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 23
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 23
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 23
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 23
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 23
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7
Journey to Salt Lake.
The circumstance of Plummer's departure, and the presence in town of Stinson and Ray, so wrought upon the fears of our friends for our safety, that it was not without much persuasion that they would permit us to undertake the journey. We were satisfied, however, that, go when we might, we should have to incur the same risk. As a precautionary measure, I carefully cleaned my gun, and loaded each barrel with twelve revolver balls. George Dart, a friend, observing this, asked why I was filling my gun so full of lead. I replied that we were fearful of an attack, and that the indications were that it would be made that night, if at all. Some of our friends endeavored to persuade us to defer our journey till a more favorable time. This we would have done had we not believed that the risk would have to be incurred whenever we took our departure. At the hour of five we were not ready, but the Mormon teamster was prevailed upon to wait for us two hours longer.
Just after seven o'clock, and as we were putting our provisions which we had prepared for our journey in the wagon, Henry Tilden, a member of the household of Sidney Edgerton, then chief justice of Idaho, came in with the report that he had been robbed about midway on his ride from
8
Journey to Salt Lake.
Horse Prairie, by three men, one of whom he thought was Plummer. This created much excitement ; and if our friends had not supposed that we had already left town, we would probably have been forcibly detained.
Either our failure to appear at the time at which our appointment to leave at five o'clock justified him in expecting us, or the belief that Tilden had circulated the news of his robbery, and thereby delayed our departure, caused Plum- mer to return by a circuitous route to town. He inquired for me at my boarding-house, and being told that both Hauser and I had gone, left town immediately in hot pursuit.
In the wagon with us was one Charles White- head, a gambler, who had made arrangements with another of the Mormon teamsters for con- veyance to Salt Lake City; but having some business to detain him in town, he availed himself of the circumstance of our late departure, to give it attention. I had frequently seen him in town, but knew nothing about him, save that he was a professional gambler. He might, I thought, belong to the gang and be in some way connected with their present enterprise, and we kept a close watch upon his movements. We rode with our guns double-charged and cocked, lying upon our
9
Journey to Salt Lake.
laps. It was after eleven o'clock when we reached the camp of the advance party. The night was clear and cold; the atmosphere crisp with frost. Whitehead, who had sent his blankets forward by the other teams, found that they had been appro- priated by one of the teamsters, who had con- cluded that we had delayed our departure from town till the following morning. As he was in delicate health, I gave him my place with Hauser in the wagon, and taking a buffalo robe, stretched myself upon the ground beside the wagon.
I could not sleep for the cold, and about three o'clock in the morning, thoroughly chilled, I arose, took my gun in my hand, and walked briskly back and forth before the camp. Finding that this exercise did not greatly increase my comfort, I went down to the bank of the creek thirty yards distant and commenced gathering dry willows to make a fire. While thus employed I strayed down the stream about twenty rods from the camp. Suddenly I heard a confused murmur of voices, which at first I thought came from the camp, but, while walking towards it, found that it was from a different direction. Curiosity now overcame all thought of cold. I dropped the armful of sticks I had gathered, and carefully disentangling the little copse of willows which
10
Journey to Salt Lake.
sheltered me from view, peered through, and saw in the dim moonlight three footmen approaching on the other side of the stream. The thought struck me that they might be campers in search of horses or mules that had strayed. I walked noiselessly down the stream, to a point where I could obtain through a vista an unobstructed view, my trusty gun held firmly in the hollow of my hand. The three men approached the open- ing through which I was gazing, and I now dis- covered that their features were concealed by loosely flowing masks. I no longer doubted their identity or purpose. Some little noise that I made attracted their attention to the spot where I was standing. They saw me, and, perceiving that I had recognized them, changed their course, and disappeared beyond a clump of willows.
