▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁with ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁Territ orial ▁Judge ▁He zek iah ▁L . ▁H os mer ▁and ▁vig il ante ▁activity ▁ceased ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁gold ▁fields ▁of ▁Ald er ▁Gul ch ▁and ▁Gr ass ho pper ▁Creek ▁decl ined ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁prospect ors ▁and ▁fortune ▁seek ers ▁migr ated ▁to ▁newly ▁discovered ▁areas ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁Last ▁Ch ance ▁Gul ch ▁( now ▁Hel ena , ▁Mont ana ). ▁As ▁law less ness ▁increased , ▁vig il ante ▁justice ▁continued ▁there ▁with ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁of ▁Saf ety ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁ 1 8 6 5 – 1 8 7 0 , ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 4 ▁alleg ed ▁crim inals ▁were ▁executed ▁by ▁Hel ena ' s ▁vig il antes . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁ran ch ers ▁in ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Mont ana ▁res orted ▁to ▁vig il ante ▁justice ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁cattle ▁rust lers ▁and ▁horse ▁th ieves . ▁The ▁best - known ▁vig il ante ▁group ▁in ▁that ▁area ▁were ▁" St u art ' s ▁Str ang lers ", ▁organized ▁by ▁Gran ville ▁Stuart ▁in ▁the ▁M uss el shell ▁region . ▁As ▁formal ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁became ▁more ▁pre val ent ▁in ▁the ▁region , ▁vig il ant ism ▁fell ▁into ▁decl ine . ▁ ▁V ig il ant ism ▁in ▁pre - ter rit orial ▁and ▁territorial ▁Mont ana