Henry Plummer in The Story of the Outlaw

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Henry Plummer in The Story of the Outlaw

Henry Plummer in The Story of the Outlaw

By Emerson Hough in 1905

The vast, untamed landscapes of Montana and Idaho in the early 1860s served as the backdrop for a chilling drama of lawlessness, with Henry Plummer at its center. For several years, Plummer reigned as the undisputed "chief" of a sprawling network of robbers and murderers, casting a dark shadow of terror over the placer-mining fields. His existence was a paradox, a deceptive performance of duality. He skillfully presented himself as an officer of the law, a guardian of order, while simultaneously orchestrating and leading the very chaos he was sworn to prevent. Plummer possessed a reputation for unwavering readiness for combat, a deadly confidence bordering on arrogance. He was known to grant his adversaries a seeming advantage, a calculated risk that only served to highlight his superior skill and ensure their demise. The number of his victims in these orchestrated duels was substantial, a testament to his cold efficiency. However, the true extent of his brutality, the list of those who fell victim to his cold-blooded robberies where death was the ultimate silencer, remains shrouded in mystery, forever lost to the annals of the Wild West.

To understand the enigma of Henry Plummer, one must delve into his origins. Born in Connecticut in 1837, his early life seemed to foreshadow a vastly different path. Raised under the strict and moral influences of a New England home, he received a sound education and developed into a polished, affable, and seemingly gentlemanly young man. Standing at approximately five feet ten or eleven inches, with a slender build of around 160 pounds, Plummer cut an impressive figure.

His features were considered handsome, and his demeanor was consistently frank and open, yet he maintained a quiet reserve, rarely initiating conversation. His voice was described as low and pleasant, devoid of any hint of bravado or swagger. However, beneath this veneer of respectability lurked a darker truth. His eyes, light in color, were strangely devoid of expression, offering no glimpse into the depths of his soul. Two particular features hinted at his sinister nature: a low, brutish forehead and cold, fish-like eyes that betrayed a chilling lack of empathy. He possessed a strong, well-tuned nervous system, capable of lightning-fast reactions despite his seemingly suave and easygoing disposition. Plummer was a master marksman with a pistol, perhaps the most skilled of all the desperadoes who plagued Idaho and Montana during that era. Even under the influence of alcohol, he maintained complete control over his voice, his gaze, and his weapon. He was always prepared, a cool, quiet, self-possessed, and meticulously controlled killing machine. This chilling combination of outward charm and inner darkness allowed Henry Plummer to operate with impunity for so long.

The landscape into which Henry Plummer arrived was ripe for exploitation. Lewiston, Idaho, served as the commercial hub for a vast territory encompassing both present-day Idaho and Montana. While his life before this period remains largely unknown, it’s believed that he migrated from California, drawn by the allure of gold and the promise of opportunity. Plummer quickly established himself as a gambler, a profession that provided him with access to the underbelly of society, the brotherhood of the bad. Gamblers, bound by their shared profession, often formed close-knit networks, a sort of freemasonry of the underworld. It didn’t take long for Plummer to identify individuals within this circle whom he deemed trustworthy enough to confide in. Each man selected by Plummer possessed a shared trait: they were all murderers. He sought no weakness, no hesitation. While the number of victims claimed by these men before their alliance with Plummer remains unknown, it’s clear that novices in killing were not welcome, nor were those who hadn’t proven their nerve. Plummer’s network grew rapidly, allowing him to establish rendezvous points along the trails leading from Lewiston to the various gold-producing mines.

The consequences were devastating. Robberies became commonplace, escalating until the gang operated with complete disregard for the law, effectively controlling the towns. They paid for goods and services only when they felt inclined, openly mocking the protests of the law-abiding minority, who found themselves trapped, unable to escape without facing the risk of robbery. The gang’s ultimate goal was to seize the property of every individual who refused to join their ranks. The trails became increasingly dangerous, with reports of disappearances and unsolved murders. Assaults were frequent, leaving many survivors but no identifiable criminals. The express riders were ambushed and robbed, and pack trains were looted with impunity. Travelers crossing the mountain trails knew they were likely to encounter the robbers, and resistance meant certain death, as the gang invariably outnumbered their victims. The outlaws, emboldened by their success, soon outnumbered those who opposed them by a significant margin, solidifying their control over the region. This escalating lawlessness demonstrated the effectiveness of Henry Plummer‘s leadership and the ruthlessness of his gang.

