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Using newspaper articles, diaries, letters, biographies, invoices, and books that speak to the compelling history of Montana’s vigilantism in the 1860s, Dillon examines the conduct of the vigilantes in the context of the due process norms of the time. He implicates the influence of lawyers and judges who, like their non-lawyer counterparts, shaped history during the rush to earn fortunes in gold.
Dillon’s perspective as a state Supreme Court justice and legal historian uniquely illuminates the intersection of territorial politics, constitutional issues, corrupt law enforcement, and the basic need of citizenry for social order. This readable and well-directed analysis of the social and legal context that contributed to the rise of Montana vigilante groups will be of interest to scholars and general readers interested in Western history, law, and criminal justice for years to come.
—Gregory Zenon, Brooklyn Barrister
—Paul R. Wylie, historian and author of The Irish General
—Carol A. O'Connor, True West Magazine
"Mark C. Dillon is a justice of the appellate division of the New York State Supreme Court, and he brings a scholar's eye to the dicey question of whether the Montana vigilantes—hailed in their day as great heroes—were justified in their actions . . . Dillon has done a thorough job of assembling evidence . . . [and his] book is a worthy addition to the field of study."
—Frederick Allen, Montana The Magazine of Western History
"Mark C. Dillon’s analysis of the vigilantes of Bannack, Alder Gulch, and Helena in Montana Territory is the most detailed, insightful, and legally nuanced yet produced. . . . This book is a model for historians to follow when dealing with 19th-century criminal proceedings. Establishing historical context includes examining the laws in books as well as the law in action."
—Gordon Morris Bakken, Great Plains Research