My first impulse was now to return to camp, and arouse the men, but I concluded not to do so unless it became necessary. One of the Mormons, as I passed by him, roused himself sufficiently to ask me why I was up so early. I replied that I. was watching for prowlers. In a few moments I returned to the bank of the creek, and followed it down thirty or forty rods, till I came to a ripple where the water was not more than six inches deep. Stepping into the stream, I waded noise-
11
Journey to Salt Lake.
lessly across. The opposite bank was about two feet high, and covered with a willow thicket thirty feet in width. Through this I crawled to the opening beyond, where was the moist bed of a former stream, its banks lined with willows; and in this half-enclosed semicircle, not fifty feet dis- tant from where I was lying, stood four masked men. One of them had been holding the horses
four in number - while the others were taking observations of our camp. After a brief consulta- tion, they hurriedly mounted their horses, and rode rapidly off towards Bannack. These men we afterwards ascertained were Plummer, Stinson, Ray, and Ives. The fortunate change in my lodg- ings, and the coldness of the weather, and conse- quent sleeplessness, saved us from an attack whose consequences may be better imagined than de- scribed. We made the journey to Salt Lake City in safety ; but from the frequent inquiries made of us while there, concerning others who had at- tempted it before us, we concluded that many had fallen victims who left the mines with better pros- pects of escape than those which encouraged us. It was the common custom of Mormon freighters to extend their day's journeying far into the even- ing. Plummer was cognizant of this fact, and there can be no doubt that his purpose in present-
12
Journey to Salt Lake.
ing Hauser with the scarf was, that he might single him out from the rest of the party after nightfall. It is a coincidence that Plummer was hanged on the succeeding anniversary of Hauser's birthday, January 10, 1864.
Our trip of fifteen days, with the thermometer ranging from zero to twenty degrees below, was not unrelieved by occasional incidents which we recall with pleasure. Among these, of course, we cannot include the cold nights we were obliged to pass upon the frozen earth. But we found an inexhaustible store of amusement, not unmingled with admiration, in the character of our Mormon conductors. Simple-hearted, affable, and unsophis- ticated, with bigot faith in their creed, studious observance of its requirements, and constant re- liance upon it both for assistance in difficulty and pastime, they afforded in all their actions a singu- lar contrast as well to the unregenerate Gentiles, as to the believers among older sects. They were not only sincere in their belief, they were enthu- siastic. It was the single element which governed their lives : they idolized it, and neither reason, which they at once rejected, nor ridicule, which they silently abhorred, could shake their religious credulity. We engaged in frequent discussions with them, prolonging the evening camp-fire sit-
13
Journey to Salt Lake.
tings with arguments which broke like the waves of a summer sea upon the rock of simple faith. Theology with them was restricted to the revela- tions of Joseph Smith, and the counsels of Brig- ham Young. These contained the precious ele- ments of their belief.
While passing over one of the divides, I re- cited to Hauser with such marked emphasis as I could command, Milton's description of "The meeting of Satan and Death at the gates of Hell." The stirring passage immediately absorbed the attention of our Mormon driver. The serious cast of his features during the recitation attracted our attention ; and soon after we had camped for the night, while supper was in the course of prep- aration, he was heard to remark to a brother teamster, -
" I tell you, the youngest of those men in my wagon, the one that always carries that double- barrelled shot-gun, is a powerful talker. I heard him harangue t'other one to-day for half an hour, and he talked mighty fine. He can overlay Orson Hyde and Parley Pratt, both, and I rather think it would trouble Brigham Young to say nicer things. And after all, he had pretty much the same ideas that we have." Evidently, the man had regarded the recitation and its delivery, as an impromptu exercise.
14
Journey to Salt Lake.
When the labor of the day was over, and they were seated around the evening camp-fire, their thoughts were engrossed with matters appertain- ing to their religion. Temporal cares were seem- ingly forgotten. Fully instructed in the doctrinal points of their faith, they readily met and disposed of our arguments upon principles familiar to all Christian denominations. The golden plates of the book of Mormon, the inspirational powers of Joseph Smith, the transforming virtues of the Urim and Thummim, were as sacred in their creed as the miracles of the Saviour. No argu- ment could shake their confidence in Brigham Young, whom they regarded as the vicegerent of the Almighty himself. This belief was sanctified by an immutable promise, that the time would come when the Mormon religion would embrace the whole family of man. When we spoke lightly of these things, or expressed doubt con- cerning them, they reproved us kindly, and ex- pressed their regret at our stubbornness and impiety. These discussions, which were frequent, and indulged in more for pastime than instruc- tion, convinced us of the sincerity of the Mor- mons as a people. They believe with enthusiasm too, and among them may doubtless be found many who would suffer martyrdom as readily as
15
Journey to Salt Lake.
did Ridley and Latimer, for the precious promises of their faith. Often when not occupied in dis- cussion, they would all join in singing a religious hymn. A verse from the one which most fre- quently taxed their vocal powers, I well remem- ber :
"Brigham Young is the Lion of the Lord. He's the Prophet and revealer of his word. He's the mouth-piece of God unto all mankind, And he rules by the power of the Word."