Driven to desperation by the prevailing anarchy, a small group of resolute citizens, united by their desire for law and order, secretly organized a vigilance committee. Inspired by the success of the Vigilantes of California, whose actions were still fresh in memory, they sought to restore justice to the region. Surprisingly, Henry Plummer himself was among the first to join this nascent vigilante movement, a tactic common in other parts of the West where criminals infiltrated law-enforcement efforts to gather intelligence and undermine their effectiveness. Plummer’s charismatic personality and persuasive manner effectively disarmed suspicion, while his insider knowledge allowed him to carry out murders for both personal gain and revenge.

The discovery of new placer grounds east of the Salmon River range, near Elk City and Florence, led to the abandonment of Lewiston as prospectors flocked to the new fields. This mass exodus disrupted the vigilante movement in its infancy, granting Henry Plummer and his gang a longer period of unchecked reign. Those who had joined the vigilante movement became marked men, targeted for elimination. One by one, they were murdered, their killers remaining unknown and their motives obscured. Masked robbers were frequently seen along the trails connecting the remote mining camps, but suspicion never fell on Henry Plummer, who continued to play his deceptive double role.

The discovery of additional placer grounds on the Boise River, south of Florence, and further strikes to the north near the upper waters of the Beaverhead, fueled another wave of migration. The towns to the west were deserted as miners rushed to West Bannack and East Bannack, Montana. Naturally, Plummer’s organized gang of robbers followed the flow of prospectors, seeking new opportunities for exploitation. Henry Plummer, having previously tested the waters at Elk City, Deer Lodge, and other locations, eventually arrived in Bannack.

Reports of placer discoveries continued to emerge from various locations in the upper Rockies. Among these, the strikes on Gold Creek proved to be the most extensive and valuable. A small group of Eastern men stumbled upon promising "pay" and remained in the area after being unable to cross the snow-covered mountains to Florence. Their numbers were soon augmented by expeditions from Denver bound for Florence, who were also thwarted by the impassable Salmon River Mountains. Others arrived in the summer of 1862 via the upper plains and the Missouri River. This confluence of circumstances diverted traffic intended for Florence to an entirely different region, a fact that would later significantly impact the fate of Henry Plummer and his associates.

These Eastern men possessed a different mindset compared to those who had learned their trade in the mines of the Pacific Slope. They clung to the principles of law and order and were unwilling to be robbed. The initial news of the strikes attracted the vanguard of the roughs who had been dominating the other camps. However, these individuals were quickly exposed by their own actions, leading the small group of law-abiding citizens to take decisive action: they shot one of the outlaws, Arnett, and hanged two others, Jernigan and Spillman. This event marked the true beginning of a permanent vigilante force in Montana. In a macabre testament to the lawlessness of the time, Arnett was reportedly buried with a six-shooter in one hand and a hand of cards in the other, a symbolic representation of his life and death in the gambling dens of the West. The story of Henry Plummer was about to collide with a force determined to end his reign of terror.

The new diggings initially proved less productive than anticipated, making the camp at Bannack on Grasshopper Creek more prosperous. Consequently, Henry Plummer chose Bannack as his headquarters. Other members of his loosely connected banditti began to trickle into Bannack from various districts, reuniting Plummer with his clan of criminals. George Ives, Bill Mitchell, Charlie Reeves, Cy Skinner, and others resumed their operations, employing the same tactics that had distinguished them in the earlier diggings west of the range. Within weeks, Bannack had descended into a state of lawlessness rivaling Lewiston or Florence. The situation deteriorated to such an extent that the Vigilantes began to assert their authority, initially confining their actions to banishment. The process of separating the black sheep from the white had begun.

