USA > Idaho > Vigilante days and ways : the pioneers of the Rockies, the makers and making of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, Vol. I > Part 20
USA > Montana > Vigilante days and ways : the pioneers of the Rockies, the makers and making of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, Vol. I > Part 20
USA > Oregon > Vigilante days and ways : the pioneers of the Rockies, the makers and making of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, Vol. I > Part 20
USA > Washington > Vigilante days and ways : the pioneers of the Rockies, the makers and making of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, Vol. I > Part 20
USA > Wyoming > Vigilante days and ways : the pioneers of the Rockies, the makers and making of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, Vol. I > Part 20
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Of the settlements in Alder gulch, Virginia City was the principal, though Nevada, two miles below, at one time was of nearly equal size and population. A stranger from the Eastern States entering the gulch for the first time, two or three months after its discovery, would be inspired by
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the scene and its associations with reflections of the most strange and novel character. This human hive, numbering at least ten thousand people, was the product of ninety days. Into it were crowded all the elements of a rough and active civilization. Thousands of cabins and tents and brush wakiups, thrown together in the roughest form, and scattered at random along the banks, and in the nooks of the hills, were seen on every hand. Every foot of the gulch, under the active manipulations of the miners, was under- going displacement, and it was already disfigured by huge heaps of gravel, which had been passed through the sluices, and rifled of their glittering contents. In the gulch itself all was activity. Some were removing the superincumbent earth to reach the pay-dirt, others who had accomplished that were gathering up the clay and gravel upon the surface of the bed-rock, while by others still it was thrown into the sluice boxes. This exhibi- tion of mining industry was twelve miles long. Gold was abundant, and every possible device was employed by the gamblers, the traders, the vile men and women that had come with the miners to the locality, to obtain it. Nearly every third cabin in the towns was a saloon where vile whiskey was peddled out for fifty cents a drink in
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gold dust. Many of these places were filled with gambling tables and gamblers, and the miner who was bold enough to enter one of them with his day's earnings in his pocket, seldom left until thoroughly fleeced. Hurdy-gurdy dance-houses were numerous, and there were plenty of camp beauties to patronize them. There too, the suc- cessful miner, lured by siren smiles, after an evening spent in dancing and carousing at his expense, steeped with liquor, would empty his purse into the lap of his charmer, for an hour of license in her arms. Not a day or night passed which did not yield its full fruition of fights, quarrels, wounds, or murders. The crack of the revolver was often heard above the merry notes of the violin. Street fights were frequent, and as no one knew when or where they would occur, every one was on his guard against a random shot.
Sunday was always a gala day. The miners then left their work and gathered about the pub- lic places in the towns. The stores were all open, the auctioneers specially eloquent on every corner in praise of their wares. Thousands of people crowded the thoroughfares, ready to rush in any direction of promised excitement. Horse-racing was among the most favored amusements. Prize
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rings were formed, and brawny men engaged at fisticuffs until their sight was lost and their bodies pommelled to a jelly, while hundreds of on-lookers cheered the victor. Hacks rattled to and fro between the several towns, freighted with drunken and rowdy humanity of both sexes. Citizens of acknowledged respectability often walked, more often perhaps rode side by side on horseback, with noted courtesans in open day through the crowded streets, and seemingly suf- fered no harm in reputation. Pistols flashed, bowie-knives flourished, and braggart oaths filled the air, as often as men's passions triumphed over their reason. This was indeed the reign of un- bridled license, and men who at first regarded it with disgust and terror, by constant exposure soon learned to become part of it, and forget that they had ever been aught else. All classes of society were represented at this general exhibition. Judges, lawyers, doctors, even clergymen, could not claim exemption. Culture and religion afforded feeble protection, where allurement and indulgence ruled the hour.
Underneath this exterior of recklessness, there was in the minds and hearts of the miners and business men of this society, a strong and abiding sense of justice, - and that saved the Territory.
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While they could enjoy what they called sport even to the very borders of crime, and indulge in many practices which in themselves were criminal, yet when any one was murdered, robbed, abused, or hurt, a feeling of resentment, a desire for retal- iation, animated all. With the ingathering of new men, fear of the roughs gradually wore away, - but the desire to escape responsibility, to acquire something and leave in peace, prevented any active measures for protection ; and so far as organization was concerned, the law and order citizens, though in the majority, were as much at sea as ever.
