‘Freemen’ Set Stage For Showdown Self-Proclaimed Patriots, Some Named In Federal Warrants, Form Township In Montana

A potential confrontation looms on the high plains of central Montana where a dozen self-proclaimed “freemen” are joining forces under their own brand of government.

Seven of the freemen who formed “Justus Township” near Jordan, Mont., are wanted for threatening public officials, writing bad checks or tax evasion.

The Garfield County sheriff said Thursday he may have to activate his 85-member citizen posse to deal with the fugitives. One is a federal tax protester described by the IRS as very dangerous.

The freemen - part of the constitutional patriot movement - don’t recognize existing government or elected officials.

They believe the Constitution gives them the birthright to set up their own township and appoint their own judges, sheriff, coroner, clerk and other officials.

Members of the group now are suspects in the armed robbery on Monday of an ABC-TV “PrimeTime Live” crew doing a segment on the freemen, said Sheriff Charles Phepps.

The network crew surrendered $66,700 worth of camera and sound equipment and videotapes at gunpoint, ABC producer Harry Phillips said Thursday.

“They were forcibly detained by five to seven armed men who threatened them and robbed them of their camera equipment at gunpoint,” Phillips said.

The robbery occurred after an unidentified man either “invited or lured” the TV crew onto a dirt road leading to one of the township ranches, Phillips said.

“They were not there to interview anybody, and were very cooperative once they were confronted with guns,” he said.

The crew gave up its gear after refusing a self-appointed township judge’s order that they spend 60 days in the township jail, Sheriff Phepps said.

Human rights leader Ken Toole called the freemen a “gang of armed thugs.”

“We’re fairly disgusted with the overall law enforcement response here,” said Toole, with the Montana Human Rights Network. “We think law enforcement needs to act on this, and needs to act soon.

“I think it’s Weaver fever,” he said. “The last thing the FBI is interested in these days is another black eye like they got from Randy Weaver.”

Federal authorities are monitoring the freemen, but haven’t taken any action against them. The FBI chief in Montana refused to discuss the case.

“It’s an explosive situation,” said Phepps, who heads the two-person Sheriff’s Department in the county of 1,500 people.

“Even though some of (the freemen) may realize they’re wrong, their pride won’t allow them to leave the group and turn themselves in,” he said.

Phepps called out his citizen posse when freemen took over the Garfield County Courthouse in Jordan in January 1994. The sheriff said he now may reactivate the posse or ask other sheriffs’ departments to help arrest the freemen.

The sheriff and Garfield County Attorney Nick Murnion both said they won’t wait long before attempting to make arrests at adjoining ranches where the freemen are living.

“I certainly have lost my patience over the last few months with these type of people,” said the county attorney, who also serves as prosecutor.

The freemen set up their “Justus Township” - a play on the words “just us” - at adjoining ranches of Ralph Clark, his brother Emmett Clark, and Ebert Stanton.

The Clarks are named in state felony warrants accusing them of threatening public officials.

Stanton, about 23, is the son of Garfield County rancher William Stanton. He is serving a 10-year prison term for threatening public officials during the 1994 courthouse takeover.

Murnion said the situation at the township grew “10 times worse” on Sept. 28 when two fugitives who had been holed up in a cabin near Roundup, Mont., moved to Garfield County.

Fugitives LeRoy Schweitzer and Rodney Skurdal left Skurdal’s rustic log cabin in the Bull Mountains, north of Roundup, in the middle of the night. Skurdal, 43, is a former Marine Corps limousine driver for President Nixon.

They traveled 120 miles in a six-vehicle caravan to the Garfield County ranches, about 30 miles northwest of Jordan, authorities said.

Federal authorities and sheriff’s departments in at least two counties knew about the caravan, but made no attempt to stop it.

“We had information that they were well-armed and ready to kill,” Phepps said. He said he received the information too late to intervene, and he wouldn’t speculate why federal authorities didn’t act.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of Justus Township area

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: NO CAMERAS ALLOWED Members of the group are suspects in the armed robbery of an ABC-TV “PrimeTime Live” crew.