, to put an end to the long reign of terror, assumed the duties of captors, judges, jurors, and executioners. But they were not guilty of excesses. They struck terror to those who had defied the weaker arm of the law by sure, swift, and secret punishment of crime. In no case was a criminal executed without evidence establishing his guilt. How closely they hewed to the line in this respect is attested by the dying remarks of one of the last men hanged by their order: “you have done right. Not an innocent man hanged yet!” But it was understood that the work they had undertaken to perform should be faithfully and thoroughly performed; that there should be no half-way measures, no reprieves, the verdict having once been rendered.

An instance of the severe labor, exposure, and real hardship encountered by these guardians of peace and order is furnished in the pursuit and capture of William Hunter.

At the time of the execution of Boone Helm and his five confederates, Hunter managed to elude his pursuers by hiding by day among the rocks and brush, seeking food by night among the scattered settlements along the Gallatin River. Four of the Vigilantes, determined and resolute men, volunteered to arrest him. They crossed the divide, and forded the Madison when huge cakes of floating ice swirled down on the flanks of the horses, threatening to carry them down. Their camping ground was the frozen earth, the weather intensely cold and they slept at night under their blankets, by the side of a fire which they had built. Next day their way led through a tremendous snowstorm, which they welcomed as an ally. About two o’clock in the afternoon they reached Milk Ranch, twenty miles from their destination, obtained their supper and again proceeded, after dark, with a guide well acquainted with the country. At midnight they reached the cabin where they learned Hunter had been driven to seek refuge from the severe storm and cold. They halted, unsaddled, and rapped loudly at the door. On being admitted they found two persons in the cabin – two visible, and one covered up in bed.

The Vigilantes made themselves as comfortable as possible before a blazing fire on the hearth. They talked of mining, prospecting, panning-out and terms of that character, as if they were traveling miners. Before going to sleep, however, they carefully examined the premises as to its exits, and placed themselves in such manner as to command the only entrance and exit. They refrained from saying anything concerning their real business until early the following morning, when their horses were saddled and they appeared ready to proceed on their journey. Then they asked who the sleeper was, who had never spoken or uncovered his head. The reply was that he was unknown; had been there two days, driven in by the storm. Asked to describe him, the description was that of Hunter.

The Vigilantes then went to the bed, and allying a firm hand on the sleeper, gripped the revolvers held by him in his hand beneath the bedclothes. “Bill Hunter” was called upon to arise and behold grim men with guns leveled at his head. He asked to be taken to Virginia City, but he soon found a shorter road lay before him. Two miles from the cabin they halted beneath a tree with a branch over which a rope could be thrown, and a spur to which the end could be fastened. Scraping away a foot of snow, they built a fire and cooked their breakfast. After breakfast they consulted and took a vote as to the disposition of the prisoner. That vote determined upon instant execution. The perils of the long tramp over the mountain divide, the crossing of the icy stream, the small force involved in his capture, and the certainty of an attempt at rescue when his capture became known to his accomplices, all rendered this necessary. The long catalogue of crimes he had committed was read to him, and he was asked to plead any extenuating circumstances in his own behalf. There were none, and he remained silent. He had once been an honest, hard working man, and was believed to be an upright citizen. In an evil hour he joined his fortunes with the wicked band that had likewise perished on the scaffold. His sole request was that his friend in the States should not be informed of the manner of his death.

Thus died the last of Plummer's famous band of outlaws, executing in his last moments the pantomime of grasping an imaginary pistol, cocking it, and discharging in rapid succession its six ghostly barrels.

Added July, 2005

John W. Clampitt wrote this article for Harper's Monthly Magazine, Volume 83, Issue 495, August, 1891

Bannack Gallows, courtesy Bannack State Park

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List of Old West Vigilantes

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