Arkansas intelligencer., 1857-05-22
The Testimony and Confession Of Mormon
Woman.
Van Buren, May Is, 1857.

Mr. Edttor: Having read the editorial IN
your paper headed "Tragical," and finding
several important points in the account in
correct. | beg to be heard by this community
and the world being yet living witness for
both the living and the dead.
For the sake of the innocent and his bre-
tbren-for the sake of aged parents and all
/ my kindred-for the sake of my children and
myself, and for the sake of tyath, | thank God
that get lire.
In the frst place, the article alluded to,
( says that Mrs. Mclean was induced to en-
brace the Mormon faith by Mr. Pratt" THIS
/ as false, for Mr.. Mclean knows that the first
! Mormon sermon heard in California, bins f
and my brother, J. J. McComb, were present,
and they know it was at least two years be-
fore Mr.. Pratt made his appearance in San
Francisco; and they know that from the time
/ heard the first sermon, l never spoke except
in defence of the Mormons and their faith
and they know that ! sought diligently for
my husbands consent to be baptised into the
church of the saints, and finally obtained it in
writing. and was baptised before p p. Pratt
made his appearance. These are facts which
| the certificate in McLean's own writing, and
the daily papers in San Francisco announcing
Mr.. Pratt's arrival, can be brought to prove
that my baptism and confirmation in the
church of the saints, was anterior to the arriv-
al of 2. p. Pratt in that State.
| will here state fact which has never to
my knowledge been written. | took my
children from the school room, with the per-
mission of their teacher) and in an omnibus
repaired to the place where there was water,
and in the presence of several witnesses, they
were Chat is the two boys) baptised by p. 7.
Pratt, for the remission Of sins, and by the lay
ing Of his hands they were confirmed
members of the church of Latter Day Saints"
If any condemn this act let them also con
denim every woman, who refuses to go to per-
dition with her children, just because her hus
band makes that his choice!
Again, your article represents Mrs. Mclean
as eloping from San Francisco to Utah with
Pratt, and after her elopement, her parents
wrote for .he children to be sent to them
This is also false, aud my father, J. 5. Nc
Comb, if yet living, is witness, with our
neighbors in both places, that the children
were sent from me in California to him in
New Orleans, aud that on a ship
Where there was not one voice or face
That they had ever heard or seen in other place.
In N,vn,phar 7 o,,lr,oal a.. Mr.
mon faith and in January, 1855, my children
were on account Of my faith, sent from San
Francisco to New Orleans, and this without
my having the slightest intimaton Of it until
they were far upon the sea. In the morning
As was our custom as soon as their father left
! Generally about 8 o'clocb) the dear children
/ clapped their hands and said "VoyO ma IRE
can hare a good time Pas gone, ace can sing
and pray as much as are cisAt -Aad TREY
/ did pray that morning as lad nccer kao1cls
an tejlRt to pray! They kissed me and
/ said, good morning mother dear about / 0
! O'Clock and started for school. At 3 | looked
for their returd, raised the curtain, or.ued
/ the door to look if Albert and Annie were
coming, but oh! n'y soul they nerer came :!
! At 4 o'clock their father come to info
me that they were on their way to New Or
/ leans, said he, Il put them on board the Sera
Nevada at 10 o'clock this morning, and now
| they are where you aud the cursed -noJ7aons
! can ne0er see them again :"
| That night he locked all the doors, locked
me in a room, took all the keys to his room
and locked the door. Can any one conceive
of that desolation My cries disturbed him,
and about o'clock he unlocked the door of
! the room where | was.
In the morning went from room to room,
| ran in the street and called Fitzroy, Albert,
Annie. But no child answered.
heard tiny footsteps under the window,
l ran and said my children! But they were
not mine. My brother, E. c. McComb, said
! l should go by the next steamer to my chill
dren, but Mclean said he would have moth
ing to do with it.
A merchant in San Francisco told me he
would give me $40, and he would insure that
in his neighborhood of merchants l could
raise in one hour all the means | would need
to 90 to my children. After this Mclean
boasted that was in his power, and he would
see whether | could go or not. | told him
the proposition that had been made to me-
He said he would have me in the Insane
Asylum IN twenty four honrs, This. however,
he never attempted only in words.
Two weeks after the departure Of the chill
dren he fitted me out and put me on board
a steamer for New Orleans, via Nicaragua
giving the officers strict charge concerning
/ me, 10 lock me up il | BEGAN to rave