The Washington union., 1858-01-30
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE OF

DIR. HtKE
We announced ON the 18th December last the safe
rival in the camp of Col Johnson OF Dr. Garland Hurt
Indian agent the only United States officer who remain
cd in Utah Territory at the time the other officers with
drew last spring The suboned narrative OF his escape
from the Mormons win be read with interest
u O1 ABe4 s. JoaaOn csef Of he army for
SIR Having recently fled from the Indian settlement
on Spanish Fork in the Territory of Utah, somewhat
precipatey, and reached your command October 23
after wandering for twenty days through mountains
and deserts in company with Utah Indians, venture to
trouble you with brief statement of the circumstances
which induced abandon the agency and intrlst my
life to the care and protection of the savages
For time previous to my departure, it had been
the settled opinion of the people of Utah that the troops
could not get further than Green river this Con-
seluently concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture to the mountains before spring and
under the embarrassed condition in which the retention
OF the mails and the very unsettled state of governmental
relations with Utah, had placed me, deemed il import
ant to seek interview with them before the winter set
in and had been previously advised that no person
would be allowed TO leave the Territory the
mountains without the humiatng ceremony of applying
to Brigham Young for passport, the alternative of
ganzng Indian escort suggested itself to my nind
the first conception of which grew out of the deep
which these untutored creatures had for time mani
tested for my safety.
And the inclinedt to avail myself of this sug
gestion the fact that several chiefs of the Unta
country then vlSlt at the arm something
accompany them to that valley for the purpose OF inspect
ing the adaptation of its climate and soil to the cuva
ton of grain they had become much pleased with the
course Of policy pursuing toward the Indians in
Utah county On the morning of September ~, while
yet discussing the propriey Of this resolution
half dozen of the natives rushed into my office excim
ing ''Friend, friend the Mormcns will kill you'll and
pointed to the window the eastern side OF the house
On looking out, to my surprise from 10 to 100
armed dragoons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and, did not manifest quite much
the Indians thought the occasion justified they
caught hold of me and to understand that they
would not let me stay any longer.
commenced arranging my official papers to be
able to them instantly if necessary for did not
understand what it all meant In few seconds another
Indian In to inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
full of Mormons armed with guns and pistols, who
said that they going to kill me; and he had
ly time to tell his story when another In great haste
and said that Mormon squaw at Springvic had told him
to run and tell that the Mormons intended kill
He also reported large body of armed the road
between Springvile and the Indian farm II also
ported by another Indian that the Mormons at Payson
the the south, all in arms although It
| the Sabbath
| The Indians would not quit my room, but began to
gather up my bedding and wearing apparel when my in
terpreter into the apartment In evident state
| excitement and exclaimed, Dcctor, you're gone in T.!
asked what 1t all meant He said IL understood all
over the country that about leaving with the In
dans and handed note from Mr. Butler the Bishop
of the Spanish Fork settlement stating that he had
learned from that intended going
with the Indians In violation of the martial law In
force He felt it his duty to inform that could
leave that they had resolved to enforce the law at ali
hazards. regret having msaid this letter, but the
above is its puport which revealed to me the meaning
of much military array. 10 think that officer
the government should be thus menaced while in the
peaceful discharge of his official duties could fail to
excite in the bosom Of any possessed of spark
patriotism feelings of the most indignant 10 be
detained by force and used tool in most treasona
BILE opposition to the laws of the country as occasion
might require to fall victim to that brutal revenge
which seeks qualification only in the sacrifice of life
| too humiliatng to contemplate for moment.
determined TO extrieate myself die IN the attempt
and turned to ask to bring my horse but when
reached the door found that the chief son. splight
boy, had already performed that service While he
saddng him, gathered my papers and wearing APP
pare threw them into meal sack, and pitched them
OF doors to the Indians who all seemed eager to as
sist in my escape In the presence of armed pop
uace set with three Indian youths whose names are
Pete Sam, and Shower Shockets Mr. Joseph 2 Waters
of Salt Lake City, also accompanied Instead of GO
ing cast, as enemies expected, took western
course but when it discovered that intended to
reach the mountains by circuous route, some bali
dozen persons horseback out from the town OF
Payson, to tap just ahead of We wheeled
short to the right but just i'll front lay small
stream, so deep and miry that stock not in the
habit of crossing it,
urged my horse, and he attempted to clear it at n
single bound but failing to reach the opposite bank with
his hind feet he fell back into water aud mud over
the top OF ms hiI1. allgbteG upon the bank his
head and by pulling at the rens assisted him in extri-
eating himself which he did after several desperate sug
giles. My comrades spurred down the stream little way
and had better Our pursuers by this time
within three four hundred yards us mounted in
haste, and soon found to my great satisfaction that the
stamina OF the noble animal had not been exhausted and
that although had lost my spur in the struggle could
dispense with its service.
At the distance OF about two miles reached the base
of low mountain ranging north and south We gained
its summit Just the setting and debating the
proprety Of pursuing further western course but Just
at this time despatch brought to us by two bows
from the old Chief telling to be sure to return to the
farm that night Under these circumstances we deter
mined to try eint We descended below the summit
only far enough to hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued on that for two three miles, un
TIL we thought pursuers about gaining the top
of the mountain Then turned again upon the eastern
slope, and dropped into little hollow where waited
for daylight to disappear. This completely foled our
enemies for the ground SO hard and stony that they
could not discover trail
When the hafgrown began to shine upon The
mountain slope we remounted and bounded over the
prairie toward the spot from which had set ont We
reached the farm at g. p n, and found about one hun
drcd of red friends awaiting return who mani
tested great Joy at arrival Nv first inquiry was
where the Mormons were when twenty voices shouted
'Cotch-carry Mormon !" Not here, Mormon y had 4
left fory-ve head of horses and mules and was
about inquiring what had become of them when dis
covered that most of them had been mounted by the In
dians. They then related how they had sailed out du.
ring the day and driven the enemy from the canon by
threats of what course they should pursue In and
my comrades murdered. eY
Taking some bread and meat that found in the eel
J.