The Vigilantes of Montana: Popular Justice in the Rocky Mountains

About this book

The classic Old West narrative of the chase trial capture and execution of outlaw Henry Plummer and his road agent band. In the gold rushera of Virginia City Montana crime was afoot and justice shaky. Lawlessness ran amok in the form of gamblers saloonkeepers miners dance hall girls and road agentsoutlaws who ambushed travelers on the road for a chance to steal precious gold. Of all the road agents Henry Plummer was their king and elected sheriff. Plummers notorious road agent band terrorized the highways until a group of ordinary citizens resolved to take the responsibility of social governance into their own hands. In the year 1863 these righteous disgruntled men rose to form the Montana Vigilantes a watch group that proclaimed judgment over the criminals. In less than a month the Montana Vigilantes pursued captured tried and hung Plummers road agents including Plummer himself. Their acts of heroism which consisted of hasty trials and quickly arranged executions were also colored by controversy. The Vigilantes of Montana is an electrifying tale of old-world Montana where villains ran astray citizens exercised justice and lines were blurred in a mining town too young for legitimate law enforcement. This true eyewitness account comes alive with elements of gold greed murder nostalgia and romance that will thrill any fan of American history. Skyhorse Publishing as well as our Arcade imprint are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II the Third Reich Hitler and his henchmen the JFK assassination conspiracies the American Civil War the American Revolution gladiators Vikings ancient Rome medieval times the old West and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.