Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-05-03

married the lady to herself, as he found her
very pretty women. Poor Stains accepted his
cruel bereavement as a trial from the Lord
could fill volumes with accounts OF similar
transactOns-but enough of this. Never,
while at Salt Lake City, did l see any pun
! hmentinfieted upon criminals who had sto-
en- or committed murder, though these crimes
were frequently perpetrated by the leading
members even by Brigham's own brothers,
and especially by Lorenzo Young. But if
anybody was even accused ofhaving INDUCED
tn any dsparaging remarks concerning the
head of the church, that man was certain to
disappear suddenly and mysteriously- being
! privately destroyed. All the roads leading to
the Valley were generally infested by the de-
stroying angels either for purposes OF murder
| or plumber. The vengeance of these miscre-
ants was especially w1eaked on those who, af-
ter having been entirely initiated into all the
mysteries of Mormondom, attempted to effect
their escape from the Valley.
My children being so young and helpless,
without mother to care for them, took a
second wife, who was born in Bedford, Eng
land. In my own family l enjoyed much
peace and happiness, although very often l
was at a loss to know wherewith to feed
them, the grasshoppers having, especially dur
ing my last year in the Valley, destroyed all
vegetation. As already stated, my eyes were
now open, and was fully convinced that
| nothing which the Mormons said or did was
| OF Heavenly origin or inspiration. Knowing
Brigham Young as Iidid to be dark midnight
murderer, 1 sought all possible means to save
my wife and family. Notwithstanding that
L simulated as much as possible, coneealing
my true feelings of disgust and adherence.
could not escape the suspicion of the DIES
pots who surrounded me. 1 was frequently
asked to take more wives, and was told that
no man could obtain any high station unless
he had at least three but 1 excused myself
as well as could. This neglect on my part,
and some remarks which made with respect
to certain of Brighem's friends, determined
the Prophet to ordermy private execution, as
am able to prove by honest and competent
witnesses.
After this, I acted with the greatest cir
cumspection, watching almost day and night
Times continued to grow still darker and
more gloomy. Persons disappeared-no one
knew where; murder openly advised in
the public meetings houses were pulled down
at night, and persons whose faith in Mormon
ism was suspected were searched, in the hope
OF finding evidence against them. The Bish-
op OF Sprngvae settement-5O miles South
of Salt Lake City-had, in a public meeting
held in open day, ordered the assassination
OF three persone by name, whose only fault
was their desire to leave the place. 1 learned
afterwards from General Burr, United States
Surveyor General. that he himself saw the
corpses OF these unfortunate men. Early in
the Spring of 1857, Brigham expected that
great many dissatisfied Mormons would leave
the Valley. To prevent or check this emf.
grafton, he organized body of 400 men, to
whom he gave the name of ''Wolf Hunters"
The duty Of this band was to assassinate ev-
cry person who should attempt to leave the
Valley without permission of the Prophet.
They were to begin the discharge of this inter-
esting duty on about April 10.
Knowing all this, and more than my limit
ed time and space allow me to mention, l de-
termlned to run the risks of an effort to es-
cape at once, although in that locality we
were still in the midst Of Winter. l now, for
the first time, communicated nv feelings and
fears to my wife, and to my surprise found
her already aware of the dangerous and la
mentable situation in which we were placed
We decided to leave, accordingly, on the LIST
OF ApTil-two days after our determination
to escape was decided upon. But bo1o to es-
cape with my family which now consisted of
eight children, my wife, her mother, and her
brother-the latter young man who had
only recently arrived in the Valley, and had
not yet been initiated into the secret m steries
OF the faith. 1t was agreed, at last, that only
my wife should go with me, as the vengeance
OF the Prophet would pursue me more bitterly
and earnestly than the rest My brother-in-
law agreed to take his flight with the remain
der Il the family, starting on the 9th of April,
while the attention of the population would
be absorbed by a General Conference. He
agreed, also, to take Northerly direction,
by way Of Ogden, SO that If pursued at ALL
our enemies should not suspect his route, as
they would suppose that he had either
gone directly East, towards the Rocky Noun
tain passes, or West towards California.
Myself and wife-the latter dressed in mems
elothes-started at ten O. clock at night on the
lst of April and upon foot. Our entire stock
OF provisions was about twelve pounds of
crackers, and very little tea and sugar. Be-
sides these articles we carried with us only a
single light blanket, double barreed gun,
keen edged sword, and some ammunition.
4 we started at once for the mountains, but
'ere obliged to travel the road for distance
P OF twenty five miles before reaching them.
Then we scrambled along over this rocks on
the mountain tops, my purpose being to keep
a course wherein no horse could follow me,
even if he could suspect our route. A small
pocket compass which l had with me was ny
guide. The nights were so cold that it was
dangerous or impossible to sleep. On the
second day my wife's feet and limbs began
10 swell, and she soon was almost unable to
walk, her knee joints being stiff and useless
was accordingly very often obliged to carry
her in my arms. to prevent her lying down in
despair, when she would have frozen to death,
or been torn by the proving wolves who
were on our track. We had to cross many
creeks difficult to ford, getting wet, of course,
and thus greatly adding to our discomfort and
danger of freezing. Indeed it would be i'm.
possible to describe all that we suffered on
this, terrible journey. 1t was a desperate
struggle for the chance of life against almost
/ certain death.
Our destination was Green River, where it
was our intention to claim the hospitality of
the Snake Indians-greatly preferring to trust
ourselves to the untutored savage rather than
risk further experience of the tender mercies
and "Christian fellowship" of Brigham aud
his band. Two days before we reached Green
River our provisions were entirely ex hausted.
The snow upon the mountains was very deep,
and the weather was 80 cold that hope of es.
Gaping with life almost abandoned us. But
the thought of our babes-now struggling
perhaps with cold and hunger, to ioin us
where they might again enjoy parental love
and proteetion-inspired us to one last effort
to avoid the death to which otherwise we had
become quite Indifferent. Scraping away the
snow from the ground, we gathered some sage
wood, and by burning little peck ct journal,
which had kept thus far, we succeeded in
kindling fire. This saved us from our great.
est peril. The following morning discovered
that we were about six miles from Green Riv-