Millerville History
Millerville Township, Douglas County, Minnesota, USA
THE FERGUS FALLS VIGILANTES.
from
"History of Otter Tail County
Minnesota
Its People, Industries and Institutions
Volume 1"
John W. Mason, Editor
© 1916
Pages 605 - 606
In addition to "gentlemen of the road," Otter Tail
county was favored (?) with another species of
chivalarous gentry, designated in common speech as
"horse thieves." They were supposed to carry on the
traffic systematically, with all lines of travel
converging at Pomme de Terre in Grant county, and from
thence, by a definite route south into Stevens county,
to the home of their reputed "fence," Jaggar. Whether
Jaggar was actually engaged in such industry is not
known by any legal evidence, but that he bore the
reputation is beyond question. There was enough "smoke"
to justify the presumption of some "fire."
While Fergus Falls had never been honored by any
attentions from this enterprising gang of "rustlers,"
still the citizens proposed to "lock the barn before
the horse was stolen." To a man they were in favor of
"preparedness." In March, 1872, to be ready for any
possible attack, a vigilance committee was formed, called
the Anti-Horse Thief Association. There was not a horse
in town valuable enough to tempt the most "ornery" horse
thief, but that did not excuse want of necessary precaution.
The following is the constitution of the Anti-Horse Thief
Association:
Whereas, The experience of the last year has demonstrated
the necessity of some further protection from the
depredations of an infamous band of horse thieves who
infest the county, preying upon the property of the
community, other than that afforded by the civil laws
of the state, therefore,
Resolved. That the formation of a vigilance committee for
our protection is imperatively demanded.
Resolved. That the name of this society shall be the Fergus
Falls Anti-Horse Thief Association, and shall have for its
object the recovery and protection of horses stolen from
the members, and the prompt punishment of the thieves.
Extract from the by-laws:
10th. It shall be the sworn duty of any and all members of
this society capturing a horse thief having in his possession
the property of any member of the association, to promptly
execute the said horse thief, by hanging, or in the absence
of facilities for hanging, by shooting, or in any other
manner, but in any and all events to take such effective
measures as shall preclude the possibility of the return of
said horse thief to commit any further depredations in the
county.
There is a bit of "local color" to this history not disclosed
by the foregoing "Constitution and By-Law." Nearly every male
in town joined the association except one man, a druggist.
He devoted much time to ridiculing the organization and at
this distance, his strictures might seem justifiably humorous,
but for a subsequent event. His humor took rather a spectacular
form. He set up a bulletin board outside his store in front,
on which, in burlesque, he advertised and ridiculed the
association. He would change the advertisement on the board
each day, make comments on the different members, their courage,
or want of courage, and the manner in which the horse thieves
were disposed of. To supply "the absence of facilities for
hanging," he hung a rope on the bulletin board for the use of
the association, in case a horse thief was caught, believing,
as he advertised, that "shooting was too good" for the
despicable characters who would steal a Fergus Falls horse.
This went on from day to day. People laughed, but began to
take note that the disreputable characters who drifted into
town always went direct to this drug store, and made it their
headquarters as long as they remained.
The next winter this druggist was visited by a brother-in-law,
who remained several weeks. The two men had never before met.
Their wives were orphan children, and separated in early
girlhood, and had never seen each other since they were little
children. This man, having heard of the whereabouts of his
brother-in-law, the druggist, came on to make him the visit
mentioned. After remaining a month or six weeks, he returned
to his home in the southern part of the state.
Not long after his return home, he wrote a letter to Jacob
Austin, saying that he went to Fergus Falls to visit his
brother-in-law, and felt it his duty to state that he
discovered him to be a bad man and an undesirable citizen;
that he was actually connected with a gang of horse thieves
operating in Otter Tail and surrounding counties, and was
the actual harborer of vicious characters who frequented
Fergus Falls. The druggist soon left the country and was
heard of no more. Possibly this letter did him an injustice,
but the writer seemed a candid and conscientious man, and
his story was generally believed.
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2003 DJW
Last Modified:
November 26, 2003