The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-09-19

Chapter of Bloody IIistory-Th. Tru.
Details OF tho Mount n in Meadows Mas
saCre.
fiiteen years ago, very wealthy train
OF emigrants left Arkansas for Califor.
MA, there to seek new homes. From all
reports it was considered tho most COM
fortably QUILTED company Of emiprants
that ever crossed the plains. In addition
to the usual wagons. freighted with pro-
VISIONS. clothing and the portable valna-
ples OF their former homes, together
with the implements Of agriculture and
mechanics. there were several carriages
!or the more convenient travelling of the
ladies', tho young and the aged. Alto.
gether, the appearance of the train and
Tue excellent conduct and pleasant usso-
ciatlons OF the emigrants with one an
other bespoke the moving of farmers and
trades'people i'll comfortable circum.
stances. They rested every seventh day
IN their journey, and engaged in reli-
gious exercises in their own way, as had
been their custom ut home. They ap-
peared to be related to ench other by
families or by marriage, and with the
toddling infant playing in tho camp ut
night might be seen the venerable patri-
arch OF three score years and ten. All
seemed happy together. Such was the
emlgrant train that passed through Utah
III 1857 aud perished on the Mountain
Meadows, $50 miles South of Salt Lake
City.
During the past fifteen wears this
Mountain Meadows massacre has been
frequently charged to the Mormons, but
with unyielding persinacity they have
denied the implication, and with the
ooldness OF their assertions thoy have
managed to induce even ustute Congress
men to believe TINT the mussacro was the
work OF the Indians. But, singulnrly
enough, on the fifteenth anniversary of
that foul and treaoherous deed, in which
l2O men, women and children were muir
dered, there comes to us from the city
OF the Prophet Brigham the full and
frank confession of one of his own
bishops that the bloody work was order
ed by the Mormon leaders and executed
by their militia.
The following is the affidavit in full by
one OF the least guilty among the parti-
clpators IN tho affair, showing conclusive
~ that the terrible Mountain Meadows
massacre was the act of the Mormon an
thorities:
STATE OF NEVADA, COUNTY OF LIN
coin, ss.: Personality appeared before
me Peter Is. Miller, Clerk OF Court of
the Seventh Judicial District of the
State of Nevada, Philip K!ingon Smith,
VINO being duly sworn, on his oath, says:
My name is Philip Klingnn Smith; re-
side in the County of Lincoln. in :be
State OF Nevada; resided ut Cedar CITY.
in the County of Iron, in the Territory
Of Utah, from A. d. 1852 to A. D. 1853:
| was residing at Cedar City dt the time
Of the massacre at Mountain Meadows
in said Territory oil Utah; 1 had heard
that company Of emigrnnts was on its
way from Salt Lake City, bound for
California; said comprny arrived ut
Cedar City, tarriel there one day, and
passed on for California; after said COM
pany had left Cedar City. the militia was
called out for the purpose of committing
acts OF hostility against them; said call
was regular military call from the
superior officers to the subordinate
officers and privatns Of the regiment at
Cedar City and vicinity, composing a
part of the militia of the Territory of
Utah; l do not reoollect the number of
the regiment; I was ut that time the
Bishop OF the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints at Cedar City; Isaac
=. Halght was President over said church
at Cedar City and the Southern settle.
ments in said Territory; my position as
Bishop was subordinate to that of
said President; ". II. Dame was Presi-
dent of said church at Parowan, in said
Iron County; said w. II. Dame was
also colonel of said regiment; said Isaac
G. Hnight was lientenant-colonel of said
regiment, and said John y. Lee, of Har-
mony, in said Iron County, was major of
said regiment; said regiment was duly
ordered to muster, armed and equipped,
as the law directs, and prepared for field
operations; had no command nor Office
III said regiment at the time, neither did
| march with said regiment on the cxpc-
dition which resulted in said compnny's
being massacred in the Mountain NIea
dows, in said County of Iron; about four
days after said company of emigrants
had left Cedar City, that portion of said
regiment then mustered ut Cedar CITY
took up its line OF march in pursuit OF
them; about two days after said com
pany had left Cedar City, Lieutenant
Colonel I. G. Haight expressed, in my
presence. desire that said company
might be permitted to pass on their way
in peace; but afterward he told ma fhnt