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About Dillon Tribune (Dillon, Mont.) 1989-current | View This Issue
Dillon Tribune (Dillon, Mont.), 06 Oct. 2004, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/2015269516/2004-10-06/ed-1/seq-22/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
Page B-4 - D iiio n Twin m . - Wednesday. October 6, 2004 Ruby Valley Book eyes vigilantes' past The famous Montana Vigilantes, who in 1864 hanged 21 troublemakers including a rogue sheriff, were justified in taking the law into their own hands. At first. Then it got ugly. So concludes Frederick Allen in a new book on the Montana Vigilantes. The problem, Allen asserts, was that Montana’s righteous hangmen refused to disband after federal courts began operating. Instead, they continued their ways in what became the deadliest campaign of vigi lante justice in American history. Eventually, they lynched more than fifty men, many of them in no way deserving of such punishment. In A Decent, Orderly Lynching: The Montana Vigilantes ($34.95, October), award-winning journalist and historian Frederick Allen cites fresh research to show how Montana’s founding fathers succumbed to power and continued to carry out extra-legal executions until 1870, six years after legitimate government was established in their territory. Taking his title from a Montana newspaper editor who openly advocated lynching as a tool of social control, Allen describes how the convenience of summary execution over whelmed the belief of many early settlers in trial by jury, presumption of innocence, and rule of law. To this day, Allen argues, the heroic legacy of the vigilantes unfairly idehtifies Montana as a place that tolerates scofflaws. With this book, Allen enters a contentious debate that has raged for years, especially over the guilt or innocence of rogue sheriff Henry Plummer, who was accused of mas terminding a string of stagecoach robberies that provoked the vigilantes into action. Determined to impose order in the gold camps of the Rocky Mountain foothills at a time when legal governance was hundreds of miles away, the Montana Vigilantes hanged Plummer and almost two dozen others suspected of participating in the robberies. Richard Maxwell Brown, Beekman Professor Emeritus of Northwest and Pacific History at the University of Or egon and an expert on Western vigilantism, praised Allen’s Chapter hosts range meet By Becca Hamler On Tuesday, September 21, the Ruby Valley FFA Chap ter hosted their 30th annual Ruby Valley Invitational (RVI) Livestock and Range Evaluation competition. The comple tion was held at the Ruby Oxbow Equestrian Center oper ated by Morris Land and at Neil Barnoskyis. More than 180 students participated in the judging event providing for an excellent event. Toys for Tots gets you into the games free Toys for Tots is getting underway again in the Ruby Valley, according to Tim Wall, coordinator of the project. Sponsored by American Legion Post 31 in conjunction with the U. S. Marine Corps, the drive begins at the homecoming football game with Granite County and the volleyball game with Gardiner on Saturday, October 9. Free admission to the game can be had by brining a new, unwrapped toy to either of the games. Collection sites for toys are also set at Three Rivers Cenex, McAlear's Pharmacy and Grocery and Sub Sand wich and Pizza. The Toys for Tots drive has been an annual event in the Ruby Valley for the past three years. Hospice plans training session FFA and 4-H members from as far away as Conrad com peted in rangeland evaluation and livestock judging. The rangeland evaluation portion of the contest was organized by Marni Thompson of the NRCS and featured tests on plant identification, stocking rates, soils evaluation and plant utilization. The livestock evaluation included judging of swine, beef heifers, breeding ewes, horses and wool as well as a class of bison provided by Dave Dixon and Snowcrest Ranch. Stu dents were also tested on their knowledge of the livestock industry and veterinary tool identification. The competition went very well and many students re ceived awards for their knowledge of range identification and livestock placing. The big winners of the day were the Park FFA Chapter in the range competition and the Cas cade FFA Chapter in Livestock. The competition also served as the Southwestern District competition and the Big Tim ber FFA, Park FFA and Ruby Valley FFA all claimed awards in the district-competition. The Ruby Valley FFA members, alumni, and parents made it possible for everyone to enjoy a great day of fun and learning. FFA state officers attended and helped present awards for the contest. A heartfelt thanks to all who pro vided time, energy, food and effort to make this another successful event. Valley Chorale starts practice The Ruby Valley Chorale will be starting practice on Oct. 13 at 8 pm at the Church of the Valley in Twin Bridges. The group will be practicing singing a Christmas Cantata for an anticipated performance on December 12. Prac tices will rotate between Twin Bridges and Sheridan and anyone interested in joining, singing and having a good time is welcome. For more information contact director Craig Ballou at 684-5623. A new training program for the Madison County Hos pice and its volunteers is slated to start soon. The Hospice, according to its mission statement, is to \work within Madison County to assist with the care and comfort and sup port of those families who desire to maintain critically or terminally ill family mem bers at home; make needed in-home hospice services available to a rural, underserved population and reduce end-of-life suffering and isolation.