Vigilante Days and Ways: The pioneers of the Rockies; the makers and making of Montana and IdahoLangford, Nathaniel Pitt
History
Vigilante Days and Ways: The pioneers of the Rockies; the makers and making of Montana and Idaho
Langford, Nathaniel Pitt
Frontier and pioneer life -- Northwestern States; Northwestern States -- History; Vigilance committees; West (U.S.) -- History
The roughs held Dance in great fear. To those qualities I have
mentioned, he added remarkable force of character. He was bold and
fearless in his expression of opinion, and they well understood that no
man in the settlement could wield a stronger influence over the minds of
the community, in support of law and order, and the prompt punishment of
crime.
Moore and Reeves had now returned. The storm of indignation, which had
driven them out, was succeeded by a calm of sluggish incertitude. The
prominent actors in that event, abandoned by those upon whose support
they had depended, were obliged to protect themselves as best they could
against the persecutions and bloody designs of their vindictive enemies.
No true spirit of reform had yet animated the people. When appealed to
for combination and resistance to the fearful power now growing into an
absolute and bloody dictatorship, they based their refusal upon selfish
and personal considerations. They could not act without endangering
their lives. They intended to leave the country as soon as their claims
were worked out. They would be driven from their claims, and robbed of
all they had taken from them, if they engaged in any active opposition
to the roughs; whereas, if they remained passive, and attended to their
own business, there was a chance for them to take their money back to
their families. It was impossible to assemble a meeting for the purpose
of considering and discussing, with safety, the condition and exposure
of the people.
Meantime the roughs were thoroughly organized, and were carrying out
their plans for wholesale plunder in every direction. Every day added to
the number and magnitude of their depredations. The Walla Walla express
had been robbed, as it afterwards appeared, by Plummer’s direction. An
attempt to rob the store of Higgins and Worden at Missoula would have
succeeded, had not the merchants been apprised of it, in time to conceal
their gold.
A man by the name of Davenport, who, it was known to the roughs, had a
little money in Bannack, left with his wife, intending to go to Benton,
and thence by steamboat to the States. They stopped to lunch at the
springs between Bannack and Rattlesnake. A man whose face was concealed,
came from behind a pile of rocks standing near, drew a revolver, and
presenting it, demanded their money.
[Illustration:
JUDGE WALTER B. DANCE
_Miners’ Judge at Bannack_
]
Mrs. Davenport asked,
“Who are you?”
He replied, “The Robber of the Glen.”
“Oh!” she said inquiringly, “are you Johnny Glenn?”
“No,” he answered, “I’m the Robber of the Glen, and want your money.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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