RetiredGySgt wrote:
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It is past time to teach criminals and gangs that we will not tolerate them. Arresting them and running them through that revolving door we call justice is a waste of time.
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I wrote an article a few years back about vigilance, and self determination. Following is a segment from the article:
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Gold was discovered in Alder Gulch, about 70 miles east of Bannack City, Montana Territory. As the community grew, miners from the town of Bannack hired a sheriff to protect their interests. Gold shipments were hijacked regularly. Stage coaches were being robbed, and people were shot and killed during the hold-ups. The new sheriff could not capture the persons responsible.
One of the local Mason members, William H. Bell, died, and at a gathering at the home of C. J. Miller, another local Mason, some of the member Masons began to discuss the robberies and murders occurring around Bannack. On the date 23 December 1863, twenty four members of the Masonic lodge met at the store of Mortimer and John Lott in Nevada City, and took an oath of secrecy as they organized a vigilance committee. They began a round-up of some of those suspected of the crimes, and as some were rounded up, others were implicated in the crimes; down to the sheriff and his deputies. The suspects were hung on the spot. The sheriff was apprehended with two of his deputies, and was led to a gallows that he had erected for criminals. It was said that he begged for his life, to which was replied that he would "get as good as he gave." He was hung on his own gallows along with his deputies. The original pledge, signed by the Masons, forming the vigilance committee, is in the Library of the State Historical Society in Helena, Montana.
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I also wrote about Tom Horn, who worked as a scout with Al Sieber in bringing Geronimo onto the reservations. After that, he hired out his services to the Swan Land and Cattle Company of Wyoming as a "Stock Detective", where his services included finding out who was rustling the Companies cattle, and collect evidence to prosecute. When the prosecutions failed to subdue the rustlers, he began a crusade of "rustler elimination".
There is an excellent movie about Tom Horn, starring Steve McQueen. If you like action stories, pick this one up at the video store.
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