Lyman's History of old Walla Walla County, Vol. 1 / Embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties

by William Denison Lyman

Wheat—Per bushel, $1.25 to $1.50.

The reader of that first issue of the Statesman would readily arrive at the conclusion that business was booming in Walla Walla and that there was a demand for almost all of the commodities common in any new and active community. The philanthropist is somewhat pained indeed to observe the large amount of attention paid to the liquor business in its various forms. The Nez Percé mines and the various stage lines seemed to demand a large share of attention, both in advertising and in news items. After all, people are very much the same from generation to generation and we can readily infer that what the people of Walla Walla were in the '60s, their children and grandchildren are largely the same in this year of grace, 1917.

In the early history of the territory before government was organized to protect life and punish criminals, the miners organized courts of their own to try those who committed any crime within the camp, but there were no courts to try the criminals whose work was outside of the miner's camp. As a result crime flourished in the towns that supplied the camps and on the road between the town and the camp.

There were organized bands of criminals who plundered the merchant in the town, the packer and the stage on the road, and the miners to and from the different camps. The members of these organizations had pass words by which they could make themselves known to each other, routes along which they operated, stations where members of the gang were located. They also had members in every camp and town engaged in various occupations, trades and callings. Stage stand tenders and sometimes the drivers themselves were members of the gang, and when organized government was established they succeeded in getting themselves elected to the office of sheriff, marshal, etc. These men knew when every pack train started, what it had, where it went and how much gold dust it brought back on its return; watched every stranger and learned his business; took notice of every good horse; knew of the departure of every stage, the number of passengers and the probable treasure carried. The lone traveler was robbed of his horse by a false bill of sale. The returning packers were held up, robbed and sometimes murdered. The stage was stopped, the passengers ordered out and relieved of all their money and other valuables. Frequently the Wells Fargo box containing thousands of dollars would be among the prizes taken from the stage.

One of the most noted of these road agents was Henry Plummer. He came of a good family, was gentlemanly in bearing, dignified in deportment, of strong executive ability and a fine judge of human nature. While a young man he drifted west, became a successful gambler and acquainted with various phases of a criminal's life. In the spring of 1861 he came to Lewiston, Idaho. This town was then the head of navigation on the Snake River, had a population of several hundred, among whom were thieves, gamblers, escaped convicts and criminals of all kinds. These he organized into a band of highwaymen, to operate on the road between Walla Walla, Washington, and Orofino, Idaho, directing the operations from Lewiston which was a midway ground. Two sub-stations were located, one at the foot of Craig Mountain, east of Lewiston, and the other west, at the junction of Alpowai and Pataha creeks. These were called "shebangs" and were the rendezvous of a band of robbers. Soon robberies and murders on this road were common, but the respectable, law abiding citizens were in the majority and they soon organized themselves into a law and order body, which made the operations of the robber gang dangerous and unprofitable.

The mines at Orofino were soon worked out. This, together with the citizen's organizations and the fear on the part of Plummer of being exposed for crimes committed by him while in California, caused him to flee from Idaho and go to Montana. Upon his arrival there he apparently desired to reform and live the life of a law abiding citizen. He married a nice young woman and entered upon an honorable means of earning a living. But he was a criminal by nature, environment and practice and not strong enough, had he desired it, to break with his old associates and habits and like all criminals was haunted by fear of detection.

When he left Idaho a companion by the name of Cleveland went with him. They were together when Plummer was married near Fort Benton and they both a little later went to Bannack. He and Cleveland had a bitter quarrel over the young lady who married Plummer. This, together with his fear of his associates in crime, made him suspicious and in a saloon brawl a short time later he shot Cleveland. This started him again on a carnival of crime that has no parallel in the history of the Northwest, and just as he had organized the criminals when in Idaho, he again organized them in Montana on a much larger scale. These men were bound by an oath to be true to each other and were required to perform such service as came within the defined meaning of their separate positions in the band. The penalty of disobedience was death. If any one of them, under any circumstances, divulged any of the secrets or guilty purposes of the band, he was to be followed and shot down at sight. The same doom was prescribed for any outsider who attempted an exposure of their criminal designs, or arrested any of them. Their great object was declared to be plunder in all cases, without taking life if possible, but if murder was necessary, it was to be committed. Their password was "innocent." Their neckties were fastened with a sailor's knot, and they wore mustaches and chin whiskers. Plummer himself was a member of the band.

The duties of these men may be gained from the work assigned them as revealed by one of their number. Henry Plummer was chief of the band; Bill Burton, stool pigeon and second in command; George Brown, secretary; Sam Burton, roadster; Cyrus Skinner, fence, spy and roadster; George Shears, horse-thief and roadster; Frank Parrish, horse-thief and roadster; Hayes Lyons, telegraph man and roadster; Bill Hunter, telegraph man and roadster; Ned Ray, council-room keeper at Bannock City; George Ives, Stephen Marshland, Dutch John (Wagner), Alex Carter, Johnny Cooper, Buck Stinson, Mexican Frank, Bob Zachary, Boone Helm, Clubfoot George (Lane), Billy Terwiliger, Gad Moore, roadsters.

But Plummer soon ran his course. He was captured and had to pay the penalty for his crimes. "Red" Yager, a member of Plummer's gang, was hanged by a vigilance committee. Before his execution he made a confession, giving the names of all the members of the band and stating that Plummer was the leader. Plummer, with two others of the organization, were at Bannock. No trouble was experienced in arresting the other two, one being captured in a cabin, the other stretched out on a gambling table in a saloon. But great care had to be exercised in the arrest of the leader of the band, who was cool-headed and a quick shot. Those detailed to capture him went to his cabin and found him in the act of washing his face. When informed that he was wanted he manifested no concern but quietly wiped his face and hands. He announced that he would be ready to go within a short time, threw down the towel and smoothed out his shirt sleeves, then advanced toward a chair to get his coat, but one of the party, by great good fortune, saw a pistol in the pocket and replied, "I will hand you your coat," at the same time taking possession of the pistol. Otherwise Plummer would likely have killed one or all of those attempting to capture him. He, with the other two criminals arrested were escorted in the bright moonlight night to the gallows which Plummer himself had erected the year before and used in the hanging of a man, he being at that time sheriff. As they appeared in sight of the gallows the other criminals cursed and swore, but Plummer was begging for his life. "It is useless," said one of the vigilantes, "for you to request us to spare your life, for it has already been settled that you are to be hung." Plummer then replied, "Cut off my ears, cut out my tongue, strip me naked, let me go. I beg you to spare my life. I want to live for my wife, my poor absent wife. I want to settle my business affairs. Oh, God." Then falling upon his knees, the tears streaming from his eyes, and with his utterance choked with sobs, he continued: "I am too wicked to die. I cannot go bloodstained and unforgiven into the presence of the Eternal. Only spare me and I will leave the country." But all this was to no purpose. His time had come and the leader's stern order, "Bring him up," was obeyed. Plummer, standing under the gallows, took off his necktie, threw it to a young man who had boarded with him, saying, "Keep that to remember me by," and then turning to the vigilantes, he said, "Now, men, as a last favor, let me beg that you will give me a good drop." The favor was granted and Plummer, one of the most noted outlaws ever known to the Northwest, was no more.