Additional information
by Thomas Dimsdale (Author), Ruth Mather (Author)
Gold, land, jealousy, and murder--all are elements of this classic tale of the Montana Territory, written in 1864 as a vindication of the actions of the Vigilantes who hanged Sheriff William Henry Handy Plumer of Bannack, Montana.
Now beautifully reprinted with a foreword by R. E. Mather, prominent Western historian and co-author of Hanging the Sheriff, A Biography of Henry Plummer, readers can delve into the history behind Montana's rough beginnings for themselves and uncover the controversy behind the legend of the Vigilantes.
Back Jacket
Gold, land, jealousy, and murder - all play a role in this classic tale of the Montana Territory. From dance hall women of easy virtue to masked highway desperadoes, The Vigilantes of Montana vividly portrays the rough beginnings of Montana's mining-camp society, when the will of the people could lead without warning to speedy public trials and hastily arranged executions. Originally written in 1864 as a vindication of the Vigilantes who hanged the notorious Sheriff William Henry Handy Plummer and his band of road agents, this new edition features a foreword by prominent Western historian R.E. Mather. Was Sheriff Plummer a corrupt lawman, or a victim of overzealous crusaders? Was Thomas Dimsdale an objective observer, or a secret member of the Vigilantes with a one-sided story to tell? Mather addresses these issues and offers new insights into the controversy behind the legend.
Author Biography
Professor Thomas J. Dimsdale was an Englishman who came to Virginia City, Montana, at the height of the 1860s gold rush in search of a better climate for his health. He ended up embroiled in one of the great controversies in Montana history as the author of The Vigilantes of Montana, a work protesting his own innocence as well as that of the vigilantes in the death of Henry Plummer.
Western historian R. E. Mather is co-author of Hanging the Sheriff: A Biography of Henry Plummer.
