New-York tribune., 1871-10-21
THE MORMON MURDERS.


HUSTLED Ur-BRIGHAM YOUNG IMPLICATED.
IPRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OP THR TRIBUNE
SALT LAKE CRY, Oct, 1S-ln addition to the
AaavitS sent yesterday forward you the confession Of
j. M. Stewart, the Bishops counselor 1t 10 important
not only in pointing the murderer Of the Parishes
but In showing the connection Of the Mormon Church
with the crime. The affidavit of Mrs. Parrish also i'm
pOrtant as showing the unwingneSs Of Brigham Young
TO assist her In her difficulties.
CONFESSION OF J. NJ. STEWART, THE BISHOPS
COUNSELLOR.
SAN BERNAKDMo. July l. 1882
At certain time during the notable Reformation
think in the Winter Of 1851 one OF the Blsnop
cOunseOrs presiding and speaking at ward meeting IN
the house OF G. q. duff Potter, whore Drother cOuh
selor N T. Guy man. came to the door and Said BrohF
Stewart please TO cut your remarks snort the Bishop
wishes 10 see YOU" did So and went with MN 10 the
Bishops council rOom an upper room In MS o"eiAus
house. AS this in the night our movements were
perhaps observed by but very few The Bishop tJohh
son) Guyman apd myself and some fow Others whom
cannot row identify composed tins council After all had
assembled and were orderly seated, tho Bishop stated
the object Of the meeting which was that we might near
letter which he had Just received from President
Young" He there read the letter. the puIport OF Whch
A COMMAND FROM YOUNG.
IIe Brigham. had information that sOmo suspicious
characters were collecting at the Indian Farm" on
keep good look out In that directon to send
ont there to reconnoter and ascertain what going
on, and they uoSe suspicious charactGrs sGOud make
be- so I o b"g % ayotae ET% rcpoT T he Wroe
"the better way Is to lock the stable door before the
he Ghc Bishop, understood these things and would
accordingly Keep this letter Close" This letter
was over BrgnaIl's signature III his own peculiarly
rough hand which all had the privilege Of seeing.
About this matter there was no counSellng. Inc WoIu
Of brigham was the iao aud the object was that We
for was the precinct magistrate, when Parrish, under
OATH said his horses were stolen the night before from his
stable and asked for searcwarrant. could find no
law In Utah making it the duty the privilege Of jus
considered tat there could bo harm IN it, and there
fore granted H. directing 1t to the sheriff bis deputy or
any constable Utah County, requiring him to search
diligently Yah County for such property. Parrish
Wished me Ia dcputze D"riee To search, but refused
1t was this time mat Durfee aimed, as understood
ITO give me- hlnt OF his situation " IN pryate,n ne
Ing that hc ndcd to his apOsacy, which be- had made
pubic as hc dare, when he replied, "aPs right in
LsTaelF did hot understand him.
SECRET COUNCIL.
The next Saturday night there council which
attended by special invitation. In the council were,
well as remember, Bishop A. johnson, ]. NJ Stewart
A. F. Mcdonald y. T. Guyman, L. johnson, c. Sanford |
and w. ]. L rl pretty certain there others
and Durfee present. They came in with blankets |
deal Of talking two three individually getting
close tog At and talking in suppressed tones which
being dull Of hearing did not wholly understand un-
derstood hower when Potter requested Of the Bishop
damned cure and tAe Bishops reply, shed no blood
in springlille."
During council the best of my recollection.
scarcely spoke q word. understood that blood would
probably hr shed not IN sprngVile. but out Of it, aid
current and could not get out and policy said to me:
Hold your tongue for the present" This Saturday
night and. as well l remember. heard more Of
the affair I'LL the next Sunday night one week. that is,
1Enew noting OF the plan nor Of the deeds until near
midnight when was awakened and requested TO so and
Of the city Alder men, and predecessor in the maste
rial office, made this requirement Of and undertook
son moment and concluded suffer myself TO be
dictated TO- attempt should be made to lead
70 the commission OF crime. In that case felt that
would try mighty hard to back out
THE INQUEST.
obeyod my manager. w. j. Earl in selecting the jury.
Havng summoned part Of the number requisite, and
being told by Earl that the jury could be filed out after
got there proceeded along the main road south,
about mile the public square to the Of
William r. Parrish and G. G. Potter Duff Potter) They
had evidently killed In the road and dragged to the
tho jury The examination took place under my own Oh
serys0n 1t was oTsran nES sfdTs ScSFe e Se oe
through with Young Parrish neasc9 go called was DIS
The verdict was THAT they TO their deaths by the
hands OF assassns to the jury unknown
Mackuzic who somebody's direction. suppose. was
the ground with his team and Nv wagon i The bodies
were guarded through the Mght Dy the ponce.
TIE BISHOPS DIRECTIONS.
The next morning the Bishop sent word to me to bury
the bodies which did and made out the bill according
TO the charges of the men employed was told to take
charge OF goods chates and clothes of the murdered
men, which did, and in due time delivered every article
to their families, except bucherkne, claimed by Mrs
Parrish which did not suppose belonged to her. and
which would give tO her (prOfessinS Ignorance OF
ats whercahUut>l III l could get directions from the
Bishop She never got tho knife; itWSs subsequently
sme c1nsdcrhlc time-I don't know how lOnR-after
abovenancd fo knife supposed from fact that when
knife into my ms Tas t all tive Rs"
thought differently During our chat about the knllo
and the murder. tine Bishop asked a.,
do yUu know who done that J0DT
Irepiied, No" He then asked:
Have you any ideaT
Cant you guess"
la sn'wgrsa: ,S"a sa, =! a%c!i T@cs. fness S@g.@
81 guess William Bird"
know nothing which would naturally have caused me
70 suspect WIN Bird, much some others; but
and spoke accordingly.
THE MOCK COURT
Isuppose had as well say something about the noto
rious Court in which Durfee and o Parrish tried
for the murder Of Potter and the Parishes. H. Il |
Kearns Captain OF the Police, came TO me on Monday
tbe next day after the murder and told that must
hold Court time that afternoon and examine Durfee
and young Parrish In regard TO the murder as he had
them pri ~Iuers on that account understood that II
was only 10 be done as show or kind Of put or
ordered the prisoners before and as was directed
Swore them tell the truth in the then under con
DuTtee mdde MS statement nrSl Wnen
shout what has hitherto been revealed He Of course
told what he had instructed 70 tell Parrish, as
might have been expected, chose not 10 know anything
OF conseuuenoe certainly wise In him 10 be ignor
ant -
II would have been in order while on the subject OF
the knife to state that which will state. Before
the Bishop and had got through chat Bird came in
sight and the Bishop called TO him He came to us, and
during conversation cooly and deliberately made
When Potter fell cllnched Parrish, and killed him
knifp