Seeing the shift in public sentiment, Plummer realized that he could no longer reform and that he had to play his hand to the end. He devised a plan to kill Jack Crawford, who had been elected as the miners’ sheriff. Plummer attempted to provoke Crawford into a quarrel, knowing that he could easily kill him, given his proven skill with a pistol, demonstrated when he killed Jack Cleveland, one of his own gunfighters. Rumor had it that he was the best pistol shot in the Rockies and as bad a man as the worst. Plummer believed that Crawford suspected him of being involved with the bandits, sealing his fate. However, Crawford remained wary, thwarting three separate attempts to ambush and kill him, and avoiding several quarrels instigated by Plummer and his men. Dick Phleger, a friend of Crawford, was also targeted by Plummer, who challenged him to a pistol duel, as he had frequently done with Crawford. Despite being a braver man than Crawford, Phleger declined the challenge. Plummer intended to kill them both, seeking only the appearance of an "even break" to later claim self-defense, a tactic that had shielded many criminals from punishment for murder. The narrative of Henry Plummer was becoming increasingly intertwined with violence and treachery.

Plummer then resorted to treachery, attempting to befriend Crawford while secretly plotting his demise. Eventually, he confronted Crawford in a restaurant, waiting for him with a rifle. A friend armed Crawford with a rifle, and Crawford, taking cover, fired at Plummer from around the corner of the building across the street. The bullet struck Plummer’s right arm, shattering it. Crawford missed with a second shot, and Plummer retreated to his cabin. He endured a long and painful recovery, refusing to allow amputation, knowing that being crippled would be as good as dead. He eventually recovered, although the bullet remained lodged in his wrist, where it was later discovered after his death, worn smooth by the movement of the bones. Crawford fled down the Missouri River to Fort Benton, never returning to the region. Plummer, undeterred, began practicing with his left hand, becoming a proficient left-handed shot. He understood that his only chance of survival lay in his mastery of weapons. This incident highlights Henry Plummer‘s resilience and his unwavering commitment to violence.

Plummer’s physician, Dr. Glick, treated him under the threat of a shotgun and the assurance that any accidental death would result in his own demise. Afterward, Glick treated the wounds of other outlaws but dared not speak of it. Plummer eventually confided in Glick, revealing the existence of his gang and threatening him with death if he ever disclosed this information. Thus, the knowledge of the banditti remained confined to one man for an extended period. The story of Henry Plummer‘s dominance was built on fear and secrecy.

Bannack was notorious for its lawlessness. Pistol fire was constant, and the list of victims grew steadily. George Ives, Johnny Cooper, George Carrhart, Hayes Lyons, Cy Skinner, and other toughs openly associated with Plummer, the leading figure. The pervasive terror drove many decent men to consider returning to the States, but the same obstacles that had prevented them from reaching Florence now hindered their escape eastward. The winter trapped them, leaving them vulnerable to the unchecked power of Plummer’s gang.

Remarkably, Henry Plummer was elected sheriff for the Bannack mining district, succeeding Crawford, whom he had driven out of the country. This event underscores the numerical strength of Plummer’s faction. Despite being married, Plummer professed to have reformed. However, he was more deeply entrenched in criminality than ever before. The election of Henry Plummer as sheriff represents the peak of his deception and the depth of corruption in the region.

The discoveries at Gold Creek and Bannack were soon overshadowed by the sensational strikes on Alder Gulch, one of the most productive placer deposits in the world. A frenzied rush to the new diggings ensued. Within ten days, the gulch was staked out for twelve miles, and miners’ cabins dotted the landscape. The new camp that sprang up at one end of this area was named Virginia City. Unsurprisingly, the outlaws mentioned earlier, along with new recruits like Jack Gallagher, Buck Stinson, and Ned Ray (who became Plummer’s "deputies"), were among the first settlers. A court was established to resolve disputed mining claims, with Charley Forbes serving as clerk, another member of Plummer’s gang! This clerk and these deputies murdered one Dillingham, suspecting him of informing a friend about a planned robbery. They were "tried" by the court and acquitted. Hayes Lyons later admitted that Plummer had ordered him to kill Dillingham, highlighting Plummer’s ruthless strategy of eliminating unfavorable testimony through murder. The actions of Henry Plummer and his gang were poisoning the very fabric of society.

