The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-26
From the Detroit Advertiser of Saturday.


Further Particulars OF the Beaver leland
Murder-King Strang's System-ExamI-
nation OF two OF the Murdorers.
The People vs. III. d. NC C,dlougA and Samuel
Graham The defendants in court, June 10, 1851,
in charge of Lyman Granger, deputy sheriff, be-
fore Justice Charles M. O'Malley.
The defendants, by their counsel, j. d. Erwine,
pleaded not guilty. Samuel Bennett sworn, says
he knows defendants; they, at the head of party
Of about sixty Mormons, surrounded our house on
the 7th inst ant, on Beaver Island (Bennet's house,)
told US they came to arrest us, and if we did not
surrender ourselves they would take us, dead or
alipe. We shut the door, and told them we would
not obey Mormon law, King Strang's law, or any
other law, but the LAWS OF our COUNTRY. caught
up my shotgun, which was loaded with shot; my
wife, who very much alarmed and excited,
took hold of it to wrest it from me, and in this
struggle the gun was accidentally discharged.
The Mormons then commenced to break in our
house, and fired in at the window and door several
shots.
We managed to keep out of the way of the balls,
until at last they broke in the door, and several of
them came into the house and dragged my brother
out Of doors, and then commenced to fire at him.
He received five balls before he fell. During the
time that they were firing at him he raised up his
hands and impiored them in the name Of almighty God
to spare his life. The defendants given orders
to fire. They fired several shots at myself, and
one nearly cut my hand of. My wife ran off to-
wards her brothers. house, nearly frantic; when
they followed her, and dragged her back to the
house, and kicked and bruised her. They dragged
my dead brother to the beach, and threw him into
his own boat, and compelled me to go into it too
They then put sail 10 il and conveyed US to the
harbor, before the Mormon justice, who issued the
warrants for My hand bleeding during
that time and most OF the following night, during
which time was prisoner. tainted several
times that night from loss of blood That night
! overheard William Mcleod say TO McCul-
Tough, (oae of the defendants,) g You did one
thing wrong. that you did not kill the other fell
low, (meaning myself;) you ought to kill six
others, and will guaranty you against all law"
Mccullough cut out my brothers. heart in my
presence, and Mcleod washed his hands in the
blood!
They held an inquest the body--the most of
the jurors had been engaged in numbering my
brother-threc men, who were not Mormons,
would not sign the verdict. The Mormons brought
in verdict TO clear themselves heard the de-
PENDANTS say in January last that they would kill
me and my brother. They (the Mormons) are in
the habit Of annoying us with lawsuits before their
Mormon justices. They had us arrested twice last
winter, and made us pay seventy dollars and some
cents-they burned our two houses last winter;
and gang of them came afterwards, in broad
daylight, armed, to our house, and look our provi
sion before our eyes, and we not daring to stop
them.
Strang threatened our lives frequently. In con-
sequence of being 80 annoyed, we sent to Strang,
and told him if he would give what we paid the
Government for our farm he could have it. off
your land" said he, "was not decided, would
rather have III; do not allow the saints to buy
lands OF this despicable Government; besides, for
Government land there are no taxes to pay;
would not pay you any thing for your land. But"
snys he 'you must comply tci the Iatrs of the king
dom--you must pay tMcs." We will not, said
my brother, pay any thing but what we arc re-
quircd to pay according to the laws Of country.
"Wcll, Bennett" said Strang, eff you do not ply
me 1.-THE, mark my words, that you will be sorry"
We then left him.
Cross examined We only fired one gun, and
that was accidentally discharged by my wife,
when che tried to get it from me. We had another
gun In the house, but the lock of order, and
no one could get it off ! could have shot some Of
the Mormons with my double bnrrclled gun, if ]
had tried to, but knew it would have been of no
use, as there were too many of them. don't
know whether any of the Mormons were wounded
not; think from the direction of the gun at the
time 1t could not wound any of them. We did not
fire any other gun; my brother did not fire. The
defendants were there--their intention to kill
U.s. The reason that they got out the warrant for
days before, that it would be no use for them to
try to execute Mormon laws up there; that the
people were bound not to obey them. We did not
offer them any resistance. The man whom they
were going t. arrest then about three miles
from our house. We have not lived our farm
since last fall for fear of being murdered by them.
do hereby certify that the above is n correct
statement of the evidence of Samuel Bennett in
the case OF the People Us. Mccullough and Graham,
for the murder Of Thomas Bennett
CHARLES M. O'MALLEY,
Justice of the Peace,