The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-11-27

Persons Killed-Poisoning Indl-
ans Poor Fun.
We have copy Of the Extra Daily
Alta, dated San Francisco, Sunday, Oct.
11th. r M. We quote:
By the arrival Of the steamers Seua.
tor, from the South, and che Commodore.
from Oregon, We are enabled to forward
to our Atlantic readers, by the Golden
Age, which leaves this evening, the fol-
loving interesting items:
Our dates from San Diego are to the
10Th; from Los Angeles to 81, sud rom
Santa Barbara to 9Th.
HoRRIBLE MAssAcRE OF EMIoRANrs.--
j. Ward Christian writes to the Los An.
golos Star as follows:
San BERNARDiNo. Oct. 4, 1851.
/ take this opportunity Of informing
you Of tho murder Of an entire train Of
emigmnts, on their way from Missouri
and Arkansas to this State, via Great
Salt Lake City; which took place, accord
ing to the best Information I can possibly
acquire, (Which is, primarily, through
Indians at tho Mountain Meadows,
which arc at or near the Rim Of the
Great Basin, and somo distance south Of
the most southern Mormdu settlements
between the 10Th and l2th ult. 1t Is alb
solutely one Of the most horrible massa-
cres | have ever had tho painful necessity
Of relating.
The company consisted Of about 1870
or 1876 men, women, and children, and
including some 80 or 10 capable Of bear
ing arms. They were in possession Of
quite an amount Of stock, consisting OF
horses, mules, and oxen. The enoamp-
ment was attacked about daylight in The
morning, so say tho Indians, by the com
bined forces Of all the various tribes i'm
mediately in that section Of the country
It appears that the majority OF them were
slain at the FIRST onset made by the Indi,
ans.
The remaining force formed themselves
into the best position their circumstances
would allow; but before they could make
the necessary Arrangements for protecting
themselves from the arrows, thore were
but few left who were able to bear arms
After having oorralled their wagons, aud
dug ditch for their protection, they
continued to FIRE upon the Indians for one
or two days, but the Indians had so Be
creted themselves, that, according TO thei
oOn statement, there was not one Of then
killed, and but few wounded, They (th,
emigrants) then sent out Nag Of truce
borne by little girl, and gave Ihemselve
up 10 tho morcy OF tho savagco, who i'm
mediately rushed in and slaughtered all o
them, with the exception OF fifteen infan
children, that have since been purchased
with much difficulty, by the Mormon in
terpreters.
presume II would be unnecessary fol
all practical purposes, to relate the oause
which gave rise TO tho above described On
tastrophe, from tho simple fact that |
will be attributed to the Mormon people
let the circumstances be what they may
But il seems, from q statement which
received from Elders VIM. Mathew an
VIM. Hyde. who were in Great Salt LAX
City at the time this train was there, 70
oruiting their "dt outs" and We're on tn
road to this place at the time when the,
were murdered, but several days jnurnel
in the rear--somewhero about the Beave
Mountains, which are between Parawal
aud Fillmore Jilies-that the causes wer,
something like these: The train campeC
at Corn Creek, near Fillmore City
whore there is an Indian village, the in
habitants Of which have raised crop o
wheat, and a few melons, &c. And il
trading with the Indians they gave then
cash for wheat, and they not knowing th
value Of coin wero severely cheated. .--
They wanted blanket for sack of wheat
but they gave them fifty cents, and tolc
them shat amount Would 6Uy blanket.
They also had an OK with them which
had died, and they put strychnne in hin
for the purpose Of poisoning the Indians
also put poison Of some description in Tn,
water which is standing in holes. Thi
occasiosed several deaths among them
within few days alter the departure o
the train. And upon this, il seems, th,
Indians gathered themselves together, ant
had no doubt chosen the place Of attack
and arranged everything before the trail
arrived at the place where they were muir
dered.
II was ascertainod by some Of tho in
terpreters, from few Of the Indians who
were left at Corn Creek, that most of th'
Indians in the country had left; but they
could not learn for what purpose, and be
fore any steps could be taken to ascertain
;or certain what was the cause, the stOry
was told--they were all killed.
Yours truly,