history justice began time remote eastern activities continued somewhat sporadically period territory state montana arose territorial law enforcement courts little power remote mining camps territorial period followed model existed 1850s california bring order communities gold fields creek estimates persons killed road agent fall organized december weeks road agents infamous gang known captured hanged organization formal territorial law reached late arrival territorial judge activity ceased region gold fields declined fortune migrated newly discovered areas chance montana increased justice continued formation period alleged criminals executed central resorted justice deal cattle horse thieves best known group area stuart organized region formal law enforcement prevalent region fell decline pre territorial territorial montana written chronicled personal memoirs biographies documentary scholarly works film fiction century book published montana edition montana compiled series newspaper articles wrote historical analysis period ranges heroism debates lack functioning justice system understanding process time meant acted way thought best communities modern standards process govern analysis actions july gold discovered tributary remote eastern leading establishment town gold rush territorial capital brief period territory established year find gold discovered tributary creek northeast lies miles east find largest mining gold fields western mining settlements montana sprang boasted thousands fortune end new settlements generally lacked justice systems found populated portions territory territorial capital idaho gold preferred form currency western frontier communities value fixed guaranteed economic transactions western mining communities accomplished gold dust currency surprisingly gold wealth possessed early years territory secure way transport wealth region means transporting wealth gold fields horseback slow moving wagons limited number trails primitive roads leading south west salt_lake_city san_francisco east minnesota roads trails leading included connecting east road points west montana head navigation points south additionally single track mile stage road connected commercial freight passenger stage companies operated route stop different trip water change horses feed passengers provide overnight lodging ranch owned later hanged road agents members gang road agents gang region valuable gold plentiful transportation insecure effective law order lacking travelers easy prey late murders routes common writings estimated travelers killed fall travelers left region heard frequent occurrence locals began crimes carried single group known road agents control sheriff gang known innocent notorious attempted murders october killed road agent idaho merchant leaving gold dust goods sold men hired accompany idaho fact criminals men party murdered camp october stage robbed ranch road agents believed owner ranch joined stage ranch robbery road agents gold passengers threatened death talked robbery november teenage employ locate horses owned near horse prairie confronted armed road agents carrying little money allowed depart warning talked killed warning told wife recognized road agents sheriff report discounted respected incident led increased suspicion region leader gang road agents november stage robbed way road agents whiskey bill graves robbery gold treasury notes victims mistake reporting robbery identifying road agents members gang confronted return trip avoid injury death november traveled montana gold dust buy cattle conversation led believe robbed trail overnight camp associates located road agents dutch john wagner surveying camp armed day later horseback returning wagner gave chase horse proved faster evaded confrontation reaching safety early december wagon freight outfit organized going salt_lake_city seven passengers freight wagons carrying gold dust treasury notes camped deer creek road agents dutch john wagner entered camp armed ready rob train members camp armed wagner able escape claiming looking lost horses days later wagner wounded unsuccessful attempt rob wagon train crossed december later executive named taking sell survived attempted robbery murder road agents recognized discovered carrying significant wealth tried shoot able avoid shot escaped brush failure miners courts prior creation arrival territorial courts court system available residents informal miners courts miners courts vehicle organized mining districts resolve mining claims disputes miners district confronted major crime murder usually proved ineffective resolving crime satisfaction community accounts early courts probably short existence recalled murder trial miners court memoirs trial recalled occurred fall concerned matter murder trial held outside fact resident took end defendants set free freed gave sentimental speech mother convicted set men executed state montana public hanging friends convinced crowd vote execution attempts counting vote according people voting hang walk hill voting hang walk hill vote rejected attempt men form gates people cast vote walking hang gate hang gate claims friends condemned men simply walked hang gate multiple times casting multiple fraudulent votes possibly allowed murderers walk free december public trial held suspected murderer young dutch immigrant hundreds miners area attended day outdoor trial prosecuted convicted hanged december played prominent role montana history eventually senator montana territory gained trial resulted execution residents frustrated process easily manipulated sentiment illustrated quote wrote published account originally written series articles later compiled book powerful incentive wrong absolute civil law cases matter proof criminal liked community guilty certain verdict despite efforts judge prosecutor formation committee december days trial group residents led including major captain organized committee organized similar earlier california organizers familiar original committee oath signed earliest members uniting party sic arresting sic murderers recovering sic property pledge sacred honor swear reveal secrets violate laws right desert standard justice help god witness hand seal december elected president committee drafted adopted comprehensive set laws establishing formal structure process laws established position president executive officer executive committee secretary treasurer positions captains companies relevant process contained laws shall duty members attach company criminal act shall come knowledge inform captain lieutenant officers informed shall members company company chosen committee purpose shall