Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-12-03
MORMONIsM.
The Xs0uniain Meadow Massacre
-One oftlle Most AtrociSus Vii.
lainies Of the Age-Arrest of Its
Principal PerpetratOr.


ST. Louis Globe.
The recent arrest of John d. Lee
up the remembrance of the meanest
foulest, bloodiost and most brutal mas
sacre that ever defaced American soil
1t can hardly be forgotten by our read.
ers, but bri' frev'aw of its frightfu
incidents will be interesting, in connec.
ton with the arrest uf the leader of the
fiends who were responsible for the
deed of blood.
In the spring of 1857 party of emf.
grants from Arkansas, numbering one
hundred and forry-six men, women
and children, were OIL their way to
Southern California, being persuaded
to the journey by some pioneers who
had gone out in 40, and had been sue
cessful in their search for gold. These
eIDigrants were decidedly of the better
class of Arkansas, and the train was a
wealthy one. 1t consisted of forty wa
gons and large amount of bloOded
stock, and the emigrants had with
them about one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars in gold. 1t will at once
be perceived that the purpose of these
people could not have been otherwise
than peaceful They merely desired
to pass through Utah. on their way to
the location which they had selected
for their colony. They sought no quur-
rels, paid for what they got, and did
not interfere with the MOrmons in any
way. 1t is true that some of those who
were supposed to have been engaged
in the massacre declared that some
Mormon families had been insulted by
the emigrants; but 60 proof was ever
brought forward tosustain this charge,
and the attack that was made upon the
train had none of the features of an at
tempt TO avenge real or fancied in
suit.
When they arrived at Salt Lake Ci-
ty, the Arkansans were told that they
were too late in the season to proceed
by the old emigrant route; but the
Mormons informed them that there
was better route, through Southern
Utah and Nevada, coming out near
Los Angeles, in California. They star
ted on the southern route, and pursued
their way without molestation, until
they encamped in Mountain Meadow,
of grass and water. Their
journey had thus far been comparative
ly pleasant one, and they were in
good health and spirits, looking for
ward with joyful anticipations to the
end of their journey, which would find
them in land of peace and plenty.
While they were eDcamped in this
beautiful valley, they were suddenly
and Unexpectedly attacked from be-
hind the hills by large body of men,
whom they supposed to be Indians,
but who, as was made evident by sub
developments, were Mormons
as Indians. Several of their
were wounded at the first on
set, and all thdir stock was driven off.
The Arkausans, however, were equal
to this emergency. They formed cir
Gle of their wagons, threw up intrench-
ments. and defended themselves with
their rifles. They held the position
during five days, keeping their as5ail-
ants at bay, ,and sustaining no more cas-
ualties worth mentioning, On the
morning of the sixth day the supposed
Indians had disappeared, and a body
of white men were discovered, coming
from the direction of Cedar City.
These were MOrmons, led by John ID.
Lee, the com mander of the Nauvoo
Legion at Cedar City. They were the
same men who had attacked the train
in the disguise of Indians, and who,
finding themselves unable to accom-
plish their object by force, had resorted
to stratagem for the purpose of getting
the unfortunate emigrants into their
power. They came with flag of
truce to which the Arkan5ans respon-
ded, and Lee held conversation with
the leaders Of the party, in which he
offered to protect the emigIants from
the Indians, who were represented as
being in the hills in large numbers, if
they would lay down their arms and
return 10 the Mormon settlements.
This proposition was finally agreed to,
and the ArkaDsans, unarined, and car
rying only such portions of their prop
erty as were most valuable and pOrta-
BILE, marched out of their intrench-
ments on the road toward Cedar City,
the Mormons, under Lee, following in
the rear.
They had gone about 200 yards from
the camp which they had SO calamity
defended, when the Mormons commen-
ced firing into their backs, and eOntin-
ued the slaughter until 100 of the un-
armed and inoffensive people lay dead
on the grass. Only sixteen children
were saved, most of them of very ten
der years, and they were finally recov-
cred by Mr.. Rogers, an Indian agent of
the Government. 1t is related that
during the slaughter young lady ran
to Lee, and begged him to save her
life; he took her aside and ravished
her, and then cut her throat with q
knife.
But no details are needed to add to
the horrors of this most ceuseless, cow
ardly, infamous and bloody butchery.
The bodies were left where they had
fallen, and the stock and wagons of the
according to the testimony
OF Mormon witnesses, were taken to
Cedar City and sold for the benefit of
the Church. When Mr.. Rogers visited
the scene of the massacre he buried the
bones Of the victims, from which the
flesh had been eaten by the wolves,
and gathered tWO-bushel basketful of
wOmen's hair, which was scattered
the sage bushes.
1t has long been known, that there
can be no doubt of the fact, that thi.
massacre was perpetrated
by MOrmons, and that John ID. Lee
was the leader of the murderous band.
No attempt has been made to bring the
guilty parties tojustice, until the arrest
of Lee, who was captured at Pan witch,
near Beaver, by Deputy United States
Marshal Stokes and small rosse. He
was concealed in straw stack, aud
made no attempt at resistance. 1t has
been reported by telegraph that he
promises to give true history OF the
whole affair, and to reveal the names
of the guilty parties. 1t has also been
supposed that he would implicate Brig
ham YauDg; but the Salt Lake Her
aid of the 18th says that he has DE-
clarcd that Young was not interested
in the matter, and had nothing to do
with it.
1t is earnestly 10 bo hoped that not
only ZEE hut all Uha ware innnIira ed