▁bold ly ▁conven ed ▁a ▁public ▁Grand ▁J ury ▁session ▁in ▁Virginia ▁City ▁and ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁vig il antes ▁had ▁served ▁their ▁purpose ▁and ▁from ▁this ▁day ▁forward , ▁un il ater al ▁actions ▁by ▁the ▁vig il antes ▁would ▁be ▁considered ▁criminal ▁acts . ▁ ▁Hel ena ▁vig il ant ism , ▁ 1 8 6 5 – 1 8 7 0 ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁four ▁prospect ors — John ▁S . ▁Cow an , ▁John ▁C rab , ▁Bob ▁St ale y ▁and ▁Daniel ▁Jackson — found ▁gold ▁in ▁a ▁small ▁cre ek ▁they ▁named ▁" Last ▁Ch ance ▁Gul ch ". ▁As ▁word ▁of ▁the ▁strike ▁spread ▁throughout ▁the ▁area , ▁prospect ors ▁and ▁fortune ▁seek ers , ▁including ▁many ▁from ▁Ald er ▁Gul ch ▁and ▁B ann ack , ▁migr ated ▁to ▁Last ▁Ch ance ▁Gul ch ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Hel ena , ▁Mont ana ▁was ▁founded . ▁By ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁many ▁prominent ▁vig il antes ▁of ▁Ald er ▁Gul ch , ▁including ▁Wil bur ▁Sand ers , ▁John ▁X . ▁B ied ler , ▁and ▁Anton ▁Hol ter , ▁had ▁moved ▁to ▁Hel ena . ▁When ▁the ▁territory ▁was ▁formed , ▁three ▁jud icial ▁districts ▁were ▁established . ▁The ▁First ▁District ▁belonged ▁to ▁Judge ▁H os mer ▁and ▁included ▁the ▁towns ▁of ▁B ann ack , ▁Virginia ▁City , ▁Nev ada ▁City ▁and ▁De er ▁L odge . ▁The