The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-05-15
A Startling StOcy from Utah.
ASSASSINATION OF A GENTILE.

ASSASSINATION OF a GENTLE.
The Salt Lake Union Vidette, of April 4th,
comes TO us with its columns in mourning,
and tho following startling statement:
"Last Monday evening the community
was astourded with the intelligence of an
other, foul assassination, committed on
Theatre street, only q few steps east of
Main street. The man who was assassina-
ted was known throughout Navnda, and
more particularly at Austin an& Reese Riv
cr as one of the best citizens OF hat State
and was engaged in the freigh,ing business
between this place and Reese River. His
conduct while here was that of II good,
quiet peaceable citizen, violating no law of
the land, Interfering in no way with the le-
gitimate business Of any person. and honor
cd and respected by all who knew him.
IA few days ago he was lawfully joined
in marriage by Judge McCurdy, one of the
associate Judges of the United States Court
in and for this territory, to lady of this
city, who was claimed by the Mormon lead
crs as the wife in polygamy of Mormon,
now absent on foreign mission. This
lady, by the sanction of law, and nv the au-
thority of the highest legal officers of the
territory, abandoned The false position in
which she had been placed, and legally join
cd herself in marriage with Squire Brass
field. Charges of resisting the police on
the night of his marriage were Instituted
against him, and his wedding night was
passed in one of the cells of the city pri-
sons.
"Brassfeld conscious of having done no
wrong, quietly went into court with his
counsel, gave the bonds required of him
and in every respect contormcd TO every re-
quirement of the courts in the premises.
"ln the meantime, the lady, fearing that
efforts would DC made TO take her children
from her, caused writ of haJcas corpus TO
be issued from the United States Court, in
order to ascertain whether she was entitled
to the custody of them or not. The writ
was issued last Friday. returnuble and tri
able before Judge McCurdy. This issue
brought up at once the question Of pulvga-
my aud its position under the law. BY re-
quest of the opposing counsel, the hearing
was postponed frcm time TO time until Mon.
day evening, I'd April, 1856. Mr.. Brass
field was in court with the counsel for him i.
self and wife.
"Judge Snow announced to the conrt
that the case in issue involved the legal and
constitutional right OF polygamy, and chat
he thought ii better TO so state the case in
plain words-for which we give him full cred
it, lie did not seem at all dcsirous of cvad-
ing the issue. Additional time being re-
nulTcu, anu oy mutual consent OF Do!h c0un-
sci the case was further postponed until 10
A. N. this morning, and the court adjourn
cd. Within half an hour thereafter, Brass
field, when within a few feet of the hotel
where he resided, and when in company of
the United States Marshal, was shot in the
bnck, and within one hour from the time he
left the court house he was o dead man
awe cannot close without referring 10 the
publicly expressed opinion OF certain Nor
mons in this city, that Brassfcld was justly
punished by DEATH and that the balance OF
the Gentiles here would Ge served in the
same way if they were not careful"
1t adds:
'It would be useless to deny the fact that
in the opinion Of the Gentle community of
this city, the killing of Mr.. Brassiiold was n
deliberately planned scheme, concocted and
advised by men high in authority in the
Mormon Church"