The seemingly inexhaustible wealth of Alder Gulch led to the emergence of several smaller camps and towns, but Virginia City quickly gained a reputation for its frontier toughness. Ten million dollars in "dust" was extracted in a single year, leading to widespread prosperity. However, this abundance fueled wild excesses and corruption. Weapon fights were common, and saloons and dance halls teemed with armed men seeking trouble. Churches and schools were nonexistent. Tents, log cabins, and brush shanties served as residences. "Hacks rattled to and fro between the several towns, freighted with drunken and rowdy humanity of both sexes. Citizens of acknowledged respectability often walked, more often perhaps rode side by side on horseback with noted courtesans, in open day, through the crowded streets, and seemingly suffered no harm in reputation. Pistols flashed, bowie knives flourished, and oaths filled the air. This was indeed the reign of an unbridled license, and men who at first regarded it with disgust and terror, by constant exposure, soon learned to become part of it and to forget that they had ever been aught else. Judges, lawyers, doctors, even clergymen, could not claim exemption."

This was the reality of 1863. The nearest capitals were Olympia, on Puget Sound; Yankton, 2,000 miles away in present-day South Dakota; and Lewiston, Idaho, 700 miles away. With such limited legal infrastructure, what could hinder Henry Plummer and his men? What better environment than this one, overflowing with gold, could they have desired for their operations? And what better leader than Plummer?

Plummer’s next ambition was to be appointed as a deputy United States marshal, and he received endorsements from leading figures in Bannack. However, he was unsuccessful in his attempts to kill Nathaniel P. Langford, who had thwarted his appointment. The network of Henry Plummer extended far and wide.

The distance from Bannack to Salt Lake City was approximately five hundred miles. Mail service from Salt Lake City, the primary supply point, was established. Those who wished to send gold to their families in the States had to traverse this long and dangerous trail through the wilderness. The crimes of Henry Plummer stretched across this trail.

With no express office closer than Salt Lake City, merchants relied on private messengers to transport their funds, a journey fraught with danger. Plummer had informants in every institution that handled money, keeping him informed of upcoming shipments of dust and wealthy miners traveling to the States. Plummer’s men were stationed along these mountain trails, ambushing and robbing travelers. The exact number of victims killed on the Salt Lake Trail remains unknown. The legacy of Henry Plummer is written in blood along this trail.

The stagecoach route between Bannack and Virginia City was also a frequent target for the gang. A confederate would mark the vehicle carrying a wealthy passenger, alerting others along the route. At the next stop, additional gang members would gather further information. Sometimes, as much as $2,000 or $3,000 would be stolen from a single passenger. A stagecoach often carried fifteen or twenty thousand dollars in dust. Plummer, in his capacity as sheriff, knew the details of each stagecoach robbery but skillfully concealed the involvement of his associates. The deception of Henry Plummer was masterful.

The robbers typically wore masks, concealing their identities. Despite growing suspicions and murmurs, there was no concrete evidence against Plummer until he robbed a young man named Tilden, who claimed to recognize his assailant. Further evidence soon emerged. A pack train carrying eighty thousand dollars in dust to Salt Lake City was targeted by Dutch John and Steve Marshland, acting on Plummer’s orders. However, the freighters fought back, wounding both bandits and leaving them marked, although they managed to escape. Additionally, several victims identified George Ives, who had become notorious for his open acts of murder. The downfall of Henry Plummer was beginning.

