Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-10-16
The Hormons--Narrntive Of an
Ekcaped Mormon. =.

The following letter from John Davis
Who has recently made his escape from
Salt Lake. under difficulties. We find go
ing the rounds Of our exchanges. It II
UTitren to his brothers, who. reside II
New York. and Is written from Council
Bluff City. Iowa:
] guess you are anxious to know the
reason why i left Salt Lake. shall try,
in Gle 6rst place, TO inform you what a
man-must do to be q Norman. He must
give himself, his family and all this pos
sessionszover--to. Brig cham Young. and
then he'll Fave TO give the tenth Of all his
ineome-the tenth day work-and he
.nust keep from two to ten wives. II he
don't aglee to this. he had better quit
bat by doing SO. he j. in danger of losing
his life every minute, Tor they would
rather Kill him than let him be the means
ofletting the world know ROW things are
10 their midst. Many have been shot in
trying to escape. I have seen dozens shot
down on the street; and three days be,
fore left, | saw three persons killed
merely because they intended TO escape.
They were shot down in q place called
Springfield. while they were preparing
their trunks to leave. This took place on
a,Sunday morning. within Fifty yards Of
the gate Of the city. The frst was a
young man called William Parish he
received seven balls in his body. The Sc
eond Was his father, and the third was q
man called Poster. whose body received
&c many as fifteen balls. The old man
was pierced in his back, and had his
throat cut in three different places. !
cav them lying down. and l could name
the persons who killed them. Brigham
Young has got men for this purpose.
Their number is four hundred. They are
called the Destroying Angels" Their
Captains name is William Hickman. and
the second in command is Porter Rock
we'll. 49,
The wslls around the city are fifteen
feet high. and they are surrounded by q
deep and aide moat. The city is enter
cd by four gates. which are watched ir
the night. The gates are so narrow thai
only one vehicle can pass through at once
destroying Angels" 60 out on the plains
in the spring. in order TO intercept those
who may escape from the city. Many
left on foot last January. They sleep BY
day. and travel by night. know o
men and women who have travelled il
this Wsy-the men dressed as women
and the women as men. / came across
some who were very short Of food The
little they had they gave 10 the women
AID the men we're principally sustained
BY the ,comen's milk -.....-.-
l left Salt Lake City ON the 17th o
April. in company with two Welchmel
and an African. The few Mormons VIII
knew our intentions. said We would new
er reach the States alive, but told then
was determined TO try. whatever woult
occur. On Saturday (the day after VI
lsfs) We had travelled thirty miles from
the city. when we saw three men follow
ing ~. They were sent by the authori
ties of the city to catch US. The name Q
ono was Patrick Linch. an 1rishman b.
birth and Secretary to Brigham Young
This man fred his revolver at nae. The
then. came near US on their horses and in
quired our names, and when Nc refuse
30 tell them, they swore they woui
s'bloW our id brains out" Wit
that. one of them raised his revolver q
II he Was going to use the had one O
zach side Of the saddle. l then took O,
my revolver and told him to FIRE if b
liked. Ihsd six reyolvers with me. an
rife, containing in all thirty seven ball
Another ball was then fred at me whic
Rhistled BY my cheek. l then fred at hin
aud one ball hit him on the leg and al
other. on the shoulder. my friends b
this time had run in tSe woods. and W,
left to fight it OFT myselil I then 10
my footing. and one OF the men ran
me with knife. and cut my l'elt and toe
out four of my reYolvers. ha0 the oil
two hid 10 my boots. got hold OF OF
OF them and tired. end succeeded in zee
ing them. off for some time, till had
chance TO run to the woods. where l e
the assistance of my friends.
We continued to travel that day an
the following night. and succeeded
reaching a place called Fort Bertge,
which is ll3 miles from the valley. Th
number Of our pursuers had now increas
ed to twenty, and we had to put TO III
woods again. We travelled till night. an
were SO fortunate as to meet a hest {
friendly Indians. who gave US Buffal
meat to eat. The next day We oyertoo
q number of wagons. known as Mrs
Rabbits train. in numb Der twenty eight
was hired to drive one wagon which W
drawn by six mules. We had some trou
bic with lot Of Indians, called the 'Croy
Tribe They were we'll armed and abou
athouSand strong. About six hundred
shots came into our tents. We killet
about thirty Indians, and they killed fv
Of our men.