Buck Stinson – Hanged by Montana Vigilantes
The untamed landscapes of Montana in the mid-19th century were a crucible of ambition, opportunity, and lawlessness. The allure of gold and the promise of a new life drew thousands westward, creating boomtowns that sprung up overnight, often outpacing the establishment of formal law and order. In this chaotic environment, figures like Ike N. "Buck" Stinson emerged, individuals whose lives were tragically intertwined with the turbulent history of the American West. His story, a stark reminder of the era’s brutality, culminates in his hanging at the hands of the Montana Vigilantes.
Ike N. "Buck" Stinson, a name now etched in the annals of Montana’s rough and tumble past, was allegedly associated with the notorious road agent gang known as the Innocents. This group, operating from the bustling gold mining town of Bannack, Montana, terrorized the region, preying on unsuspecting travelers and miners. The story of Buck Stinson is one of descent, a trajectory from a promising youth to a violent end on the frontier.
Born in Greencastle, Indiana, Stinson’s early life gave little indication of the path he would eventually tread. At the age of 14, he moved with his family to Andrew County, Missouri. Contemporary accounts describe him as an intelligent and studious young man, seemingly destined for a bright future. He hailed from a respectable family, suggesting a stable and nurturing upbringing. However, the call of the West proved too strong to resist. As he matured, Stinson succumbed to the allure of adventure and the promise of fortune, heading westward and ultimately finding himself in the raw and unforgiving territory of Montana.
Upon arriving in Bannack, Stinson attempted to establish a legitimate trade. He rented a small corner space within Cyrus Skinner’s Saloon, a common gathering place for miners, gamblers, and other denizens of the town. There, he set up a barber chair, offering his services as a tonsorial artist. However, his commitment to this profession was often overshadowed by his proclivity for drinking, gambling, and engaging in heated arguments with other patrons of the saloon. The saloon, a microcosm of the Wild West, served as both a stage for his daily life and a breeding ground for his darker impulses.
Further tarnishing his reputation, Stinson committed a heinous act in the spring of 1863. For reasons that remain unclear, he murdered a friendly Bannock Indian chief. This act of unprovoked violence, compounded by Stinson’s subsequent boasting about the deed, solidified his image as a ruthless and dangerous individual. The murder of the Native American chief highlights the racial tensions and casual brutality that were rampant in the West during this period.
Despite his unsavory reputation and violent tendencies, Buck Stinson experienced a brief period of apparent legitimacy. On May 24, 1863, Henry Plummer, a controversial figure himself, was appointed sheriff of Bannack. In a move that surprised many, Plummer appointed Stinson as one of his deputies. Plummer’s motivations for this appointment remain a subject of debate among historians. Some speculate that he sought to control Stinson by bringing him into the fold, while others suggest a more sinister alliance.
Plummer’s choice of deputies was a mixed bag. While he did appoint some respectable men, such as John Dillingham, who was made the chief deputy, he also brought in other "roughs" with questionable backgrounds, including Charley Forbes and Ned Ray, alongside Buck Stinson. These men, often living on the fringes of society, were suspected of being outlaws themselves. The presence of such individuals within the ranks of law enforcement further blurred the lines between justice and criminality in the volatile environment of Bannack.
The inherent conflict between the respectable and the disreputable elements within Plummer’s ranks soon erupted into violence. When Dillingham, the chief deputy, discovered that Stinson, Forbes, and a man named Haze Lyons were planning to rob a man named Dodge on a trip to Fort Benton, he attempted to warn Dodge of the impending danger. However, word of Dillingham’s intervention reached the ears of the would-be robbers. In retaliation, they ambushed and murdered Dillingham in Virginia City, Montana, on June 26, 1863.
The murder of Dillingham sent shockwaves through the community. Despite the presence of numerous witnesses to the crime, the killers were arrested and tried in a miners’ court, only to be acquitted. This blatant miscarriage of justice, fueled by corruption and intimidation, served as a tipping point for many residents of Montana. The failure of the established legal system to deliver justice in the Dillingham case was a significant catalyst for the formation of the Montana Vigilantes in late 1863. This extralegal organization, composed of concerned citizens, took matters into their own hands, seeking to restore order and punish those they deemed guilty, often bypassing the formal legal processes altogether.
The Vigilantes’ actions were swift and decisive. After capturing and hanging Erastus "Red" Yager on January 4, 1864, the Vigilantes claimed that Yager had identified Henry Plummer as the leader of the Innocents gang. Whether this accusation was true or coerced remains a matter of historical debate. Regardless, the Vigilantes acted quickly on this information.
On January 10, 1864, the Montana Vigilantes rode into Bannack from Virginia City with the express purpose of apprehending Henry Plummer and his deputies, Buck Stinson, and Ned Ray. They marched the three men to the gallows in a grim and theatrical display of military-style justice. The three men were then summarily hanged, their bodies left suspended as a stark warning to others who might consider engaging in similar criminal activities.
The fate of the executed men differed slightly in death. Plummer’s body was the only one placed in a wooden coffin, perhaps a final gesture of respect or a reflection of his former position as sheriff. However, none of the three men were buried in the town cemetery. Instead, their bodies were unceremoniously interred in shallow graves in Hangman’s Gulch, located approximately one hundred yards from the gallows. The location of their burial served as a permanent reminder of the Vigilantes’ power and the consequences of defying their brand of justice.
The story of Buck Stinson is a microcosm of the complex and often brutal history of the American West. He represents the individuals who were drawn to the frontier by the promise of opportunity but were ultimately consumed by its darker aspects. His descent from a seemingly promising youth to a violent end at the hands of vigilantes serves as a cautionary tale about the seductive allure of lawlessness and the harsh consequences of a life lived outside the bounds of established society. The legacy of Buck Stinson, hanged by Montana Vigilantes, remains a powerful and unsettling chapter in the history of the American West.