The discovery of the murdered body of a young man named Tiebalt in a thicket near Alder Gulch, under horrifying circumstances, finally ignited the Vigilantes’ long-dormant spirit. A group of two dozen men from the camp arrested Long John, George Ives, Alex Carter, Whiskey Bill, Bob Zachary, and Johnny Cooper. These men were caught by surprise in their camp, and their arsenal included weapons stolen from robbed or murdered individuals. Friends identified these items. Old Tex and George Hilderman were also taken into custody. All of these men demanded a "jury trial" in Virginia City, where Plummer could exert his influence to secure their release! However, their captors were men from Nevada City, the other major camp in Alder Gulch, who transported their prisoners there. The end of Henry Plummer was in sight.

A Plummer loyalist immediately rode to Bannack, informing the chief about the citizens’ rebellion against anarchy, robbery, and murder. The following morning, two thousand men converged on Virginia City, determined to try the outlaws. Given the rivalry between Virginia City and Nevada City, a jury of twenty-four men, twelve from each camp, was formed. The miners’ court, the most feared of all tribunals, was now in session. The fate of Henry Plummer and his gang hung in the balance.

The proceedings adhered to some semblance of legal process. Long John was permitted to turn state’s evidence. He testified that George Ives had murdered Tiebalt, shooting him while he was on his knees praying after being told he must die. He further stated that Ives had tied a rope around Tiebalt’s neck and dragged him to the thicket where his body was discovered. Tiebalt was still alive during this ordeal, as evidenced by the grass and twigs clutched in his hands.

Ives was sentenced to death, and the law and order men successfully suppressed the armed uprising initiated by his friends, who couldn’t accept that the patient citizens had finally taken the law into their own hands. A makeshift scaffold was erected, and Ives was hanged, becoming the first member of the Plummer Gang to face retribution. The other prisoners were granted leniency, receiving milder sentences. This was the beginning of the end for Henry Plummer and his criminal enterprise.

The Vigilantes, now operating with renewed vigor and determination, pieced together fragments of information and emboldened individuals to voice their suspicions. A group of twenty-five resolute men set out to capture the remaining members of the gang, now known to be united in this long-standing brotherhood. Some of these men, warned by Ives’ fate, were fleeing the country. However, the Vigilantes apprehended Red Yager, Buck Stinson, and Ned Ray, two of Plummer’s deputies, as well as another confederate named Brown. The party stopped at the Lorain Ranch, near a cottonwood grove, and tried their prisoners without entering town. Red Yager provided a full confession before being hanged, exposing the entire secret league of robbers and ultimately leading to their downfall. He revealed the following hierarchy:

Henry Plummer was the chief of the gang; Bill Bunton, stool-pigeon and second in command; George Brown, secretary; Sam Bunton, roadster; Cyrus Skinner, fence, spy, and roadster; George Shears, horse thief and roadster; Frank Parish, horse thief and roadster; Bill Hunter, telegraph man, and roadster; Ned Ray, council-room keeper at Bannack; George Ives, Stephen Marshland, Dutch John (Wagner), Alex Carter, Whiskey Bill (Graves), Johnny Cooper, Buck Stinson, Mexican Frank, Bob Zachary, Boone Helm, Club Foot George Lane, Billy Terwilliger, Gad Moore, were roadsters.

The noose was tightening around the neck of Henry Plummer, whose cunning had served him so well for so long. The honest miners discovered that their sheriff was the leader of the outlaws! His fate, along with that of his accomplices, was sealed. The end of Henry Plummer‘s reign of terror was imminent.

A group of law and order men from Virginia City secretly traveled to Bannack, Henry Plummer’s home. News of the events at the other camps quickly spread, and a branch organization of the Vigilantes was formed in Bannack. Stinson and Ray were arrested, followed by Plummer himself, the chief, the mastermind behind the long-secret band of marauders. He was caught off guard, without his coat or weapons, and taken prisoner. Moments later, he found himself facing a scaffold where, as sheriff, he had recently hanged a man. Justice was swift and decisive. No court could obstruct the process. Neither Plummer’s wealth, nor his intellect, nor his audacity could save him now. The capture of Henry Plummer marked a turning point in the fight for law and order.