Sometimes they would unite in a household song - the leader, representing the head of the family, commencing, -
" The Mormon man delights to see His Mormon family all agree; His prattling infant on his knee, Crying, ' Daddy, I'm a Mormon.'"
Then all would join in the chorus, as the repre- sentatives of the female part of the household, --
"Hey, the happy! Ho, the happy ! Hi, the happy Mormon! I've never known what sorrow is, Since I became a Mormon; "
occasionally varying it thus, -
"Hey, the happy! Ho, the happy! Hi, the happy Mormon ! I never knew what joy was Till I beeame a Mormon;"
16
Journey to Salt Lake.
the word joy being divided in the singing to jaw-wy, to accommodate the metre.
On the evening of the day before we entered the Mormon settlements, the leading man of the company beckoned me aside, and referred to our trip down, which he said had been a pleasant one.
" We have had," said he, " some warm discus- sions about our religion, and you gentlemen, as our boys think, have been rather hard on us. But the journey is now about over, and we'll not mind it. I sought this opportunity, however, to give you a word of caution, for I feel friendly to you. While you are at Salt Lake City you mustn't talk as you have to us."
" Why ?" I inquired.
" Because they don't allow it. Were you eve at Salt Lake ? "
"No."
" Well, you'll find out when you get there how it is. They are very severe upon people who talk as you have talked to us. Should you do it, you may be assured you'll never leave the city alive. I thought I'd put you on your guard." As he left me, he added, -
" Don't say a word to the boys about what I've told you, but keep an eye to your conduct. If
17
Journey to Salt Lake.
the bishop knew I had told you this, it would go hard with me."
Thanking him for the advice, we soon after separated ; and on our arrival at Salt Lake City, a day or two afterwards, in conversation with a lead- ing Mormon with whom we had business, we told him of the advice we had received, without com- mitting our friend by name.
"That was good advice," he replied, with a significant nod, "and if adhered to will keep you out of trouble."
18
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
CHAPTER II.
COLONEL SANDERS AND GALLAGHER.
RUMORS OF SILVER LODE DISCOVERIES - PLUMMER LEAVES BANNACK FOR RATTLESNAKE - FOLLOWED BY COLONEL SANDERS - A RUSE-ARRIVAL OF JACK GALLAGHER -SEEKS A QUARREL WITH SANDERS - GOOD FEELING RESTORED IN THE USUAL WAY - SANDERS SUMMONED BACK TO BANNACK - ANXIETY FOR HIS SAFETY - HENRY TILDEN'S NARRATIVE - PLUMMER'S CRAFTINESS.
ON the day of the departure of Hauser and myself for Salt Lake City, as described in the preceding chapter, an episode occurred affecting Colonel Sanders, which illustrates in some degree the condition of society at that time.
During the day a number of young men of Bannack City, all known in the town, and some living there, saddled their horses and rode from saloon to saloon, indulging in drink, and other- wise busying themselves until about three o'clock P.M. Among these was Plummer.
Vague rumors had been extant for some time, that there were in this portion of Idaho (now
19
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
Montana), quartz lodes of silver; but none up to this time had been discovered, or, if discovered, the fact had not been made known publicly. A number of quartz lodes of gold of very consider- able value had been recorded, but they were considered in the popular mind as of secondary value. The "Comstock " lode was at this time pouring forth its treasures ; silver had not fallen under the ban which subsequently environed it, and there was a great eagerness on the part of miners and other citizens to acquire interests in silver mines.
It was apparent that the horsemen on the streets were making ready for some journey into the country, and it took but a moment to arouse suspicion that they knew where these reported silver mines were, and were going out to organize a mining district, and record the claims.
