New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-30
THE UTAH EXPEDITION.

From Our 81 ecisl Utah Correspondent.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, April %, 1853.
/ have been surprised at the silence of your
Occasional Correspondent from Camp Scott con-
cerDing the discovery of quantity of Mormon
guppowder in one of the United States supply
trains. In the absence of any statement from bun
On the subject, was inclined to doubt that such
was the fact, but have just finished reading some
letters from gentleman of high official position at
the Camp, which establish it beyond question.
Tho powder was concealed in packages Of dry
goods which were consigned to William III. Hooper
& Co, merchants at Salt Lake City. 1t does not
appear by what authority these packages found
place 10 wagons intended for the transportation OF
Government. stores; but it seems certain that they
could not have been so placed without the knowl-
edge of Mr.. James Rupe, the principal agent OF
Russell q Wadde. Rupe is man about 81 years
of age. lie resides in Western Missouri, but has
an extensive acquaintance among the Mormon COM
munity. 1t would, perhaps be unjust to charge
that he must have been aware OF the contents OF
those packages but since he Is responsible for the
fact that they in the wagons, II is far Ia review
briefly his course in connection with the movement
OF the trains last Autumn. lOu are aware how
Russell & Waddel's employees, and wrote to you
what miserable set they were-th0se of them at
least who had charge Of the trains which reached the
army in November under the escort OF Col Smith
Mr. Rupe was no exception. lie was not drunk
at least did not see him So but he was most la
mentally inefficient; and circumstances occurred
in the course of that month which led some persons
TO believe that his ineiiciency was intentional. He
Vas present when herd Of coo cattle were run on
from the rear of Col. Alexanders command on
Hams Fork, about October IL, and on that occa-
sion exhibited an undue familiarity with Porter
Rockwell who figured among the Mormon robbers
transmitttd to you copy OF his afhdaVIt concern
ipp the affair which taken before Judge Eskeis,
about fortnight after il occurred Ills slgnincant
that both he and William Eads, one OF ms EN-,
rloyees forfeited recognzances into when they nad
entered in the sum of $50 each 10 appear be-
fore the Grand Jury of the United States District
Cont ard give theirtestIn0Dy concerning the crime.
Az there was but one other Gentle present when
the cattle We're run off, and he had le't Tor the
States at an early day, it was Impossible Tor t1at
Jury 10 procure testimony ~ identity the criinhhis,
although it was known that joseph Taylor, the Nor
mon Mslor. then in arrest, was conspicuous on Ihe
occasion.
William II. Hooper, 10 whom the dry goods ana
ouppowder we're consigned is one Of the wealthIest
Normons, and is Secretary OF State Ill lounS
Administration. The style OF hls hrm was once
:. Hooper 4 Williams;" but Williams became
d-septer and fled from the Territory WIN sur
ye,or. General Burr and Marshal Dotson, IN April
l-57. II was at HOopers house that Captain Van
Vliet was guest during hs stay IN Salt Lake City
las. September. .;.
Two questions suggest themselves III reviewing
the affair: ]. II the intentions Of the Mormon.
were pesceable up to the date when the Army Of
Vtah began TO move from the Missouri frontier,
why did Mr.. Hooper procure gunpowder to be
.mucgled on board the supply trains which started
previously to that date p Are proper precautions
taken with all tie trains which Messrs. Russell &
Wsddell are starting this Spring to guard against
T. repetition Of the ofense
Until my arrival here Yesterday, have been I'M
abe. since NY return to the States, to realize that
the Utah expedition is reality. Ii has been as
difficult for my memory 10 recall distinctly the
scores Of the Autumn march OF the army and its
Winter ,ncampment, as for near-sighted person
70 discern Objects clearly without glasses. But
here there are visible signs Of the expedition The
bar.rooms and tables dhote and even the streets,
are dotted with uniforms like European capital,
ard the word Utah" strikes the ear on every
side
am told that it is probable that the Peace Com
missioners will not wait for the arrival OF ten.
Smith, but will start for Utah soon as Poesioie.
With an escort Of dragons. They are now a. 'of'
LeayeIworlh.