▁The ▁committee ▁was ▁organized ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁earlier ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Committee ▁of ▁V ig il ance ▁( 1 8 5 1 – 5 6 ) ▁in ▁California ▁of ▁which ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁Ald er ▁Gul ch ▁organiz ers ▁were ▁familiar ▁with . ▁The ▁original ▁committee ▁o ath ▁signed ▁by ▁its ▁earliest ▁members ▁was : ▁ ▁Paris ▁Pf outs ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁which ▁draft ed ▁and ▁adopted ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁set ▁of ▁by - la ws ▁establish ing ▁a ▁formal ▁structure ▁and ▁process . ▁The ▁by - la ws ▁established ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁president , ▁an ▁executive ▁officer , ▁an ▁executive ▁committee , ▁a ▁secretary , ▁tre as urer ▁and ▁positions ▁of ▁capt ains ▁and ▁lie uten ants ▁of ▁companies . ▁The ▁most ▁relevant ▁process ▁contained ▁in ▁the ▁by - la ws ▁was : ▁ ▁Prom inent ▁members ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁vig il ance ▁committee ▁started ▁as ▁a ▁small ▁secret ▁institution ▁in ▁Virginia ▁City , ▁knowledge ▁of ▁it ▁soon ▁spread ▁in ▁the ▁territory ▁and ▁membership ▁grew . ▁As ▁a ▁secret ▁organization , ▁exact ▁accounts ▁of ▁membership ▁vary , ▁but ▁many ▁members ▁became ▁prominent ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁territory ▁and ▁state . ▁Among ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁members ▁include ▁Wil bur ▁Sand ers ▁( 1 st ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁from ▁Mont ana ▁( 1 8 9 0 )), ▁Sid ney ▁Ed g erton ▁( first ▁Governor ▁of ▁Mont ana ▁Territ ory ▁( 1 8 6 4 )), ▁Nelson ▁Story ▁( f am ous ▁for ▁his ▁ 1 8