Previous to the organization of the Territory of Idaho on the 3d of March, 1863, all of that which is now Montana west of the Rocky Moun- tains, was part of Washington Territory, with Olympia on Puget Sound for a capital. All east thereof belonged to Dakota, the capital of which was Yankton on the Missouri, which by the near- est available route of travel, was two thousand two hundred miles distant. The existence of Bannack was not known there at that time, to say nothing of the impossibility of executing any Ter- ritorial laws, at such arm's-length, even if it had been. Our legal condition was not greatly improved by the organization of the new Territory
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of Idaho. Lewiston, the capital, was seven hun- dred miles away, on the western side of the moun- tains. Eighteen months had passed since we became part of that Territory, before we received an authentic copy of the Territorial Statutes, and when they came we had been half a year in Montana.
In August, 1863, D. S. Payne, the United States Marshal of Idaho, came over from Lewiston to Ban- nack, to district the eastern portion of the Terri- tory, and effect a party organization of the Repub- licans. Our people felt little interest in the meas- ure. Some of the leading citizens had requested some time before, that I should make application in person for them, at the next session of Congress, for a new Territorial organization, east of the Cœur D'Alene Mountains. Payne was urgent for a representation of this part of the Territory in the Legislative Council, and as an inducement for me to consent to the use of my name as a candidate, offered to appoint any person whom I might name, to the office of Deputy United States Marshal in the east side district.
A Union League had been for some time in existence in Bannack, of which I was President. I asked the advice of the members in making the appointment, first cautioning them to ballot
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secretly, as by that means those who otherwise would not support Plummer, who was known to be a candidate, would escape detection by him. Neither Mr. Rheem, the Vice-President of the League, nor myself, voted. The votes cast, about thirty in number, were unanimous for Plummer. Some one informed him of it. He expressed his gratification at the result, and told me that the confidence of the League in him should never be betrayed. I immediately informed him that he must not expect the appointment. He gave this reply a favorable interpretation, and even after it was repeated, turned upon his heel, laughing, and saying as he went, -
" It's all right, Langford. That's the way to talk it to outsiders."
Soon after this, in a conversation with Mr. Samuel T. Hauser, I informed him of the recom- mendation of the League. Hauser replied, -
" Whoever lives to see the gang of highway- men now infesting the country broken up, will find that Henry Plummer is at the head of it."
Amazed at the expression of an opinion so much stronger than my own, I at once decided to reject the advice of the League, rather than incur the responsibility of recommending so dangerous a person for the office. Plummer heard of it, and
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lost no time in asking an explanation, affecting to believe that I had promised to recommend him. We sat down upon an ox-shoeing frame, and talked over the whole matter. He had his pistol in his belt. I was unarmed. He said many pro- voking things, and used many oaths and epithets, in his attempt to provoke a quarrel, but all to no purpose. Finding that no excuse would be given him for a resort to violence, he arose, and as we parted, said, -
" Langford, you'll be sorry for this before the matter ends. I've always been your friend, but from this time on, I'm your enemy; and when I say this, I mean it in more ways than one."
These were the closing words of our last con- versation. We met afterwards, but never spoke.
During that fall I was engaged in purchasing lumber at Bannack to sell at Virginia City, where no sawmills had yet been put in operation. The business required frequent trips between the two places ; and the ride of seventy miles through a lonely country, whose surface alternated with cañons, ravines, foot-hills and mountains, afforded such ample opportunity for secret robbery and murder, that it required considerable ingenuity to throw the villains off the track. With the threat of Plummer hanging over me to be executed upon
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the first favorable opportunity, my position was by no means an enviable one. I would send forward the loaded teams, which were four days on the trip, and on the morning of the fourth would follow, mounted on a good horse, and arrive in Virginia City the same evening. On my arrival my horse was immediately put in charge of a rancher, or person who made the care of horses a specialty. He would send it with a herd to a convenient grass range, where it would feed in the care of herders night and day until wanted. Then it was brought into town and delivered at the office of the rancher. The order for a horse was given the night before it was wanted, in order to have the animal ready the following morning.
