Vigilance Committees

What were vigilantes in the American West ?

Vigilantes were citizens who took the law into their own hands. They acted independently of the law, using their own enforcers, judges and juries. They also issued punishments as they saw fit.

When did organised vigilantes start to appear in the American West?

The first vigilance committee was set up in 1851.

Where did organised vigilantes first appear in the American West?

The first vigilance committee was set up in San Francisco.

Who set up the first of the vigilance committees in the American West?

Businessmen in San Francisco, who felt the legal system was too corrupt to trust, set up their own system. The first vigilance committee consisted of around 200 men.

What did vigilantes do in 1851 in the American West?

In 1851 the vigilance committee did the following:

• ❖ It dealt with 89 suspects.
• ❖ Half the suspects tried by the vigilance committee were found not guilty.
• ❖ A quarter of the suspects were deported.
• ❖ 15 were handed over to federal law enforcement officers.
• ❖ The remaining suspects were hanged.

Why did vigilantes in the American West stop?

Once citizens felt law and order had been reestablished, they closed the committee in San Francisco. However, the idea spread to other areas.

How effective were the vigilantes in the American West?

Vigilance committees were often very effective as they could act more quickly than actual law officers. They created fear, preventing more crimes.

What were the problems with using vigilantes in the Amercian West?

The major issue with vigilantes was that they could be unfair and unjust. They acted according to their own rules, whims, alliances and decisions. Often guilt was decided before a person was captured, and sometimes people were lynched as a result. Vigilante behaviour could be worse than that of those they persecuted.