proceed investigate case facts said company conclude person charged offense punished committee captain lieutenant steps arrest criminal report proof chief meeting judgement shall final punishment shall inflicted committee death prominent members committee started small secret institution knowledge soon spread territory membership grew secret organization exact accounts membership vary members prominent history territory state members include 1st senator montana governor famous cattle drive texas prominent merchant founder montana national park superintendent brother form discovered gold alleged murderer editor montana newspaper author montana secret nature organization difficult sure execution carried committee group motivated citizens months following trial suspected road agents hanged notably sheriff suspected road agents montana hanged men testimony men faced imminent executions sole evidence accounts early actions complete little information secret trials conducted estimates vary noted historian believes years people killed actions justice course approximately weeks december february companies located arrested executed suspected members road agent gang montana shortly formation dispatched men search whiskey bill graves known associates led captain man investigated murder near ranch located red suspected road agents traveling complete confession naming majority road agents gang including obtaining confession brown found guilty hanged tree ranch january dutch john wagner road agent wounded moody robbery captured captain salt_lake_city trail transported hanged january time confession mobilized key associates deputies ray arrested morning january hanged january joe road agent list located cabin outside ensued took life cabin bombarded shells mountain belonging bombardment severely wounded shot killed removed wreckage cabin wagner execution january men returned deal remaining road agents gang evening january committee voted arrest hang road agents believed living morning january road agents located town arrested hanged beam building construction wallace street escaped capture later arrested cabin hanged tree february january companies left search remaining road agents list located cabin hanged january led captain williams found ranch hanged january hell gate execution companies mile ride hell gate montana believed road agents hiding hell gate captain william company located arrested trial skinner carter held dry goods store january men found guilty hanged outside store later day cooper tried convicted hanged january located cabin outside hell gate cabin brought hell gate hanged hanged outside cabin captured companies leaving hell gate return received word whiskey bill graves montana located arrested january hanged day known road agents executed sheriff executed january red road agent messenger executed january road agent gang secretary executed january dutch john wagner road agent executed january executed january executed january joe road agent shot killed january road agent executed january helm road agent executed january road agent executed january george lane road agent executed january road agent executed january road agent executed near january road agent executed january road agent executed january road agent executed january road agent executed january road agent executed january road agent executed january whiskey bill graves road agent executed near january road agent executed february executions unknown year old boy hanged february shooting unarmed man tavern convicted murders hanged march based testimony page executed march hanged drunken behavior peace reckless gun play endangered communities citizens hanged june shooting man near present day jackson montana series petty hanged september september hanged stealing roommate october captured hanged alleged behalf road agent gang execution performed escapes tactic employed territory unknown men given warning leave territory suffer execution merchant time believed number high wrote autobiography alexander don think mistake hanging anybody mistake percent merely banished hung instead number men finally hung road agents gang list able escape justice fleeing territory notable men moore bob big hole establishment territorial law summer lawyer ohio working working formation committee formally appointed chief justice arrived montana october prior session convened december announced adopting primary criminal civil law basis criminal civil procedure december convened public grand jury session announced served purpose day forward actions considered criminal acts july found gold small creek named chance word strike spread area fortune including migrated town montana founded middle prominent including moved territory formed judicial districts established district belonged judge included towns district encompassed towns july august justice system miners court district chief judge august judge arrived east june men unresolved quarrel days salt_lake_city spotted saloon bridge street shot head killing instantly surrendered sheriff freely admitted guilt shooting day trial ensued members jury known official trial judge respected member community presided end trial jury returned unanimous guilty verdict hanged lone pine tree outside town large tree remained proximity cut lumber known old tree trial execution considered community similar community felt need establish reliable means law order justice followed pattern similar immediately hanging leading members community established akin records committee membership exist asked lead organization declined serve executive committee reflected book days ways crimes horse stealing murder highway robbery death july captured montana charged crimes robbery prior execution hanging tree confessed member road agents dozen murders territory shortly judge arrival convened grand jury august unlike judge remarks threaten prosecution continued activities showed little respect court proceeded carry executions months member indicted grand jury executions carried execution occurred april hanged old tree robbery attempted murder double hanging significant photographed time image widely circulated effect seriously public sentiment 1870s montana experiencing montana historian described sort allen claims reputation summary executions linked discovery gold drew camp followers montana reducing sector population closely associated crime associations 1870s cattle related livestock raising large prosperous business montana cattle horses valuable subject thieves threat indian wars diminished plains montana stock open range cattle moved east central eastern montana ranch owned established region