George Ives, who turned out to be one of the most desperate of the gang of robbers, was the rancher's clerk at Virginia City. Whenever appli- cation was made for a horse, unless the applicant was on his guard, Ives could, by a careless inquiry, learn his destination. By communicating this to his confederates, they could pursue and rob, or kill the rider without delay or suspicion. To escape this system of espionage it was my custom, when ready to leave for Bannack or elsewhere, to send an order by a friend to the rancher or Ives, request- ing him to let the bearer have the horse to go to
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some point in an opposite direction from the place of destination. The friend would receive and mount the horse, and ride out of town, beyond observation, where I would meet him and go on my way. Thirty journeys of this kind were safely made between Virginia City and Ban- nack during the fall, none, however, without the precaution of carrying a pair of revolvers in my cantinas, and a double-barrelled gun across my saddle.
During a brief stay in Omaha several years ago, I met with Dr. Levitt, who was a resident of Bannack while Plummer dwelt there. He related the following incident, which is repeated here, for the insight it affords of Plummer's malignancy.
" One night in October, 1863," said the doctor, "I was walking along the roadway of Main Street in Bannack. The moon, obscured by clouds, shed a dim light, by which I could see for a few yards quite distinctly. As I passed your boarding-house, my attention was attracted by a noise at my left. I stopped, and on close observation saw a dark object under the window. My curiosity was excited to know what it could be. Judge of my surprise on approaching it to behold a man with a revolver in his hand, on his knees at the window, peering into the room
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through a space of less than an inch between the curtain and the window casing. I watched him unobserved for some seconds. Disturbed by my approach, he sprang to his feet and darted around the corner of the building - but not so rapidly as to escape recognition.
"' Why, Plummer,' I exclaimed, 'what in the world are you doing there ?'
" Seeing that he was known, he came forward, laughing, and replied, -
"' I was trying to play a joke on my friend Langford. He and Gillette board here, and I heard their voices.'
" I was puzzled to conceive what sort of a joke he was playing with a loaded revolver, but thought I had better not be too curious to ascertain. Plummer accompanied me home. He said that you and he were great friends ; that you had done him many favors, and there was no person in the world he esteemed more highly. I thought nothing more of the matter, until I heard that Plummer had threatened your life for refusing to recommend his appointment as Deputy United States Marshal. I had no doubt then, and have none now, that he was trying to get a sight through the window for the purpose of shooting you. Your departure for Salt Lake a day or two
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after I heard of your difficulty with him pre- vented me from informing you of it at the time."
Miners and others who had worked out or sold their claims, were almost daily leaving the coun- try. Often it was known that they took with them large amounts of gold dust. Various were the devices for its concealment. On one occasion a small company contrived to escape plunder by packing their long, slim buckskin purses into an auger hole, bored in the end of their wagon tongue, and closing it so as to escape ob- servation. Others, less fortunate, lost, not their money only, but their lives, in some of the deso- late cañons on the long route to Salt Lake. Many left who were never afterwards heard of, and whose friends in the States wrote letters of inquiry to the Territory concerning them, years after they had gone. Whenever a robbery was contemplated which the freebooters supposed would be attended with unusual risk to them- selves, Plummer's presence was required to con- duct it. Knowing that his absence would excite suspicion, he arranged that for such occasions, he should be sent for, as an expert, to examine a silver lode. But few discoveries had at this time been made of this mineral, and Plummer's Ne- vada experience was thought to qualify him for
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determining its value with considerable accuracy. A rough-looking prospector, dressed for the pur- pose, would ride into town, exhibit his specimens, and urge Plummer, who feigned reluctance, to go with him and examine his discovery, promising him a claim as an inducement. Often would un- suspecting citizens offer to aid Plummer in any work he might then have on hand to enable him to go out, and, under pretence of examining a silver lode, superintend the commission of a dar- ing robbery. Sometimes this same object was accomplished by trumping up a charge against some imaginary delinquent, and obtaining a war- rant for his arrest from the miners' judge, which Plummer, as sheriff, rode away to execute.
The following is one instance of Plummer's method of obtaining recruits. He called upon Neil Howie in the fall of 1863, whom he found hard at work mining, but barely earning a sub- sistence.
" Neil," said he, " this is a hard way to get a living."
"I know it," replied Howie.
" I can tell you of an easier way."
" I'd like to know it."
"There are plenty of men making money in this country," said Plummer, " and we are entitled to a share of it."
