The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-12-08
Mills, the Mormon Preacher
Ills Fight with Col. Turk

whenever he held meetings a crown ul me
saints we're sure a. be prnhrut
A strong and violent mob ~ lynfhefh was I
about THE lime organized "a put dowu we
Mofnions. under tho runnIhfd gi Colonel
TuTk-ons OF the mont desperately dunger'
aus men that Missouri, oT 10 ruth, any OH
~ county, oger produced Some oT 'ho
MorInons were lnrrod aud ieAlherod, some
were rcoufged with long, knolly hiek"rl'h'
all they tainted from tie excess OF torture
and tho loss Of blODd--nlhers were l"ielWy
deprived of their property, and fadnesh ~
day 10 tho condition uf brggurH-whiln "lh
ers still shared q doom Of n0p mercy and
wero shot down Ou the prairie like 30 many
wolves. AZ lusi Turk resolved To lake snino
ofthe conceii Oul ofthe yong proaehef'Mlllr'
and lac fnye nolir0 a. las men accordingly
Il was droad6llly cold night ia MD WIN
tor. Is.sl and although tie sky was elpudlesh
and the Gill moor shone out 10 all hor Hlileh-
dor, the earth lay ~ that pearly radiance,
chill aud dfeary no frozen tomb for max
sheet of snOw cruslad It's aurihee, Hnd tie
north wind hOwltd over Il a dismal difge'-
II was n night TO drive even thieves ana out.
laws into barns aud stables for shelter, ahd
10 keep honest people by the blaze OF 'heif
own roaring hehrlha'
And vet strange 10 my ia a large log cabin,
River, then frozen from shore 10 shore, NJ
least one hundred people had nsAgnhlod TO
hold a religious meeting Ihoy we're Nor
mons, you mny be- sure. No families OF an
old filth would have turned oni on such
uight; they must he ireHh znAluis. " IN some
new idea, hut nj ~ birth Ia their hearts, aud
filming like n meteor in their inAg'nn'iohH,
OI Tley never 'cuuld have Vetinfed 10 lace
such M ICY blast-as that The congregation
,rshaIsd men and women IN about equal
nuni,crs and many VI tho former carried
rifles. which they gTurpod With one baud
even when knetling dowu M iTHSef sn'h
was tho imminence of peril, cilhor rna' OF
imngined,as they deemed pending over hen,
The proncher-ihc cnthunusi, MillH--i,hd
advanced a. the thSilling head oil hir elo'
uuenI discourse, and wu- painting ~ inrfi-
blc frr.luugunge the hiucr persecution "'leh
hps ever followed the footsteps Of All great
rclormcrs since the beginning Of ii'ne.-
Nrvrr bettrr Ind he been halt 80 animated
or hnlr 80 affecting. lilo blue eye cleaned
like n stnr-his voice peelcd like trumpet
slrill as tho wind which whisllod over liio
house top. aud las beardless iip seemed 1T
icrally loadcd with music. Groana, ionrs,
aud wild shricks from the nudicGce, proved
tho despoiic power of his uttornncc.
Suddenly. three rifles exploded ~ quick
succession before the door, and throo 'senu'
ncls, sinking with terror, rushed into ibo
room, crying out, @Thc mob tho mob save
yourselves from Colonel Turks mob F"
No person can depict the sccne of d'smny
aud confusion that cnsucd. Tho ien.Ies
screamed aloud, ms if oil hope had departed
Several of the men sprung out OF the VIM
dows -apd fed, rs IL pursued 10y legion OF
devils. While most OF those Who remained
] mud fnfulIX nutNpflraH
/ ,irr To escape or iihho ready for resistance.
Indeed there was lille spucc allowed for
prepnraiiou. La few moments mob ~
mounting 10 hundreds had surrounded tho
buihlmg, aud the muzzles of fifty cooked
guns aud pistols were thrust IN through The
doors aud windows. still none within llitod
a finger for dcirucc-lcur seemed To have
turned them into stone. Persecution had
not vet hardened the Latter Day Saints IN
TO veterans, aud the afterwards famous "Mor'
mon Legion existed then only IN the lmag''
nation Of the prophet.
Presently the lynchcrs, headed 10y the all
dreaded aud gigantic Colonel Turk ruslol
In, and began Ia beat uIo people iuriousl>
Ailll tlie irnn rufnrOdr of their niles VIII
mercy nH 10 lEo o.
sex. The cries and vain enreatlcs OF th'
moor sufferers swellcd To wall wilder thai
lNt lONlHH w hiA "hN
Colonel Turk rourcd--
nTurE, OFT the women and seize tile men
and let us have tho hickory switches hnd Tia
tar aud feathers"
And the drunken mob shouted, And mas
tened TO execute the brutal mandate.
, In TO this time young Mills had continued
standing with the Bible of their prophet u
i; his hand, tu, uncnr:hly pale and stranger,
! excited, his lip writing, his teeth clencheo
, and his bright eye swimming IN halo OF
3 fire. Suddenly he made bound for an nj
| incent window, aud notwithstanding NOR
! than twenty ondeavored TO seize MN, nc 81
: fecied'his escape honi me mousse
| uChnse him-shoot him-tnke him. aliY
- mr. dond - cried turk, in u transport of rag,
setting the example by commencing the puf
: suit himscC
, Tho- fight of Mills was directed IN
y .;,rni,bt line for tho river, and his marpelou
. apility added TO the start he hrst got 500
I MINCED hjmnt sona distance ahead. Inc
, f,od both rifles and shot-guns ut hun MS u
e ran nnJ hnppiiy without effect When b
\ cnmc 10 the river side he stopped down, M
= hnaiJy fastened on q pair OF skates, winch
o had carried IN his pocket for the 'nst ~" gay
4 TO be ready for any extraordinary emergei
D cy. and then taking the ice, SKINNED pfe
! the frozen stream with the s"'iiheHh VI VI
D "Iias nobody u pnir Of skates r. shon'e
Col. Turk, striking his forehead with ges
8 ure of wrath and yeXation.
: ~ have, GnswdTGtf urru- OF the 'ttel'ii-HAii
: shall cer,ninly moi Try them on the zee sue
e night ms this. -.
: "Be quick--givn thonl to me ~ eNe''''"e
Turk. IN tone Of iiery in,paIienco'
e The skates were produced: tho eager colt
\ mol ,icd them on; aud then, swearing drea,
u CnI oath tina, he would bring back the preHcl
Q er's scalp or LEAVE his own, lao hegn" a., "a
- ,o,ilous chase. Oh there is 10 daring llb
. l.. .l.D .iLAlI