Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-05-26
Tho Mountain Meadows Massacre by tn.

Mormons-A Tale of Horror.
The San Francisco Bulletin oi April 23d ha- the
following
One Of the dread mysteries Of Mormondon,
whirh the United States judges in Utah are en-
lenvnriny 10 unravel greatly TO the consernntpn
of the Saints" il the horrible massacre. at Noun
tain Meadows. Of onc hundred EN- grants. On their
way from Arkansas 10 California. At tho time,
we were told that the unfortunate victims fell un
der the weapons of the Canosh band Of Paravant
Indians: bat qarious subsequent Developments
have established the conviction that these were
merely tools in the hands Of the Mormons them
selves An eyewitness of the transaction has
been found at last, and we have received, from mn
ofical source at Salt Lake, statement Of his ac-
count OF the affair
The whole fearful truth stands revealed. pre-
scnting one Of the most shocking cases of cruelty
md crime that has stained the records OF Il
civilized community The writer snys
"While was residing at Cedar City, was cal
| led upon bv Mcssrs Isaac Hight, John D. Lee.
and John lIigbec--a three military officers To
go few miles out Of the city which did. There
| found thirty or forty others, selected from diff
icrent settlements. We wero addressed by the
officers. who told that they had sent Canosh.
the Parnvant Chief, with his warriors, to destroy
the Arkansas company. and that if he had not
done it we must. and If we refused, or betrayed
them to the Americans, they would take good care
of him hereafter Here we were all ordered on
the quick march to the Mountain Meadows, where
wc round the cmigrnnts, with their wagons formed
into two circles. with their families in the midst,
trying to defend themselves against the mercilcss
and bloodthitsty savages, who lay around IN am
! BUSH killing them as opportunity presented.
blight and Lee formed their men into two
companies, aud made prccipitnte rush mt the
poor ,lclencress Victims. The men inside OF the
circles rose up, but instantly fell dead mortnlly
wounded under the fire ofthc wretchc- who 81
cruelty sought their lives. Nothing remained to
Lr DONE except 10 kill the poor frightened females
and their innocent children caspcd in their
Others clung with desperation To their bleeding,
dying husbands, pleading in vain for mercy Mt the
hands Of the 'christinn.' who controlled the no
n,orr savage Indian assailnnt-.
John ID. Lee sent to tho Indian chief
and his men in ambush Ia como out and finish
the survivors directing him to spare only the litc
Children who could not talk. The savngcs came
Instantly, with knyc, drawn. and speedily finish
cl the ipo'ly work. The scene bcggars dcscrip
ton The ,cmoniac yclls of the savage monster.
mingled with the shricks and prayers Of helpless
mothrrs nn! daughter whilst tho dcah-hows
were dealing with unilinchng hands, mud s"alps
ncrc torn from heads which hlnnmcd with beauty
aud innocence but few hours before. Now the
work Of bntrhcring ended The murdcrcrs threw
the ,"ud into two heaps, covered them slightly
With earth and lett them "to feed the wolves and
birds If pIcy," md returned home with their
looty of cattle and wagons, and great quantity
%! goods, Ar.
Tnr Ir,n pls,rrrcrIoN.- troubles in Utah