Overwhelmed by remorse and fear, the outlaw chief fell to his knees, pleading with God for salvation, begging, weeping like a child, and declaring that he was too wicked to die so soon and unprepared. But it was futile. The overwhelming evidence of his numerous crimes was presented to him. Ray, writhing and cursing, was the first to be hanged. He attempted to loosen the rope around his neck but died nonetheless. Stinson, also cursing, followed next. It was then Plummer’s turn, and those tasked with the execution felt a pang of regret at hanging a man so capable, so urbane, and so commanding. The death of Henry Plummer would mark the end of an era.

Nevertheless, he was instructed to prepare himself. He asked for time to pray but was told to pray from the cross-beam. He bid farewell to a friend or two and requested his executioners to "give him a good drop," revealing his fear of suffering, despite having inflicted so much suffering on others. To grant his wish, the men lifted his body high and released it, causing his death to be relatively quick and painless. The execution of Henry Plummer brought an end to his reign of terror.

To conclude the story of bloody justice, every man named by Yager as guilty was arrested, tried, and hanged by the Vigilantes. For some time, Plummer had feared exposure, attempting to conceal his guilt by writing home to his family, claiming he was in danger of being hanged due to his Union sympathies. His family initially refused to believe his guilt, viewing him as a martyr. They sent a brother and sister to investigate the matter, but their investigation uncovered irrefutable proof of his crimes. The horrifying truth of his misspent life was revealed to them. Even Plummer’s wife, whom he loved deeply and who was a good woman, was eventually convinced of what she had initially disbelieved. Plummer had managed to conceal his true nature from even his wife, preventing her from suspecting that he was anything but an honorable man. His wife was in the East at the time of his death. The final act in the drama of Henry Plummer was a revelation of his true nature to those closest to him.

Plummer died under his real name. George Ives was a Wisconsin native from near Racine. Both he and Plummer were 27 years old at the time of their deaths, but they had crammed a vast amount of evil into their short lives. Plummer was a master of men, brave and cool-headed, an expert with weapons, and, in all, a quintessential example of the bad man at his worst. The story of Henry Plummer is a cautionary tale of the seductive power of evil.

He was a murderer, but ultimately, he wasn’t ruthless enough. No outlaw of later years bore as much resemblance to the notorious John A. Murrell as did Henry Plummer, but Plummer differed in one crucial aspect: he spared victims, who later rose to accuse him. The downfall of Henry Plummer was ultimately caused by his own miscalculations.

The frontier witnessed few records bloodier than Plummer’s. He was the principal or accessory in over 100 murders, not to mention countless robberies and thefts. His life unfolded in scenes characteristic of the early Western frontier. The allure of adventure in new and untamed lands, the lust for gold, and its unparalleled abundance drove men who might have been respected and notable in proper ranks of life and in other surroundings to commit heinous crimes.

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Note: Contemporary historians question the veracity of Plummer’s outlaw status, suggesting he may have been framed by political rivals. For an updated account, see Henry Plummer – Sheriff Meets A Noose.

Go To the Next Chapter – Boone Helm

Compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2023.

About the Author: Excerpted from the book The Story of the Outlaw: A Study of the Western Desperado, by Emerson Hough; Outing Publishing Company, New York, 1907. This story is not verbatim, as it has been edited for clerical errors and updated for the modern reader. Emerson Hough (1857–1923) was an author and journalist who wrote factional accounts and historical novels of life in the American West. His works helped establish the Western as a popular genre in literature and motion pictures. For years, Hough wrote the feature "Out-of-Doors" for the Saturday Evening Post and contributed to other major magazines.

Other Works by Emerson Hough:

  • The Story of the Outlaw – A Study of the Western Desperado – Entire Text
  • The Cattle Kings
  • The Cattle Trails
  • Cowboys on the American Frontier
  • The Frontier In History
  • The Indian Wars
  • Mines of Idaho & Montana
  • Pathways To the West
  • The Range of the American West