The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-07-29
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE,

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Ho,o the Bu,chcr cos Piomot ant Ercrmci,
At the opening Of the trial of the
Mormons implicated in the Mountain
Meadow massacre, ut Beaver, Utah,
Robert Kays testified AZ follows Came
to Utah October 2, 1857 through
Mountain Meadows saw piles of bodies
of woman and children, piled promis'
cuously there we're sixty or seventy
bodies the children were from two
months old to twelve years the smaller
were torn by wolves and crows some Of
the bodies were shot, some had their
throats cut, some stabbed, and all We're
torn by wolves except one woman, who
laid little way of, and appeared as if
asleep, ball hole in her left side; it
appeared the bodies were dead fifteen
days; seven of MS saw it. Piles of mem 3
bodies were further on; didn't go to see
them; no clothing on the bodies, except
one sock on the leg Of one man; none
were scalpcd.
Assatel Bennett called; Was at the
Meadows December, 1857; saw the
bones there; horrible sight; skeletons of
women and children; curls, long tresses
hair, dried blood; children 10 to II
years; some skulls had flesh dried
on; the bodies had been covered
up; wolves evidently dug them up
Phillip Linger Smith. defendent of
San Bernandi, California, called Pros
ecution entered nolle prosequi as to
himself. Lived in Cedar city from
1852 to 1857. Was at the massacre in
September, 1857 heard of the en-
igrants coming. The people were for
hidden to trade with them felt bad
about it saw n few of them at Cedar /;
heard rumors of trouble $ nday. 1t
was the custom to have meetings of the
president and council, bishop and
council and high council. The matter
came up for discussion as to their de-
struction Haight, Iigbee, Morrill,,
Allen, Mills, myself and others were
there. Some brethren opposed their
destruction. | did. Haight jumped
up and broke up the meeting. ! asked
what would be the consequences of
such an act. Then Haight got mad.
The Indians were to destroy them. On
Monday, Higbee, White aud | met
same subject again. Iopposed the de-
struction. Haight relented, and told
White and | to go ahead and tell the
people the emigrants should go through
safe. We did 80, and on the road we
met John ID. Lee. We told where we
were going, and he replied / have
something to say about that matter
we passed the emigrants Mt Iron Springs;
next morning we passed them again
as we came back they had twenty or
thirty wagons over n hundred people,
old men, middle aged men, old wo-
men, middle aged women, youths and
children near home met lra
Allen; he said the emigrants'
doom was sealed, the die cast for de-
struction ; three days after llaight sent
for me, and said orders had come from
camp didn't get along. wanted rein
forcements; that he had been to Prowin,
and got further orders from Colonel W.
H. Dame to finish the massacre, to de
coy and spare only small children who
could not tell the tale went of, met
Allen, our first runner, and Others.
Higbee said You are ordered ont,
armed and equipped; so ! won't; Hop |
kins, Higbee, John Willis and sam
Purdy went along; had two baggage |
Wagons got to HampIeu's rancho in
the night, three miles from emigrants
there met Lee and others from the gen
eral camp, where the largest number of
men were then found the emigrants
not all killed. Bateman or Lee went
out with white flag. A man from the
emigrants met them. Lee and man
set down on the grass and had talk
don't know what they talked. Lee went
with the man into the intrenchments.
Aftor some hours they came out and the
emigrants came out with their wounded
in wagons ahead. The wounded were
those hurt in the three days previous
fight. Next came the women, next the
men. As the emigrants came up the men
halted, and the women on foot and chill