Southern shield., 1850-03-02
John Mills. the Mormon.
HIS FIGHT WITH COLONEL, TURK


 10 be present.
 A strong violent mob of Iynchers was about this time organized to put down the MIormons, under the command of Colonel Turk-one off the most desperately dangerous men that Missou- II, or Ill truth, any other country ever produced. Some Of the Mormons were tared and feathered. some were scourged with long, knotty hickores, till they tainted from the excess of torture and the loss of blood-others were forcibly deprived Of their property, and reduced in day to the condition of beggars-while others still shared a doom of more mercy and were shot down on the prairie like So many wolves. At last Turk resolved 10 take some of the concet out of the young preacher, Mills, and he gave notice to his men accordingly.
 It was dreadful cold night in md-winter, l833 and although the sky was cloudIess, and the full moon shone out in all her splendor, the earth lay in that pearly radiance, chill and dreary as frozen tomb; for thick sheet of snow crusted its surface, and the north wlnd howIed over 1t dismal dirge It was night to drive even the thieves and outlaws into barns and stables for shelter, and to keep honest people by the blaze of their own roaring hearths.
 And yet strange to say, in log cabin, within three hundred yards of the Missouri river, then
 
 people had assembled to hold religious meeting. They were Mormons, you may be sure. No fanatic of an old faith would have turned out on such night; they must be fresh zealots, with some new idea but at its birth in their hearts and flaming like meteor in their imaginations, or they never could have ventured to face such an ice blast as that. The congregation included men and women In about equal numbers, and many of the former carried rifles, which they grasped with one hand, even when kneeling down n prayer; such was the immincnce of peril either real or imagined as they deemed pending over them.
 The preacher--the enthusiastic Mills-I1ad advanced to a thrilling head of his eloquent dis course, and was painting in terrible fire language the bitter persecution which has ever followed the footsteps of all great relormers since the ] beginning of time. Never before had he been half so animated or half so affecting. His blue eye gleamed like a star-his voice pealed like a trumpet, shrill as the wild wind which whstled over the house top; and his beardless lip seemed literally loaded with music. Groans, tears, and wild shrieks from the audience, proved the despotic power of the utterance. Suddenly three rifles exploded in quick succession before the door, and three sentirels, shaking with ter TOT, rushed into the room, crying out--"Ihe mob! the mob! Save yourselves from Colonel Turks mob''
 No person can depict the scene of dismay and confusion that ensued. The females screamed aloud as if all hope had departed. Several of the men sprang out of the windows and fled, as if pursued by a legion of devils, while most of those who remained appeared supplied and to- tally poWerless, either to escape or make ready for resistance. Indeed there was little space allowed for preparation. In few moments mob amounting to hundreds had surrounded the building, and the muzzles of fifty cooked guns and pistols were thrust in through the doors and windows. Still none within lifted finger for defence-fear seemed to have turned them into stone. Persecution had not yet hardened the "Latter Day Saints' into veterans, and the after wards famous "Mormon Legion" existed then only in the imagination of the prophet.
 Presently the lynchers, headed by the all- dreaded and gigantic Colonel Turk, rushed in, and began to beat the people furously with the iron ranrods of their riAes with very little dis tinction of mercy as to the age or sex. The cries and vain enreaties of the poor sufferers sweled to vail wilder than the bowling of the wind without. At length Col. Turk roared- "Turn out the women and seize the men, and let us have the hickory switches and the tar and feathers!'
 And the drunken mob shouted, and hastened to execute the brutal mandate.
 Up to this time young Mills had continued standing with the Bible of their prophet in his hand, but unearthly pale and strangely excited, his lip writhing, his teeth clenched, and his bright eyes swimming in a halo of fire. Sud- denly he made bound for an adjacent window, and notwithstanding more than twenty endea- vored to seize he, he effected his escape from the house.
 "Chase him--shoot him--take him. alive or deadr'-cried Turk, in a transport of rage, set ting the example by commencing the pursuit himself.
 The flight of Mills was directed in a straight line for the river, and his marvellous agility, him at some distance ahead. They fired both rifles and shot-guns at him as he ran, and happi- ly without effect. When he came to the river side he stopped down, and hastily fastened on pair of skates, which he had carried in his pocket for the last few days to be ready for any extraordinary emergency, and then taking the ice, skinned over the frozen stream with the swftness of the wind.
 "Has nobody pair of skates?" shouted Col. Turk, striking his forehead with gesture of wrath and vexation.
 q have," answered one of the mob; s'but shall certainly not try them on the ice such a night as this.'
 Be quick, give them to mer' exclaimed Turk in a tone of fiery impatience
 The skates were produced; the eager Colonel tried them on, and then, swearing a dreadful oath that he would bring back the preachers scalp,or leave his own, he began the perilous chase. Oh! there is no darking like the courage inspired by the passion for revenge!
 In the meanwhile, Mills had approached thel