Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-07-09

Details of the Mountnin Meadows Massacre
In Utah---Rcscue Of Childrcn---Escnpe Of
the Murdeters
A letter from Salt Lake City june 9Th, gives
the narrowing details Of the massacre Of train
Of emigrants from Arkansas 10 California, at
Mountain Meadows. on the 10th Of September
81, and the recovery OF seventeen Of the children
carried of by the Indians There were about one
hundred and + rty persons in the train, and the
surviving children were found about $50 miles
south Of Salt Lake City. The writer accom-
panied the Superintendent Of Indian Affairs
aud says
The train passed through the upper part Of
the Territory unmoleeted. They were directed
to 60 the southern route, as it was getting late
in the season. Aler passing through all the
settlements south for 800 miles to the Mountain
Meadows, they stopped 10 recruit their stock
before they struck the Deserts, as they would
have deserts for 400 miles after leaving Noun
tain M9adows
The Meadows is beautiful spot, about four
miles in length, and ono.fourth Of a mile wide,
and at the lower end is fine spring.
They corralled their wagons and were there
three days in quietness, % miles from any set
temeut when, early on the morning Of tue 4tb
day, they were attacked, as they supposed, by
a large party Of Indians. The lndians Cred ou
the emigrants aud killed and wounded seyersl.
After this the emig-auts set their wagon wheels
IN the ground, aud threw the earth up against
the bodies, making a snug defense The ln-
dams fought them for five days, having preyi-
ously run all their stock off The emf grants
we've within ten yards Of as fac a spring you
ever saw, but could get mo water, for whenever
one came out to get lt, he was shot down. The
spring has a high bank, a deep rayiue makes of
from it, aud in this the Indians were concealed.
After fighting for five or six days, a party ol
Mormons approached the csual with a white
flag in hand, to show the emigrants hat they
were friends.
The emigrants directly dressed a little girl ia
white and placed her at the mouth Of tbe cor
raj. Tue Mormon party then came in, sat down,
aud talked to the head man Of the train for more
than an hour, telling him that they had come as
friends Of the party to escort them back TO Ce-
dar City, d out $50 miles behind, provided they
would give up their arms, aud leave all they had
behind Iheg promised TO protect them from
the Indians. They marched the party Ia front
Of them back on the road about 2 500 yards
where they had to pass through some sedge
bushes, when one OF the Mormon escorts gave
a signal and all at once tie Indians raised in
the bushes--tho Mormon escort fired first and
killed all the mcn-then they went to work on
women and children.
The spot can still speak for itself When !
first passed through the place l could walk for
near mile on bones aud skulls laying grinning
at you, aud women and chldrens hair in bunch
es rs big as bushel.
Judge Cradlebaugh and myself have the
names Of sixty white men who participated in
this affair. Ii was done by council from Bish-
ops in the Mormon Church. The Bishops were
the head killers, They did not leave one to
tell the tale. The oljes, ol the children is be-
tween seven and eight years Of age. We have
seventeen here They are getting ready to
send them to their friends in Arkansas, as there
was $4,000 appropriated by Congress tor that
purpose-sO you can see by what means the
MormOns have lived and supported their Church.
This was the richest train that ever passed
through this country, aud after killing all the
party except II little children they took cattle,
wagons and horses back to Cedar City and sold
them at public sale The children were diyi.
ded out TO different ones-some who had no
children took two.
All the above has been sworn TO before Judge
Cradlebaugh. He has issued warrants for all
parties, but they fly TO the mountans
W Il ROGERS