The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-11-26

the man Just arrested for criminal partici-
patton in the massacre that followed. A
parley ensued. Lee told the emigrants
that there were large numbers OF Indians
in the hills; but if they (the emigrants)
would lay down their arms they would
protect them and take them back to the
Mormon settlements, they then being 800
miles southwest from Salt Lake City and
near the Nevada line After a long
parley the emgrants consented to the
proposition OF Lee. 1t may be here re-
marked that these emigrants had with
them about one hundred and fifty thousand.
dollars in gold which they procured by
their previous ventures in California. Lee
told them that if they took their arms with
them the Indians were in such great
numbers that they would massacre them.
Plumber, said the Mormon chief, was all
| the Indians We're after The pioneers
thereupon laid down their arms. taking
| with them such OF their valuables as they
could conveniently carry, and consented
10 accompany the Mormons back to Cedar
| City - twelve miles The emigrants
marched out OF their Notifications in the
direction OF the above named place The
Mormons, heard by Lee, tell directly in
|
was in sight, and POO yards from the
wagons Of the emigrants was inaugurated
| the scene of this terrible deed Lee and
his party commenced firing up the emf
| grants shooting several OF the most prom
| inent men through the head on the first
| fire The emigrants bein. entirely I'M
armed. the slaughter was an easy task.
After all the men and most OF the women
! had been killed a young lady OF eig teen
summers sprung forward, and, clasping
her hands. tell upon her knees in front OF
Lee, begging him to spare her life. She
| then rose and clasped him around the neck
| declaring TO him that she had a lover in
| California to whom She owed her lite ;
| that she was engaged to marry him on
her arrival there. Lee. after hearing her
! pitiful story took her aside, ravished hey
| and then with his knife cut her throat,
leaving her body on the spot 10 be eaten
| by wolves,
| Sixteen innocent children were saved
| from the general massacre. Two of the
| number We're seven years old. the balance
| between one and five years OF age.
After Mr. Rogers, the Indian agent had
buried the bones OF the emigrants that
had been left TO bleach within twelve miles
of the Mormon temple, he returned to
Cedar City and found the children in the
hands Of the Mormons, Lee having two
Of the number. The Mormons asked pay
from the agent tor taking care of the
| children. Up to this time the world sup
posed the emigrants We're murdered by the
/ Indians. but the subsequent relation will
show how far the savage Indians We're
really connected with the affair
Mr.. Rogers gathered the children TO-
gether, returned to pay the ransom de-
manded for their release by the Mormons.
After he had the children in his camp,
near the Mormon settlement at Cedar City,
two of them, then about eight years of
age, told Mr. Rogers that Lee and the
men murdered their parents,
OF course Mr. Rogers was a>tounded
at this, the first information he had re-
ceived Of the real authors OF the diabC lical
massacre. He pursued his nyestiGA.ionS
among the children, and their testimony
was colroborative of the Intelligence he
had previously obtained 1t should be
here stated that two Mormons came to
the tent Of MI Rogers at midnight about
this time, and told him that their hearts
We're pressed with grief.
Ii he (the agent would spare their lives
they would give him true history of the
awful massacre. Rogers told them to pro
coed and open their hearts. These two
MOrmons (the names Of whom Mr. Roger,
does not recalD told him they were sum
moned by John ID Lee. the then COM
mander of the Nauvoo Legion at Cedar
City, to appear in Indian costume, painted.
with long hair, fully to represent the ma
tive savage, prepared to go to Mountain
Meadow The Mormons attacked the train
Of emigrants in the disguise Ok indians.
Lee, finding that the emigrants We're too
strongly fortified, after five days siege.
retired back and dressed in citizens
clothes, and rs we have above described
decoyed the emigrantS into Il surrender OF
their arms. This statement made in
full to Mr.. Rogers by the two Mormons
we have referred to, thus corroborating
fully the statements made by the rescued
children. Furthermore, they stated that
the blooded stock and wagons Of the emf
grants Were taken back to Cedar CITY to
the Mormon tithing establishment. and
there sold at public auction.