The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-12-03

and 200 yards from the wagons of tn,
emigrants was inaugurated the scene o
this terrible deed. Lee and his party
commenced firing upon the emigrants
shooting several of the most prominen
men through the head on the first fire
The emigrants being entirely unarmed
the slaughter was an easy task. After
all the men and most of the women had
been killed, young lady of eighteen
summers sprung forward, and claspinq
hands, fell 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 life; that she was engaged TO marry
\ him on her arrival there. Lee. after
hearing her pitiful story, took'her aside
ravished her, and then with his knife
cut her throat, leaving her body on the
spot to be eaten by wolves.
Sixteen innocent children were saved
from the general massacre. Two of the
number were seven years old, the bal
ance between one and five years.
10 return to Mr. Rogers statement.
After MIR. 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 re-
turned 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 for
taking care of the children. Up to this
time the world supposed the emigrants
were murdered by the Indians, but the
subsequent relation will show how far
the savage Indians were really connected
with the affair.
MIR. Rogers gathered the children to-
getheG refusing to pay the ransom de-
manded for their release by the Nor
mons. After he had the children in his
camp, near the Mormon settlement at
Cedar city, two Of them, then about
eight years Of aLe, told Mr.. Rogers that
Lee and the white men murdered their
parents.
+ Of course Mr.. Rogers was astoun led
at this, the first information he had re-
ceived of the real authors of the diabol-
ical massacre, He pursued his investi-
cations among the children, and their
testimony was corrObOrative of the in
telligence he had previously obtained.
1t should be here stated that two Nor
mons came to the tent of Mr.. Rogers at
midnight, about this time, and told him
that their hearts were pressed with
grief If he (the AGENT would spare
their lives they would give him true
history of the awful massacre. Rogers
told them to proceed and open their
hearts. These two Mormons (the names
of whom Mr.. Rogers does not reeall)
told him they were summoned by John
u. Lee, the then commander of the
Nauvoo Legion at Cedar city, to appear
in Indian costume, painted, with long
hair, fully to represent the native saw
age, prepared tO go to Mountain Meadow
The Mormons attacked the train of en-
igrants in the disguise of Indians. Lee,
finding that the emigrants were too
strongly fortified, after five days seige,
retired back and dressed in citizens
clothes, and as we have above described,
decoyed the emigrants into surrender
of their arms. This statement was made
in full to Mr.. Rogers by the two Nor
mons we have thus referred to, thus
ccrroborating fully the statements made
by the rescued children. Furthermore,
they stated that the blooded stock and
wagons of the emigrants were taken
back to Cedar city to the Mormon tith-
ing establishment, and there sold at
public auction for the benefit of the
Mormon Church.-HerdLd.