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Doubtful as to his meaning, or whether he understood him aright, Howie regarded Plummer with a puzzled expression, making no reply.
" Come with me," said Plummer, "and you'll have all you want."
" You've picked up the wrong man," replied Howie.
" All right," said Plummer coolly. " I suppose you know enough to keep your mouth shut."
Howie remembered the fate of Dillingham, and heeded the admonition.
The placer at Alder gulch was immensely prolific. Probably its yield in gold dust was not less than ten millions of dollars before the close of the first year's work upon it. Money was abundant. Merchants and bankers were obliged to exercise great ingenuity and caution in keeping it, as there were no regular means for sending it out of the country. The only stage route was between Bannack and Virginia City, - and a stretch of unsettled country, four hundred and seventy-five miles in width, lay between the latter place and Salt Lake. There was no post-office in the Territory. Letters were brought from Salt Lake to Virginia City, first at a cost of two dol- lars and a half each, and later in the season at one dollar each. All money, at infinite risk, was
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sent to the nearest express office at Salt Lake by private hands. In order to gain intelligence of these occasional consignments, Plummer in- duced some of the leading merchants to employ members of his gang. When this could not be effected, they were occupied so near and on such familiar terms, that they could observe without suspicion all business operations, and give him early notice of the transmission of treasure.
Dance and Stuart commenced business in Virginia City in the fall of 1863, with a large stock of goods. George Lane, better known as " Clubfoot George," whose history in the Salmon river mines I have already given, came to them with a pitiful story of his misfortunes, and asked for a place in their store for his shoemaker's bench. Though cramped for their own accommo- dation, they made room for him: He commenced work, meantime watching all their business opera- tions, for the purpose of reporting when and by whom they sent money to their Eastern creditors.
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CHAPTER XXVII.
COACH ROBBERIES.
WEALTH OF ALDER GULCH - RETURN OF MINERS TO THE STATES - ADAPTATION OF THE COUNTRY TO ROBBERY - "BUMMER DAN" -HIS CLAIM - SALE OF IT AND RETURN TO VIRGINIA CITY - HIS RUSE TO ESCAPE ROBBERY A FAILURE - ATTACK UPON THE COACH - ROBBERY OF "BUMMER DAN," PERCY, AND MADISON - BILL BUNTON A STOOL-PIGEON - QUAR- REL OF JASON LUCE AND SAM BUNTON - LUCE KILLS SAM BUNTON IN SALT LAKE CITY - HIS TRIAL AND EXECUTION.
THE placer at Alder gulch was so extensive, so easy of development and so prolific, that many of the miners who commenced work upon it in the early days of its discovery, fortunate in their acquisitions, and disgusted with their associations, were ready to return to the States in the fall. Failing in this, they knew that they would be doomed to a long winter of idleness, exposed to the privations incident to a new and isolated region, and to the depredations of a large and increasing criminal population. The hegira, at
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first small, increased in numbers, so that by the first of November it could be numbered by hun- dreds, who were on their return to their old homes. Many - perhaps the greater portion - of those wayfarers travelled in the conveyances which brought them to the country; others on horseback ; and a large number leaving Virginia City on one of the two lines of coaches for Ban- nack, trusted to chance for an opportunity to con- tinue the journey beyond that place. How many of these persons fell victims to the road agents, on their long and perilous journey, it is impossible to tell; but the inquiries of relatives and friends for hundreds of them for months and even years after their departure, leave no chance for doubt that the villains drove a bloody and prosperous business.
Several of their most daring exploits occurred on the route between Virginia City and Bannack, a region admirably adapted to their purposes. Its frequent streams, cañons, mountain passes, rocky ledges, willow thickets, and deep embosomed valleys, afforded ample means of concealment, and advantages for attack upon passing trains, with very few chances for defence or escape. The robbers had their established points of rendezvous on the road, and worked in concert by a system
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of horseback telegraphy, as unfailing as electri- city. Whenever it was known that a person with money was about to leave by coach, a private mark was made upon the vehicle, which would be recognized wherever seen, at Daly's, Baker's, Dempsey's, or Bunton's, the several ranches where the coach horses were changed. Bunton, who kept the Rattlesnake ranche, was the same villain who was associated with Plummer in the shebangs near Walla Walla, of which an account has already been given.
