Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-05-20

Come. my friends. 10, US carry him hence;
| an, sorry lha. he got his death by my
hand
John Mills, the Mormon Preacher.
When the Morm,ns settled in Missouri
in 1893, an enthusiastic young man named
Mills was their most popular and admir-.
ed preacher. Indeed, so great was his
fame, tha, whenever he held meeting, a
crowd Of the saints were sure TO be pres.
ent.
A strong and violent MOB Of lynchers
was abou, this time organised TO put down
the Mormons, under the cnmmand Of Col.
Tuck, one Of the most desperate danger.
Gus men that Missouri, or in truth, any
other country ever produced. Some ol
the Mormons were tarred and feathered.
some were scourged with long kno,ted
hckories till they tainted from excess Of
torture and loss of blood-o,hers were
forcibly deprived of their property, and
reducad in day to the condition OF beg.
gars, while ,thsrs shared doom OF more
mercy, and were sho. down on the prairie
like SO many wolves. A. las, Turk re-.
solved to take some of the concert out of
The oung preacher. Mills, and he gave
notice to his men accordingly.
1t was dreadful cold night in mid
winter, 1888. and although tho sky vas
cloud ess, and the full moon shone out in
all her splendor, the earth lay in that
pearly radiance, and dreary as frozen
tomb, for thick sheet of snow crus,ed its
surface, and the north wind howled over
it dismal dirge. 1t was nigh,
to drive even thieves and outlaws into
barns and stables for shelter, and to keep
homes. people by the blaze Of their own
roaring hearlhs.
And yet, strange TO say, in log cabin
within three bundled yards Of the Mis-.
souri, river, then froze from shore to shore,
at leas, one hundred people had assembled
to hold religious meeting. They were
Mormons, you may be sure. No fanatic
of old faith would have turned out OIL
such night; they must be fresh zealo,s,
with some new i lea, but at its birth, in
their hearts, and flaming like q meteor in
their imagination; or they never could
venture to face such an icy blast MS that
The congregation, including men and wo.
men in about equal numbers, and many
Of the former carried rifles, which they
grasped with one hand, even when they
kneeled down 10 pray; such was the I'M
minence If peril, either real or imagined,
as the deemed pending over them.
The preacher the enthusiast, Mills
had advanced to a thrilling head Of his
eloquent discourse, and was painting in
'errible, fiery Language, the bitter perse'
cullon which has ever followed the foot
steps of all grea, relormers. since the
beginning of time. Never before had he
been half SO animated or half so affect.
ing. His blue eye glanced like star
his voice pealed like trumpet, shriil a;
Inc wind that whs,led over The house.top
and his lips seemed literally loaded with
music. Groans, tears and wild shrieks
from the audience, proved The despolit
power Of his ulterance
Suddenly three rifles exploded in quick
succession before the door, and three sell'
,inels shaking with terror. rushed into .ht
room, crying out
The mob the mob Save yourselves
from Col Turks mob!
No pen can depect TO the scene Of dis
may and confusion that ensued. The f..
males screamed aloud, as if all hope hat
departed. Several Of he men sprang ou
Of the windows and fed us if pursuree
by legion of devils, willis, mos, Of those
who remained, appeared stupi6ed and to
tally pow erless. either to escape or make
ready for resistance. Indeed. there wal
very little space allowed for preparation
In few moments mob amounting le
hundreds had surrounded the building, ,ant
The muzzles of fifty cooked guns and pis
tolls were thrust in through the doors ane
windows. Sill none within lifted &
finger for defence-fear seemed 10 hav,
turned .hem into one. Persecution hat
no, yet hardened the Latter Day Sainrs
veterans, and the afterwards famou'
Mormon Legion existed hen only in th'
Imagination Of the Prophet.
Presently the lynchers, headed by tn
all dreaded and gigantic Col. Turk, CAM
rushing in. and began to bea, the peopl'
furously with the iron ramrods Of thei
rifles. with very little dis inction Of mere.
as to age or sect. The cries and en,rea
ties Of the poor sufferers swelled to wal
wilder than the bowling Of the win
without. At length Col. Turk roare
out -
Turn out the women and seize tn
men, and lei us have The hickory switch
es nnd the tar and feathers!'
And the drunken mob shouted, end hal
.ened to execute their drunken a. ,nda,
the brutal mandate. '
Up to this time young Mills had cor
I,iausd Standing with the bible Of .h