Talk:Henry Plummer

On-site view, of the times
Francis M. Thompson (of Massachusetts) was in the area (Bannack, MT - he ran a mercantile) and wrote 30 pages in his memoirs ("Reminiscences of Four-Score Years" in The Massachusetts Magazine, Vol. VI, No. 4 - pages 159-190 - via archive org) related to the Plummer affair. These 30 pages were part of a series. See this post for an index to the serial publication of F.M.'s look back. One principle interest of our Society is Frank A. Gardner, M.D. who was one of the initiating editors of TMM and contributed throughout the life of the magazine. Montana pulled this material together for their Tenderfoot in Montana book (2004).


 * F.M. knew Plummer personally and describes how the suspicion of Plummer's involvement was originally determined. There are other nuances to bring in, to boot.
 * F.M. knew Plummer's wife (see page 161 - above reference). There is no reference to this aspect of this life, here (see Thesis, Melissa Poindexter Thomasma, Univ of Montana, 2010)

As researcher for the Thomas Gardner Society, Inc., I have just completed a complete read of all of the issues of this periodical and will bring the articles up to date, including getting F.M., who returned to Massachusetts and was a Judge, recognized. jmswtlk (talk) 17:06, 17 June 2018 (UTC)

Death Section
In the final section the article just keeps going. I understand the need for the first few paragraphs but the information about the posthumous 1993 trial seems unnecessary. Furthermore, there are no sources listed for the information presented in the last two paragraphs. Crininger (talk) 03:25, 7 February 2012 (UTC)

"summarily executed...alleged"
Why is it that when government employees investigate, find guilty, and punish citizens, it is commonly thought that such proceedings are above reproach, but when citizens investigate, find guilty, and punish government employees, an aspersion of doubt is commonly cast upon such proceedings? As Thomas Jefferson said, "Some times, it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?  Or have we found angels in the forms of kings to govern him?  Let history answer [that] question!" In other words, government employees/officials/agents are just people and are just as fallible as other citizens. Let's stop looking at them as if they're angels or gods among men. "In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.123.207.133 (talk) 18:28, 28 April 2015 (UTC)

== " He was hanged without a trial, evidence or even a reasonable theory. One resident even noted, "...not one body can be found." Yet, the Vigilante Committee claimed Henry Plummer and his gang killed over 100 people." ==

I have read every primary historical source published by anyone who was present at or around the time of Plummer's hanging. This Wikipedia account is contrary to the opinion of all of them. No contemporary account doubts that Plummer lead the outlaws in the area. As far as I can tell, doubt crept in with the passage of time and the publishing of Boswell and Mather's "Hanging the Sheriff". For anyone interested, I go over the evidence against Plummer in my essay here: http://www.bryanney.com/essays/revisionist-history/ Someone should rewrite Plummer's bio with an emphasis on the controversy. Csidedr1 (talk) 15:25, 9 September 2017 (UTC)

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