The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-09

u NxeA0OW M8080CKS-H0ffto
bic Confesslon.
The Salt Lake Valley Tan, Of February
29th, contains o statement in regard to the
massacre at Mountain Meadows, In Septem-
Der, 1857, when 12O men, women and children,
emigrants from Arkansas, were murdered BY
MormOns. When Judge Cradlebaugh COM
menced the session of his court in Utah. sup
ported by the military. among other witnesses
who privately, under fear of assassination, in
formed him Of outrages in the territory, was
one who participated In the Mountain Mea-
dow massacre. Hegave the following account
Of the murder:
Previous to the massacre there was a coun-
Gil held at Cedar City, which President Haight
and Bishops Highly aud Iced attended. AT
this council they designated or appointed q
large number of men residing in Cedar City,
and In other settlements arOunc, to perform
the work of dispatching these emigrants.-
The men appointed for this purpose were in
structed to resort, well armed, At given time,
TO spring or small stream, lying short dis
,ance to the left Of the road leading into the
Meadows, and not very far from Hamblin's
ranch, but concealed from 1t by intervening
hills This was the place of rendezvous, and
here the men, when they arrived. painted and
otherwise disguised themselves SO as to
resemble Indians. From thence they pro.
ceeded, early on Monday morning, by a
path or trail which leads from this
spring directly into he Meadows, and en-
ters the road some distance beyond Hambiin s
ranch. By taking this route they could Not
be seen by any one at the ranch.
On arriving at the corral O' the emigrants, 4
number OF the men were standing on the out
side by the camp fires, which, from appear
ances, they had just been building. These were
first fired upon, and at the first discharge sew
eral of them fell dead or wounded the re-
mainder Immediately ran to the inside of the
corral, and began fortifying themselves, aud
= ~ fOH dofn thnU m 4
by showing their wagons closer together, and
digging holes into which to lower them, so as
to keep the shots from going under and strik-
ing them. The attack con tinued in desultory
and irregular manner for four or five days
The corral was closely watched, and if any OF
the emigrants showed themselves they were
instantly fred at from without. If they at.
tempted to 60 to the spring, which was only
few yards distant, they We're sure to tall by
the rifles Of their assailants. In consequence
of the almost certain death that resulted from
any attempt to procure water, the emigrants
before the siege discontinued, suffered intense
ly from thirst. The assailaEts, believing q
length that the emigrants could not be sub
dued by the means adopted, resorled to trea
| cherry and stratagem to accomplish what they
had been unable to doby force. They returned
| to the spring, where they had pain ted and dis
guised themselves previous to commencin,
| the attack, and there removed those Disguise
and again assumed their ordinary dress.
After this, Bishop Lee, with party of men
L
| a white flag as Il signal of truce. From tn
position OF the corral, the emlgrants were abl
to see them some time before they reached ii
| As soon rs they discerned it, they dressed
| little girl in white, and placed her at the en-
| trance Of the corral, to indicate their frlendl
| feelings to the persons bearing the flag. LIE
and his party. On arriving, were invited int
| the corral, where they stayed about an hour
| talking with hem about the attack that ha
| been made upon them Lee told the emigrant
that the Indians had gone OFF over the hills
| and that if they would lay down their arm
| and give up their property, he and his part
| would conduct them back to Cedar City; bu
| if they went out with their arms, the Indian
| would look upon it as an unfriendly act, an
would again attack them. The emigrant
| trusting TO Lees honor and to the sincerity {
his statement, consented to the terms Whic
| he proposed, and left their property and a
their arms at the corral, and, under the escol
of Lee and his party, started towards III
| North in the direction of Cedar City. Afle
| they had proceeded abou 4 mile on their wa,
on a signal given by Bishop Highly, who ws
| one of the party who went to the corral Wit
Lee, the slaughter began. The men were mos
ly killed or shot down at the first fire, and II
| women and children, who Immediately fled j
different direc tions, were quickly pursued Ar
| dispatched.
Such was the substance if not the exa
| words of a statement made by man to JUDI
| Cradlebaugh, in my presence. who at the san
| time confessed that he participated III 'he no
rible events which he related. He also ga
Judge g. the names of 25 or 80 other men Ii
| ing in the region, who assisted in the massacI
| He offered also to make the same statement
court and under oath, if projection was qua
anteed TO him. He gave as reason for d
vulging these facts, that they had torment
his mind and conscience since they Occurre
. and he expressed a willingness to stand a tri
for his crime.