Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-16
ELDER LEE.
lNormon Leader Loose IN Indiana


From the Indianapolis Evening Journal
Elder Lee, one of the seventy saints
of Utah, has been sojourning in Indiana
for number of weeks. He is engaged
in a secret mission, delegated by no less
power than Brigham Young himself.
We enjoyed the happiness of a short
conversation with him while waiting for
the train at the depot. He was intro
duced as one of the saints, and his ap-
pearance was not calculated to prepos-
sess one in favor of them. He was
mean looking and shabbily dressed
His face was an odd mixture of cunning
and ignorance, the effect of which was
heightened by disagreeable habit of
looking behind him and glancing out of
the corner of his eye. He wore an old
pair of corduroy pantaloons, grievously
soiled, and a world too wide Tor him.
His coat had been green, but was faded
and somewhat torn. A very large grease
spot set off the back of it between the
shoulders. He seemed to have great
deal of trouble with his handkerchiefs.
He carried two, brand new silk one,
and one so torn that it would scarcely
hold together. He was warm, and con-
stantly essayed to wipe the perspiration
off his manly brow, first getting out the
ragged handkerchief for the purpose,
then substituting for it the good one.
1t never occurred to him to put them in
different pockets; so the funny routine
of getting out the dilapidated one and
furtively secreting it was constantly re-
peated.
In talking, he balanced himself first
on one foot and then the other, accom-
panying the seesaw with a singing mo-
ton of his right arm. 1t traHspired that
he was a weaver by trade, which ac-
coupted for the peculiar gestures. He
prefaced eyery remark he made, and
even his replies, with the words suffice
it to say" which made his conversation
very absurd. For instance, when asked
if Brigham Young had really fled the
country, he answered:
No; suffice it to say he did 20 away,
but he has returned Suffice it to say
he is not the bad man he is represented
to be. He is not murderer. Suffice it
to say when arrested he was not placed
in confinement. Suffice it to say the
force which arrested him expected oppo-
sition-expected resistance-but when
they said to Prophet Young, You are
my prisoner, he said, ! am at your SER
vice, gentlemen. Suffice it to say he
took them by surprise. They said, We
will not take You with us; when we want
you we will come for you. Suffice it to |
say, was that the way to arrest mur-
derer? The prophet is not murderer.
He is a great and good man, and suffice
it to say he will come out all right in the
end. :" t.
You are in full fellowship with the
Mormons we asked.
Suffice it to say l am. / am one of
The Seventy"
How many wives have your we
Tentured to inquire.
Suffice it to say l have two"
Do you like them both the sameY
Precisely Suffice it to say can see
10 difference. They are the best of
riends. Suffice it to say they are sis
ers. | married the second one to
,lease the first We have seventeen
.hildren between us. Suffice lit to say
he last wife had twins, which gave her
he odd number.
The man did not look able to support
me wife, let alone two, and nearly a
core of children, but we are told that he ,
ad plenty of money at his command. ! !
Ie was very illiterate, but what he
acked in knowledge he made up in fa- l
aticism, and he is considered one of !
be most successful proselyters of the p
Iormon faith. 1t is his practice to V
trike out into the country and rural /.
istricts, where he finds numerous con-
erts among the poor, weak-minded and
Representing Utah as a land
owing with milk and honey-the mod
m Canaan, in fact-he furnishes the !
Dnvert, if necessary, with means of
thither. 1t would make
20 long a chapter to chronicle his sue
sss with the fair sex. Suffice it to say, A
Iat each old maid and widow who es- +
buses his faith is firmly persuaded that oi
le will be "sealed" to him when she 4
aches the Happy Land Of Saints. 4