BBB Destination - Virginia City

Bob Carter writes ...

In the late 1800s, Virginia City, Montana flourished as one of the richest mining discoveries in the world, yielding more than $2.5 billion in gold by today's prices. It seemed inevitable that into this major gold strike armed robbers would soon be drawn.

Even the town's sheriff, Henry Plummer, was tempted into the corruption. Taking the law into their own hands, a group of vigilantes formed in 1863, and in Kiskadden's Store on Wallace Street they took the Vigilante Oath for the "...laudable purpose of arresting thieves and murderers and recovering stolen property."

For two months the Vigilantes took the law into their own hands. Among those accused and hanged, without the benefit of a legal trial, were Sheriff Plummer and several others. Virginia City residents lined the streets as the Vigilantes hanged the suspects from a beam in what's known as Virginia City's Hangman's Building. Five of the bodies now lie entombed in the community's small Boot Hill Cemetery.

But there is another story ... of Ritchie Doyle and the infamous tale of Speedy, Squeaky, and Sneaky. Ritchie Doyle doesn't consider himself a vigilante. He's a creative performer who often takes part in the Virginia City Gold Rush Medicine Show performed at the Virginia City Train Depot. He's also the innovative executioner of three popular Boot Hill Cemetery residents known as Speedy, Squeaky, and Sneaky. They all lie buried beneath 11-inch high inscribed tombstones and in a special mini-site on the hill.

According to Doyle, "Like the vigilantes of yore, I did them in without due process and without consulting the law or the sheriff." In fact, he admits with a smile in his voice, he did it without warning and without guilt. You see, Speedy, Squeaky, and Sneaky all committed unmentionable crimes at the train station. One was trapped and killed for trespassing, embezzlement, and hazardous defecation; another for smuggling stolen goods and leaving messes; and the third for looting, arson, and crawling up lady's dresses. Without remorse, Doyle took their ultimate punishment into his own hands...."with the help of a trap," he adds.

Today, the three mice graves are found neatly and solemnly arranged atop Boot Hill with other criminals from the past. Their individual names, birth and death dates, and unforgivable crimes marked on separate tombstones. During early mining days, justice was often swift and unforgiving. Perhaps some things haven't changed all that much.

Bob Carter is an award winning travel journalist and the editor of numerous books including Food Festivals of Southern California: A Traveler's Guide & Cookbook.