When the approach of the coach was perceived at either of these changing stations, the herder in charge mounted his horse, and rode hurriedly off to drive up the horses for the next route, which were generally feeding in sight of the sta- tion. Sometimes they strayed off, and the coach would be delayed until they were found, but this was of infrequent occurrence. Precisely the same system was followed here as upon the plains in the days of the overland mail stages.
The horses in use when not of the cayuse breed, were bronchos, or wild horses from Cali- fornia, neither in quality nor breed suited for the service, unreliable, and easily broken down. They were driven very rapidly, and when their speed gave out were turned out as no longer
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fit for use. As a consequence it was one of the chief difficulties of a stage proprietor to secure horses which would insure the punctual- ity of his trips. The trip between Virginia City and Bannack was ordinarily completed between the rising and setting of the sun.
Among the miners earliest to arrive and stake a claim in Alder gulch, was an Irishman by the name of Daniel McFadden, who soon became familiarized to the sobriquet of "Bummer Dan." Why he was thus designated was never known, but it may be presumed that he early developed some of the peculiarities, which, in the opinion of the people, justified it. He was fortunate in securing one of the richest claims in the gulch, and, making good use of his time, had saved two thousand dollars or more in dust by the middle of October. Having sold his claim, with this gold in his possession, he made prepara- tions for a journey to Bannack. Securing it in buckskin purses, he put them in a larger bag, and by means of a strap across the shoulder, and a belt, contrived to conceal the treasure under his clothing, and carry it very conveniently. One raw, gusty day, toward the close of the month, he left Virginia City on foot, and walked down the valley to Dempsey's ranche, on the Stinking-
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water, where he waited the arrival of Peabody & Caldwell's coach on its way to Bannack.
Owing to the sickness of the driver, William Rumsey was pressed into the service for the trip, and the coach left Virginia City at the usual hour in the morning, with Messrs. Madison, Percy, and Wilkinson, as passengers. One of the heavy snowstorms peculiar to this season and latitude set in soon after the coach was under way, and continued during the drive of the first ten miles, rendering their progress slow and cumbersome. At Baker's ranche the passengers were obliged to wait until the herder, who had been housed during the storm, could drive up the horses. He returned after an hour's search with an indiffer- ent team, which was driven on a run to Demp- sey's ranche, to recover the time lost by the delay. Here " Bummer Dan " took passage, and the same speed was maintained to "Point of Rocks," the locality known in Lewis and Clarke's travels as Beaver Head Rock. The wearied horses gave place here to a fresher team, which continued on a keen run to Bunton's ranche on the Rat- tlesnake. It was now sunset, and yet twelve miles to Bannack. The herder who had brought up the horses for the change at the usual hour, finding that the coach did not arrive on time,
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had, under Bunton's orders, turned them out again, an hour before. Bunton pretended that he did not expect the coach. The herder was sent out immediately after the horses, and re- turned at dark with the report that he could not find them. Rumsey then requested " Little Frank," a Mexican boy in whom he had confidence, to go in search of the horses. He too soon returned with the report that they could not be found. This "Little Frank," a few weeks afterwards, told Rumsey that the horses were near at the time, but that before he started to look for them, Bunton told him that if he did not report them to be missing he would kill him.
A night with Bill Bunton was unavoidable, and the passengers at once determined to "make a night of it." Bunton entered into the spirit of the occasion with them. Whiskey was provided. They drank themselves hilarious, sang, related adventures, and caroused until daylight; but, to Bunton's disappointment, without becoming in- toxicated, and never forgetting, meantime, their exposure to robbery, or the convenience of a re- volver in the belt.
At daylight two herders were sent for the horses. One returned at eight o'clock, with the report that they could not be found. An hour
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afterwards the other brought in the same horses that came with the coach the previous evening. " Necessity knows no law," and so with a pair of these for leaders, and two worn-out wheelers, the coach was soon declared ready for a start. Just at this time, Oliver's coach from Bannack drove up, en route for Virginia City, and fresh drinks were called for. In the mean time a rough by the name of Bob Zachary, who was going to Bannack with a couple of horses, insisted that Wilkinson should bear him company and ride one of them. They departed on a canter in advance of the coach, and were soon out of sight. Bunton, who had been distributing liquor among the passengers of the coaches, and trying to make himself gener- ally agreeable, came out with the bottle and a tumbler to give Rumsey a drink.
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