largest open range montana association montana formed association established discuss branding standards deal influence territorial legislature pass laws favorable cattle industry association survive led creation organizations subsequent years organized prominent members need action territorial legislature enact laws protect cattle industry legislators protection shall compelled wishes judges proper penalty commission infringement rights property july formed ultimately spawned number small county district based associations montana value cattle montana estimated greater million annual losses exceeded percent summer cattle men resorted deal recorded hanging occurred july ranch ranch hands hanged horse stuart hanging citizen justice early july prompted thieves leave territory large band horse thieves operated region approval associations organized small intelligence network mobilized forces thieves group included stuart ranch hands stock detectives employed stock associations known stuart responsible recovery dozens stolen horses deaths thieves july hanging fire hanging occurred august july later 26th president united_states operating cattle ranch little missouri river cooperation cattle merchant ranch suffering roosevelt offered services stuart declined offer avoid notoriety bring point forward stock detectives employed stock associations took responsibility enforcing stock laws minor public outrage killings stuart brought trial actions editorials regional newspapers praised efforts general actions reflected election president late july numerical symbol long associated montana meaning unclear theories forward trying explain conclusive including references dimensions grave time leave town symbolism details membership structure simple copying symbol organizations colorado california associated supported historical evidence documented evidence use symbol scenario occurred november mentioned newspaper article noted simply meeting notice incorporated uniform patch administrator designed insignia explained chose symbol alive memory people police force historiography written account montana appeared series articles editions montana newspaper member editor early accounts events widely cited book version articles book published montana territory extensively reprinted edition value work lies fact volume series articles paper exactly truth fiction stranger romance old west succeeded echoing like authenticity statement fact fiction moment history folk imagination tales saga wrote activities personal journals weren available death daughter law finally got published member explorer upper superintendent territorial tax collector author published returned home minnesota speech western historian provided positive commentary tribute life domination hung banished crime actually swiftly punished life property rendered safe society rescued state anarchy best citizens territory happily introduction days ways valuable chronicle time treats presented statement facts arguments methods honest forceful convincing open mind honor praise instead adverse criticism men necessary account published justice edited son montana action stems association captain late 1800s wrote extensively stories add intimate details operated captured volume activities period criticized citizens civic leaders general purpose contribution law order growing territory montana gold guns concludes given environment criminal activity time lack functioning justice system understanding process time acted way thought best communities contends judging today understanding standards process problematic justice book work kind examines western history substantive procedural constitutional law role lawyers judges ultimately played restoring credible system criminal justice region end decade universities publish books survive rigorous peer reviews historian historians reviewed manuscript book best work montana likely years come describes book having careful judicial approach written knowledge work area like journalist historian published decent orderly reviewed day balanced account montana history allen book motivations methods earliest commenting growing disdain late 1860s works montana history adequately period largely based earlier accounts additionally histories montana novelist montana historian montana cover period works published late 20th century activity portray leaders conspirators political motives restoring law order making argument victims afforded process prior execution evidence insufficient prove guilt innocence works hanging sheriff biography montana hanging criticized received poor reviews montana historians additional criticism came later authors hanging salt_lake_city utah isbn hanging sheriff radically portrait sheriff effectively challenged conventional justification montana authors reject defenders assertion reign terror necessitated formation committee bring law order area law established miners court election arrival judge september second alleged leadership road agents based accusation montana hanging history west publishing history movement claims road agents victims plot struggle power factions favoring north favoring south cooperation strong confederate union abolitionist leadership union died shouting account writes contends national politics dealing criminals contends abraham_lincoln sought ways rid montana gold fields confederate views novelist mock trial pardon request montana public schools organized mock trial courthouse trial received national media attention adults students role played events accounts hour trial jury men women student playing role told free based notoriety mock trial academics sympathetic view innocent petitioned grant pardon supported number prominent historians scholars pardon denied board actually convicted crime montana board jurisdiction act montana media literature novel depicts sheriff cold calculating murderer thief played episode 1950s western television series stories century starring narrated western film starring classic western movie corrupt sheriff hero falls beautiful woman episode series overland trail montana aired april april nbc series character hired false professor played seek gold member gang escaped prison american western action film starring portrays retribution 1880s eastern montana god montana charleston publishing isbn historical fiction novel set montana little quiet men story cowboy known stuart war montana isbn historical fiction novel scottish folk act david band wrote song story called song released eponymous debut album song written viewpoint member community reservation alleged crimes
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