Col. Samuel McLean, the first delegate in Con- gress from Montana, who had an eager eye for mines, and an equally eager desire to obtain them, told Colonel Sanders that unquestionably the hope of these men was to record the silver mines already discovered, and was quite anxious that he should accompany the party.
In response to this request, Colonel Sanders volunteered to ascertain whether this was the
20
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
errand of this party or not, and at once proceeded to find Plummer, and interrogate him as to his destination.
Plummer professed to be on some errand for the public good - rescuing a herd of horses belonging to citizens, from Indian thieves, who, he said, would certainly make way with them, unless they were at once taken charge of by himself.
Colonel Sanders was incredulous as to this story, and so expressed himself to Mr. Plummer, saying that he was satisfied that the party were going to the new silver mines, with the purpose of staking them off and recording them. Plum- mer denied any such destination, or, at least, said if that was the intention of his colleagues, he had no knowledge of it, and that if such should turn out to be the case, contrary to his expectations, he would cheerfully secure for Colonel Sanders a claim. To this it was replied that his party might object to his securing a claim for an absentee, and the colonel expressed a purpose to accompany the party. Plummer cordially invited him to do so, probably knowing that there was not a horse in any of the stables in town that was obtainable for such a journey ; but suddenly reflecting upon the matter, he replied that there was no such er- rand in view, and if his comrades objected to his
21
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
obtaining a claim for Colonel Sanders because he was an absentee, he would very cheerfully convey his own to him, saying that he could obtain quartz lode claims whenever he so desired.
With this understanding, which Colonel San- ders sought to impress upon his mind so that he would not forget it, the party, in knots of two and four, left the town in an easterly direction towards the point where Plummer had stated they were going that evening, which was about fifteen miles distant, and where he said they would remain over-night at the ranche of Parish, Bunton and Co., on Rattlesnake creek, and the next morn- ing would proceed to obtain the horses that were in such danger of being stolen.
This ranche was perhaps the best known of any in the Beaverhead country at this time. Plum- mer himself had denounced its proprietors as cattle thieves, and had threatened to have them arrested for that high crime, but had never done so. At this particular time the senior member of the firm was sick with fever, and it was thought that he could not long survive.
The morning coach which had brought Plum- mer and the other passengers from Virginia City, had also brought one Dr. Palmer, a medical practitioner at Virginia City, who had been sent for to attend and treat the case of Mr. Parish.
22
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
The wife of Parish was a Bannaek squaw ; and Plummer had stated that he had examined Parish when at his ranche in the morning, and had con- cluded that he could not survive more than a day or two, and that, the instant he died, his wife would take all the horses belonging to parties for whom Parish, Bunton and Co. were keeping them, and would join her tribe on the west of the mountains near Fort Lemhi; and in order to save these horses for the owners, it was necessary that the sheriff should proceed to take them on general principles, and without any writ for that purpose.
Never doubting but that Plummer was relating the truth, the people of Bannack saw his party quietly elimb the eastern hill, and disappear over one of its declivities. A single member, delayed from some cause or other, lingered behind in the town.
After the party had left town, several gentle- men suggested to Colonel Sanders, that he should endeavor to overtake them, and volunteered to furnish a horse and saddle if he would do so, with a view to obtaining for himself and them- selves, if possible, some interest in the silver quartz mines which they believed would the next morning be staked off and recorded.
Colonel Sanders proceeded to his house, took
23
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
the inevitable accompaniments of a traveller, his blankets, robes, revolvers, etc., and returned to the town, where a somewhat diminutive mule, saddled and bridled and ready for the fray, was presented to him for his journey. Mounting the animal, he started on the trail of the party, who had one hour or more the start of him, on his way to Rattlesnake ranche, the property of Par- ish, Bunton and Co.
The mule at times was recalcitrant in the early part of the journey, but finally settled down and jogged along at a mild speed towards his desti- nation.
Tracks of the horsemen were plainly discernible in the road until he reached a point near the sum- mit of the range of mountains between the Grass- hopper and Rattlesnake, when they disappeared.
Upon arriving at the top of the hill, as is not unusual on the top of these mountain ranges, a snow storm burst upon the lone traveller, accom- panied by a high wind, and in half an hour the disintegrated granite in the road, which was dry, mixed with the snow so as to cause the mule to accumulate on his hoofs large quantities of the dust and snow, to such an extent as to make speed impossible, and travelling very difficult.
