VIGILANCE COMMITTEE IN MONTANA TERRITORY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 145, 11 February 1876, Page 15

VIG ILANCE COMMITTEE IN MONTANA TERRITORY.

The Virginia City (Montana) Letter of ' Learenworth (Kan.) Commercial,' says : " A few rods south of Helena and just west of the present overland stage road where it crosses Dry Gulch, and directly in the gulch, there stands a venerable pine, whose massive lower branches of weird and fastastic growth extend twenty feet or more from the gnarled and moss-covered trunk. Years since it lost its foliage, and now it is gradually yielding to decay, and ere lon«- a clod of vegetable mould will alone remain to mark the site of the famous Hangman's Tree. Could the old pine speak, what tales it could tell ! but perhaps 'tis best that speech is not given, and that with the life of the old tree should pass the recoDection of those early days when forbearance having ceased to be a virtue, a short shrift and hempen cord became necessary to rid the country of the desperadoes that infested it, and thus secure long needed protectection to life and property of honest citizens. In 1862, 1863 and 186 i, Virginia City and Bannock were the head-quarters of Henry Plummer's noted band of highwaymen and cutthroats. Plumnier secured an appointment as sheriff, and then made his cutthroat lieutenants his deputies. For a time this arrangement worked admirably for the roughs, as they could rob and murder with impunity. After they had killed 120 citizens, and plundered stages express shipments and private individuals until no one felt safe or dared to leave with or send money or dust out of the country— and any one who dared to denim- to this order of things or suggest that the robbers were others than honest and perfect gentlemen did so at the imminent peril of his life— it occurred to a few resolute men that it was time for a change, and, quietly conferring with each other, an organization Avas soon effected, including several hundred of the best men in Virginia, Bannock and Helena. Layin<* their plans catiously but well, and executing them promply, they°meted out merited justice to 29 of the rumians, including Plummer and all known members of his band, all of whom wore made to " dance upon nothing at the end of a rope-" Five of them were hanged at one time from a cross beam in an unfinished storeroom, adjoinuv the building in which your correspondent writes this communication. These executions ended the reign of terror, and since then peace an<.l quiet hag been the rule in Montana,