Nightmare in the Bitteroots: The Magruder Murders

During the Autumn of 1863, Idaho was a lawless place, but Lloyd Magruder was determined to change that by helping to create the laws to govern the new territory. Before he could though he took a trip to the mining camps of Western Montana, where he exchanged his goods for gold dust. On his way back, a group of men accompanied him with the intention of causing harm to Lloyd and stealing his gold. Magruder got the axe, the bad guys got the noose. This is the story that can be called the first true crime story in Idaho's history.