The vigilantes of Montana; Or, popular justice in the Rocky Mountains: Being a correct and impartial narrative of the chase, trial, capture and execution of Henry Plummer's road agent band, together with accounts of the lives and crimes of many of the robbers and desperadoes, the whole being interspersed with sketches of life in the mining camps of the "Far West"Dimsdale, Thos. J. (Thomas Josiah)
History
The vigilantes of Montana; Or, popular justice in the Rocky Mountains: Being a correct and impartial narrative of the chase, trial, capture and execution of Henry Plummer's road agent band, together with accounts of the lives and crimes of many of the robbers and desperadoes, the whole being interspersed with sketches of life in the mining camps of the "Far West"
Dimsdale, Thos. J. (Thomas Josiah)
Criminals -- Montana; Frontier and pioneer life -- Montana; Montana -- History -- 19th century; Plummer, Henry Amos, -1864; Vigilance committees
They then demanded of Rumsey whether he had all; and on his answering
“Yes,” turning to Matteson the leader said, “Is that all you’ve got?”
“No,” said he, “there’s another in here.” He was holding up his hands
when he spoke, and he nudged the pocket with his elbow. The Road Agent
angrily ordered Rumsey to take it out, and not leave “Nothing.” He did
as he was bidden, and threw the purse on the ground, after which he
started for the coach, and had his foot on the hub of the wheel, when
the robbers yelled out, “Where are you going, you ----?” “To get on the
coach, you fool,” said the irate driver, “You’ve got all there is.” He
instantly retorted, “Go back there and get that big sack,” and added
pointing to Bummer Dan, “You’re the man we’re after. Get that strap off
your shoulder, you d----d Irish ----.” Bummer Dan had a strap over his
shoulder, fastened to a large purse, that went down into his pants. He
had thrown out two little sacks before.
Seeing that there was no chance of saving his money, he commenced
unbuckling the strap, and when Rumsey got to him he had it off. Billy
took hold of the tab to pull it out, but it would not come; whereupon
he let go and stepped back. Dan commenced to unbutton his pants, the
“Cap” ordering Rumsey to jerk it off, or he would shoot him in a
minute. While he was speaking, Rumsey saw that Dan had another strap
round his body, under his shirt. He stepped back again, saying, “You
fools! you’re not going to kill a man who is doing all he can for you.
Give him time.” They ordered him to hurry up, calling him “An awkward
----,” and telling him that they hadn’t any more time to lose. Dan had
by this time got the belt loose, and he handed Rumsey a big, fringed
bag, containing two other sacks. He received it, and tossed it beside
the pistols.
The Road Agents finished the proceedings by saying, “Get aboard, every
---- of you; and get out of this; and if we ever hear a word from one
of you, we’ll kill you surer than h--l.”
They all got aboard, with great promptitude, Bunton mounting beside the
driver, (he did not want to get inside then,) and commenced to whip
the horses, observing that that was a d----d hot place for him, and he
would get out of it as soon as he could. Rumsey saw, at a turn of the
road by looking over the coach, that the Road Agents had dismounted,
one holding the horses, while the other was picking up the plunder,
which amounted to about $2,800.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account