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Sheriff
Henry Plummer was hanged from the very
gallows that he, himself had built earlier in the year.
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Built by Sheriff
Henry Plummer, the gallows
in
Bannack,
Montana
were actually used for only a little over a year, during which time five
men were hanged, including John Peter Horan, R.C. "Peg Leg" Rawley,
Sheriff
Henry Plummer, himself, and
his two deputies, Ned Ray and
Buck Stinson.
August 19, 1863 was a busy day in flourishing
mining camp of
Bannack.
When John Peter Horan killed his partner, a man named Lawrence Keeley,
justice was swift and a judge and jury were quickly put together. After a
quick trial, Horan was sentenced to die for the premeditated murder and
the
court instructed
Sheriff Plummer to build a
set of gallows and hang Horan.
Sheriff Plummer quickly
complied, building the simple hanging structure and executing Horan at the
end of the rope. Afterwards,
Plummer was tasked with
administering Horan's estate, which consisted of a few mining claims, a
third interest in a log cabin, eight sluices, and some mining equipment.
The sheriff was so effecient in his duties, it caused one resident to
comment that the "area crime appeared to be played out."
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