The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-01-07

EscapeV N
and Peril.
To COL ALDEN kaan
der.in, CHIEF gMy for UlS4
! SIR: Having fed from ii
; Indian settlement anish Fork, in III
Territory Of Utab5 81 B@hat precipitated
ly, and reached your command on Ocr
go, after wandering for 27 days througI
mountains and deserts, in company viii
the Utah Indians, venture TO tropbl
you with brief statement Of the circum
stances which induced me to abandon th
Agency and intrust my life to the car,
and protection Of the savages.
For some time previous to my depart
ure, it had been the settled opinion Of tn,
people of Utah that the troops could no
get further than Green River thi: season
Consequently, concluded that the Ter
ritorial officials would not venture to eros.
the mountains before spring; and undel
the embarrassed condition in which Tie
retention orthe mails, and the very unset
tied state of Governmental relations witt
Utah, had placed me, | deemed it impor
tant to seek an interview With them be
fore the winter set in; and as ! had beer
previously advised tbatno person would
be allowed to leave the Territory or cross
the mountains without the humiliating
ceremony Of applying to Brigham Young
for passport, the alternative of organ
izing an Indian escort suggested its.lf to
my mind-the first conception Of which
grew out of the deep concern which these
untutored creatures had for some time
manifested for my'saIety.
And | was the more inclined to avail
myself of this suggestion from the fact
that several chiefs of the Utah country
were then ona visit at the farm, soliciting
me to accompany them to that valley fol-
the purpose of inspecting the adaptation
of its climate and soil to the cultivation
of grain, as they had become much pleas
ed with the course Of policy we were
pursuing toward the Indians in Utah
county. On the morning of September
81, while | was yet discussing the pro-
priety Of this resolution, some half dozen
Of the natives rushed into my office, ex.
claiming. Friend, friend, the Mormons
will kill you'll and pointed to the window
on the eastern side of the house. On
looking out to my surprise saw from
10 to 100 armed dragons stationed in
the road about mile from the house; and
as | did not manifest quite so much con-
Germ as the Indians thought the occasion
justified, they caught hold of Ee and gave
me to understand that they would not let
me stay any longer.
commenced arranging my official pa
pers so as TO be able 10 remove them in
stantly, if necessary, for | did not under.
stand what it all meant. In few sec
onds another Indian ran in 10 inform me
that the Spanish Fork Canon was full of
Mormons armed with guns and pistols,
who said that they were going to kill me:
and he had scarcely time 10 tell his story,
when another came in great hast, and
said that Mormon squaw at Springville
had told him to run and tell me that the
Mormons intended 10 kill me. lie also
reported large body of armed men on
the road between SpringvilIe and the In
dan farm. 1t was also reported by an
mother Indian that the Eormons at Pay
son, the town on tie South, were all in
arms, although it was the sabbath
The Indians would not quit my room,
but began TO gather up my bedding and
wearing apparel, when my interpreter
came into the apartment in an evident
state of excitement, and exclaimed, Doc
tor, you're gone in!' l asked what it all
meant. He said it was understood all
over the country that l was about leaving
with the Indians, and handed me a note
from Mr.. Butler, the Bishop Of the Span
ish Fork settlement, stating that he had
learned from various sources that l in
tepded going with the Indians in viola
ton of the martial law in force. He felt
it his duty to inform me that l could not
leave, that they had resolved to enforce
the law at all hazards. regret having
mislaid this letter, but the above is its
purport, which revealed to me the mean.
ing Of so much military array. TO think
that an officer of the Government should
be thus menaced while in the peaceful
discharge of his official duties, could not
fail to excite in the bosom ofany one pos.
sessed of spark of patriotism, feelings Of
the most indignant scorn. To be detan
ed by force, and used as tool in a most
reasonable opposition to the laws of the
country, as occasion might require, or to
fall victim to that brutal revenge which
seeks qualification only in the sacrifice of
life, was too humilating to contemplate
for a moment.
/ determined to extircate myself or die
in the attempt, and turned to ask some one
to bring my horse, but when | reached
the door, l found that the Chiefs son,
sprightly boy, had already performed
that service. While he was saddling him
| gathered my papers and wearing appa-
rel, threw them into some meal sacks and
pitched them out of doors to the Indians,
who all seemed eager to assist me in my
escape. In the presence of an armed
populace set out with three Indian
youths, whose names are Pete, Sam and
Shower Shockets. Mr. Josep P. Waters,
of Salt Lake City, also accompanied me.