The Vigilantes Of Montana: Heroes or Outlaws?

The Old West is often depicted as a lawless frontier where justice was hard to come by. However, in the remote mountains of Montana, a group of courageous individuals known as the Vigilantes emerged to bring order and safety to their communities.

Rising Tensions and Lawlessness

In the mid-19th century, Montana was a land plagued by crime. The gold rush attracted prospectors from all over, creating booming towns that lacked proper law enforcement. As a result, criminal elements such as bandits and murderers thrived, striking fear into the hearts of innocent settlers.

The Vigilantes of Montana: Violence and Justice on the Frontier

by Nick van der Leek (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1674 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
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Print length	:	270 pages

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Law-abiding citizens grew tired of living in constant fear and decided to take matters into their own hands. They formed secret societies and banded together to protect their communities and bring justice to those who escaped punishment through the legal system. These secret groups became known as the Vigilantes.

Enter the Vigilantes

The Vigilantes operated in the shadows, living amongst the very people they sought to protect. They held secret meetings, planned their moves, and then struck swiftly and decisively when the time was right.

One notable Vigilante group was based in Virginia City, one of Montana's bustling mining towns. Known as the "Montana Vigilantes," they were made up of former lawmen and concerned citizens who took it upon themselves to ensure justice prevailed. They were driven by a strong sense of righteousness and a determination to create a safer environment for their families.

Justice Of The Rope

The Vigilantes operated outside the reach of the legal system, often resorting to a method they called "justice of the rope." When a criminal was caught, they would be given a hasty trial, often lasting only a few hours. If found guilty, they would face the ultimate punishment: hanging.

This swift form of justice was meant to send a clear message to would-be criminals that Montana was not a place to engage in unlawful activities. The Vigilantes became infamous for their use of the rope, a symbol of the consequences awaiting those who chose to exploit the innocence of others.

The Legacy and Controversy

The Vigilantes' actions undoubtedly led to a reduction in crime in Montana. Many pioneers in the region praised their efforts, claiming that without the Vigilantes, chaos would have consumed their settlements.

However, the Vigilantes' use of arbitrary justice also sparked controversy. Critics argue that their actions undermined the court system and denied individuals their right to a fair trial. Vigilante justice, they claim, erodes the very foundations of a just society.

Despite the controversy, the Vigilantes remain an intriguing part of Montana's history. They symbolize the struggles faced by early settlers and their desperate attempts to maintain law and order in the face of overwhelming adversity.

In

The Vigilantes of Montana were a group of brave individuals who took it upon themselves to fight crime and protect their communities. While their methods may be viewed as extreme by today's standards, their actions played a significant role in shaping Montana's history.

Whether they were heroes or outlaws is a matter of perspective. While some see them as defenders of justice, others believe their actions crossed moral and legal boundaries. Nonetheless, the Vigilantes left an enduring legacy, reminding us of the complexities of seeking justice in a lawless land.

The Vigilantes of Montana: Violence and Justice on the Frontier

by Nick van der Leek (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1674 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	270 pages

FREE

Is it lawful for citizens to slay robbers or murderers, when they catch them; or ought they to wait for policemen, where there are none, or put them in penitentiaries not yet erected?

On May 26, 1863, William Fairweather and a group of young men discovered gold in Alder Gulch, in the Ruby River valley, the U.S. state of Montana.

By late 1863 the remote gold fields and transportation links were rife with outlaws threatening and killing at will.

At the end of the year it was estimated that 102 travellers had been murdered.

As this became a more frequent occurrence locals began suspecting that these crimes were being carried out by a single group of outlaws, known as "road agents", under the control of Bannack sheriff Henry Plummer.

With law enforcement unable to cope or even actively joining the outlaw gang, citizens of this remote part of Montana took the law into their own hands and formed the Vigilance Committee.

Between January 4 and February 3, 1864, the vigilantes arrested and summarily executed at least 20 alleged members of Plummer's gang.

Thomas Dimsdale was there to witness it all.

Read here the gripping true account of popular justice in the Rocky Mountains.

His The Vigilantes of Montana first appeared as a series of articles in 1865 editions of the Montana Post, Virginia City's and Montana's first newspaper.

Thomas J. Dimsdale who died in 1866 was a member of the Alder Gulch Vigilance Committee and editor of the Montana Post. His early accounts of the Alder Gulch vigilante events are widely cited and the book version of his articles was published in Montana Territory in 1866.