\ The organization formed two years ago,. Local volun teers, both with and without a medical background take part in the program, which has served families in Cardwell, Ennis, McAllister, Sheridan, Twin Bridges and Virginia City. The Madison County Vol unteer Hospice invites Madi son County residents to join its ranks. A training program for new volunteers will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 9, in the basement of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Virginia City. Current volunteers are also encouraged to come, as there will be opportunity to evaluate the past year’s ac tivities and discuss general needs for the upcoming year. The hospice holds monthly training sessions for its volunteers, with a wide range of services be ing covered. Some of those services include skilled nursing, per sonal care. resDite care and other family support ser vices, transportation and shopping, guidance and counseling, social services and bereavement services. Donita Powell of Ennis has recently accepted the part-time position of hospice coordinator. For more information about the organization, po tential volunteers or indi viduals in need of hospice care should contact her at 682-3100. Requests for hospice ser vices are handed in a strictly confidential manner. Ruby Valley Hospital ( 111^ Physical Therapy ( 406 ) 842-5081 Hands on Care of Your Muscles and Joints. Available Mon-Eri at Ruby Valley Hospital 220 E. Crofoot Sheridan. MT 59749-950R Tension Headaches - Sore Stressed Muscles - Back and Neck Care -Orthopedic and Sports Injuries Total Joint Rehabilitation - Chronic Pain. book, stating, “Rick Allen has given us the full-fledged book on the Montana vigilantes that has so long been needed. His primary-source research is a splendid achievement, replete with much new evidence missed or neglected by previous historians.’’ In a verdict that will comfort neither side, Allen con cludes that the vigilantes had just cause to fear Plummer but lacked enough evidence to have obtained a guilty ver dict in a modern American courtroom. Adding significant scholarship to Montana's “formative morality play,” Allen shows that at one point, there were actually two separate vigilance committees operating si multaneously. Their actions, he notes, fit the social fabric of a nation in turmoil from civil war. Allen’s penetrating character studies of the vigilante leaders will change textbook accounts of Montana’s founders, darkening the reputations of Governor Sidney Edgerton and chronicler Nathaniel Langford while polish ing the memory of others, notably Wilber Fisk Sanders and Francis Thompson. “For readers outside Montana,\ Allen said, “I think the story of the vigilantes has special relevance because it shows how experience in the frontier West so closely paral lels our current debates in the fight against terrorism. The vigilantes had to decide: Were they at war against an en emy who needed to be killed, or did they confront criminals who deserved capture, trial, and the protections of the courts? Today we are torn between two strong American traditions - the need to confront and defeat evil versus our instinct not to act like a bully.” Relying on 40 eyewitness accounts, some never before published, A Decent, Orderly Lynching creates a detailed narrative about the actions men take - and the troublesome consequences - when they find themselves beyond the protections of legal governance and in fear for their lives. Frederick Allen is a former political editor and colum nist with the Atlanta Constitution and commentator for CNN. His history of the Coca-Cola Company, Secret For mula, has been translated into seven languages. Atlanta Rising, his analysis of the forces that shaped modern At lanta, is taught at several colleges. He and his wife, Linda, divide their time between Atlanta and Bozeman, Montana. - A d Excavation /Sjccdn with Attention to Detail & Quality at A Fair Price. JDL CONSTRUCTION CO. 406-842-5112 • 401 S. Main • Sheridan, MT www.jdlconstruction.com Sen’ing Southwest Montana Since 1978 Besides your fine clothes our cleaning services include blankets, comforters, pillows and area rugs. MONDAY VIRGINIA CITY: Hank's Drug DILLON: The Mini Drop-Off Service TUESDAY ALOER: Last Chance Aldei Market SHERIDAN: Big Sky Western Wear TWIN BRIDGES: McAlears Pharmacy WHITEHALL: Janlyn s SILVER STAR: Granny's Country Store HARRISON: General Store JOHN'S WORDS OF WISDOM \Wash whites seperately. \ E N N IS 6 8 2 4 9 3 3 ^ OLD l / o ^ Rustic charm, Brilliant Cuisine...in Twin Bridges, Montana Announcing The Old Hotel's Fall & Winter Hours Starting Thursday, October 21, 2004 Thursdav-Saturdav Dinner 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday Brunch 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Reservations Highly Recommended Reduced Winter Rates & Packages will be Available for the Bed & Breakfast Thursday thru Sunday. 101 East 5th Ave. • Twin Bridges, MT (406) 684-5959 w w w .theoIdhotel.com Greater Ruby Valley Chamber o f Commerce & Agriculture A g A ppreciation D ay & H arvest F estival Thursday, O c tober 14th: E n ter H a r v e st C o n tests by Noon • Most well worn hat/coat at Big Sky Western Wear • Most used old ranch truck at McLeod (sponsored by The Shop) 1 Photo Contest at Serendipity Best Cinnamon Roll at Booze N Buns • - Public is invited to vote at these locations until 4:00 p.m. Friday, October 15th - Friday, O c tober 15th: A g A p p r eciation Pork Roast D inner 5-7 p.m. • Sheridan High School Gym Feature Speaker: John Pulaskv - Northern Ag Network C \oc»v co* » RUBY V A L L E Y -JTwin Bridges | PO Box 417 (406) 684-5678 (800) 281-1031 24 Hour Better Banking ( 406 ) 684-5116 ( 888 ) 684-5116 Sheridan < PO Box 587 (406)842-5411 (800) 281-1095 Contesti dinners *dl be -fruticeti