Page 72 - Cornelius Hedges Story

59 The Cornelius Hedges Story

“We shared our Lodge room with another organization which
was establishing law and order by raising candidates in a
different style. We were watched very closely by the gamblers,
and they soon discovered that there was some mysterious
connection between Masons and the vigilance committee.
These outlaws soon changed their swaggering style and after
our executive committee, a hundred strong, not all Masons,
by any means, had marched a few times into a room full of
gamblers with cocked pistols and taken out some victim whose
criminal career had been investigated and led him over to the
pine tree and there left him in suspense, there was a sudden
change that came over these outlaws. After about seven had
been hung in about as many days, there was a general exodus
and effort to get out of the country. About two hundred left in
one day, by any kind of conveyance that could be procured, and
those who could not procure any other means of transportation
went afoot and did not tarry till they were beyond the boundaries
of Montana. It was wonderful what a transformation came over
the face of society. The more decent gamblers were on their
good behavior, and miners could show their bags of gold dust
without fear of being robbed or murdered. It was powerful
and effective medicine, but it wrought a permanent cure. So
complete had been the treatment that only occasionally since
has it been necessary to resort to it to show that the organization
was still alive and ready for business.”
However, Hedges was grateful for the legal conviction and
execution of Wheatly on August 13, 1875 for the murder of Frank
Hale.225 His satisfaction over the legal execution of Wheatly was
expressed in his Journals, August 13, 1875. He noted that his
editorial to the Helena Daily Herald that day was entitled “Public
Execution.”
Oscar O. Mueller stated that Cornelius Hedges, along with
M. P. Langford, C. W. Cook, David E. Folsom, and others, was a
member of the Vigilante executive committee which met monthly
in Helena.226 Langford, served as Grand Master in 1869, Cook
was Mason and Folsom served as Senior Grand Warden in 1887.
Some signs of the true passing of the “Vigilante era” appeared in
Judge Hedges’ own Probate Court in October, 1876. He commented:
“Had several vigilantes up for threatening young Campbell - Waived
examination and gave bond.”227