The colonel dismounted and drove his mule in
24
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
front of him, eight miles, to the ranche, where he confidently expected to find a good-natured, hila- rious crowd spending the evening. Judge of his surprise, when he entered the room, to find the only person in it was Erastus Yager, whose actual name not one in a thousand knew, but who was universally known as " Red." He was the Boni- face and major-domo of the place.
To the inquiry, " Where is Plummer ? " he re- plied that he was not there, and had not been there; and so, after reflecting a moment, the colonel had his mule put in the corral. He then sat down by the side of a very cheerful fire, made of the dry cottonwood obtainable not far distant, which blazed in a very ample fireplace such as in modern times is practically unknown, beguiling his disappointment as best he could.
Dr. Palmer was already asleep in the room, so the colonel unrolled his blankets, preparatory to making his bed on the floor, whereupon Yager invited him to sleep on the bed, a straw tick filled with swale grass, quite ample in its size, lying upon the floor in front of the fire; and, accept- ing this hospitable offer, he spread his blankets on the tick, and in a few moments had retired.
William Bunton, one of the proprietors of the establishment, appeared from the back room where
25
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
his partner lay ill, and retired also upon the straw tick, and shortly after, Yager followed suit, when the three, in one bed, were all soon in a sound sleep.
About two hours after they had retired, a bois- terous noise was made upon the door by some individual who was outside, who also hallooed as loud as he could for admittance.
Yager got out of bed and proceeded around to the back of the bar where the liquid refresh- ments, so called, were dispensed, and lighted a candle, and taking in his hands a large shot-gun which stood in the corner, started to the door and demanded to know who was there. After some hesitancy, he was told it was " Jack," whereupon he proceeded to take down the bar that was across the door, and so fastened at each end as to effect- ually serve the purpose of a lock. He then opened the door, and in stalked a member of Plummer's party, the one who had remained in town behind the rest, and known all over that mining country as " Jack " Gallagher.
He was in very ill-humor. He had been look- ing for his party, and had been disappointed in not finding them, finally seeking shelter from the storm at the Rattlesnake ranche.
He said the snow had so covered the road that
26
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
it could not be distinguished. He had been lost on the prairie and finally found the Rattlesnake. He said he had ridden up and down the valley a number of miles and failed to find the ranche. He complained that they had no light burning.
He said he was very hungry and that he wanted a drink. A bottle was set out for him, and he imbibed pretty freely once or twice. He then wanted something to eat without delay. He was informed that there was nothing to eat in the house, that the lady of the house had all she could do to take care of her husband, who was very ill and who would not probably recover, and that they were not prepared to entertain guests.
He expressed an entire indifference to the mis- fortunes of the household, and said he must have something to eat if it was no more than some bread, and became so importunate that Yager went to the back part of the house, and soon re- turned with a large tin pan partially filled with boiled beef. The pan was placed upon the bar, and Gallagher did ample justice to its contents, refreshing himself from time to time by frequent libations from the bottle of whiskey.
He told Yager that he could not stop all night, but must find his party. He thought it would be necessary for him to have a fresh horse, and he
27
Colonel Sanders and Gallagher.
wanted to trade a very excellent animal which he had ridden to the ranche for a fresh one.
Yager thereupon told him that he had no horse that he desired to trade, but Jack affirmed that he had, and furthermore insisted that he should ac- commodate him by trading.
Their wrangling had awakened Colonel Sanders, and also Mr. Bunton, who finally called Yager to the bedside and told him to trade off that horse of Oliver's that was in the corral, if Jack would have a horse trade.
The importunities of Gallagher for a fresh horse were continuous ; and finally Yager coyly confessed that they did have a horse in the corral, which was not such a horse as Gallagher wanted, and one that they did not desire to get rid of, being a favorite animal for riding, - not specially desirable for its speed, but for wonderful bottom, able to travel a hundred miles in a day, and after being turned out at night, it would be ready for a like journey the next day. In fact, it was so good a horse that Yager wanted it for his own use, and it was not for sale, - much less did he desire to trade it for as poor a horse as the one Gallagher had ridden there (which in truth was a very noble animal).
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