Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-15

The Territory of Utah is in the De-
partment commanded by General Sher-
man. Reports of murders committed by
the Mormons having reached General
Sherman, he sent the following message
to Brigham Young:
Sr. LOUIS, April 10, 1866.
To Brigham Young:
SIR: A telegram comes to me from re-
sponsible officers that four men, styled
'Gentiles,p have been murdered by Nor
mons, and that there is apprehension of
further danger from this class. BY Gen
tiles l understand American citizens not
of your religious belief. I am bound to
give protection to all citizens, regardless
| Of religious faith, and shall do so. These
murderers must be punished, and if your
people resort to measures of intimidation,
those must cease. All of our people must
nave equal rights within the limits of our
national domain. l know little or moth
ing of the causes of local trouble in Utah,
but is well for you to know that our eoun-
try is now full of tried and experienced
soldiers, who would be pleased at a fair
opportunity to avenge any wrongs you
may commit against any of our citizens,
even in that remote region. 1 will soon
have regular troops in Utah, and on the
road leading there, when l hope we will
receive reports on which to base accurate
opinions; and I send you this message
not as a threat, but as a caution that a
sensible man should heed.
w. 7. SHERMAN
Msi. Gen. Commanding Dept.
To which Brigham Young replied as
follows:
GREAT SALT LAKE CRY, Apr. u, &c.
Major General W. 7. Sherman:
SIR: 1 IN under many obligations to
you for your kindness in telegraphing me
respecting reports which have reached you
from this place, as it affords me an oppor-
tunity of stating facts.
As nigh as We can learn there have been
kilograms sent from here TO the East
which have not been reliable. Your tele-
gram gives US some idea of their purport
There have been no such a-ssassinations as
alluded to in your dispatch. On March
9th a soldier shot a gentleman named
Mayfield, and a Mr.. Brassfeld came home
and seduced a Mormons wife, and was
shot on the street by some unknown per-
son; but neither L nor the community at
large know any more about it than an in
habitant of st. Louis. Citizens who are
not of our faith do not suffer from intim-
idation here. In no other community
could men pursue the PURSE many do
here without experiencing the vengeance
of a vigilance committee. The outrageous
SANDERS they have circulated against us
would have provoked such a outbreak
elsewhere.
There are a few spectators here who
are anxious TO make it appear that Amer
lean citizens lives are in danger through
religious fanaticism, hoping thereby to
have troops sent here to make money out
of contracts. Gentiles' lives are as safe
here as Mormons', and acts Of violence
occur more rarely in this city than any
other of its size in any of the new States
or territories. b. Young.
This was accompanied by apaper back
ing up his statements, signed by a dozen
or more residents of Salt Lake City, not
Mormons. In answer General Sherman
t~elegraphed briefly
Brigham Young:
SIR: Your dispatch is received, and l
am much gratifed at its substance and
spirit. ". T. SHERMAN,
Maj. Gen. Commanding Dept.