Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-07-31
TIE L EGR "A z HIc
L.rGR ER0sI THE ATLANTIC SIDE.
49,
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.
Confession Of John d. Lee,


BEAVER, July 20.-The California associ,.
ted press rcportereis enabled by w. w
Bishop, attorney for John D. Lee, to rive
the following details of the confession If
Lee, which sets out the character of thn
whole, which is very lengthy. Mr. Bishon
said that when he got to Beaver he found
the excitement against Lee great. People
believed he should be sacrificed to appease
the moloch of the hour. He believed he
could not get fair trial in Utah, and con.
sentcd that his client should turn States evil
dence and get immunity from his acts. The
prosecution agreed to enter a aOlIe prosequi
as to the first indictment absolutely, Lee TO
take his chances as to future indictments
After long consultation with associate coun
sci, he agreed to It; also, II the confession
proved satisfactory, they would dismiss all
kinds of indictments against Lee After
Lee made his confession, the prosecution
found 1t did not implicate high church au.
thorities, also those in brief authority IN Iron
military district, SO they refused to accept
the statement, believing, Bishop presumes,
they could, by trying Lee, procure testimony
reaching nearer the apostolic center. So they
disregarded their agreement and placed Lee
on trial Lees statement opens as follows:
1t now becomes my painful though imper
alive duty to chronicle circumstances that
lead to the unfortunate affair, known as the
Mountain Meadows Massacre" in Utah
Territory, which has been shrouded in mys.
terry for 1S years. causing much comment,
excitement and vindictive feeling throughout
the land. The entire blame rests upon the
Mormon people in Utah. Now, in justice to
humanity, feel it my duty to show up the
my ability, though may implicate myself
by so doing. have no viadictiye feeling
whatever against any man or class of indi-
viduals. What do is done from q sense of
duty to myself, my God and to the people at
large, SO that the truth may come to light and
the blame rest where 1t properly belongs
l have been arrested on the charge of being
and place referred to- / have been in close
confinement over eight months, since my
arrest. was in irons three months of the
time during my confinement. For the last
IL years, in fact since the commission Of the
crime, Ihave given the subject much thought
and reflection. have made an effort to bear
my confinement with f0ritude and resigna-
ton, well knowing that most of those en-.
gagged in the unfortunate affair were led on
by religious influences commonly called fa
naticism, and nothing but their devotion to
God and their duty to Him, as taught them
by their religion and their church leaders,
would ever have induced them to have com.
mitted the outrageous and unnatural acts
Believing that all who participated In the
were acting under orders, that they c0nsid.
cred it their religious duty to obey, have
suffered all kinds of i'll treatment as well as
Imprisonment rather than expose these men,
knowing the circumstances as do, and be.
lieving In the sincerity of their motives, as |
| always have done, but have duty to per.
form. have since | was arrested become
convinced that it was not the policy of the
government or the wish of the court to
punish these men, but rather to protect
them and let the blame rest on their lead.
crs, where it justly and lawfully belongs
After much thought and meditation | have
como to the conclusion that cannot longer
remain silent on this subject, but so far as |
can, must bring to light the circumstances
connected with it, and remove the cloud of
mystery that has so long obscurcd the trans
action and served to agftate the public mind.
Believing 1t to be my duty rs man, duty to
| myself, to my family, to my God and to hui
manity, to cast aside the shackles so long
holding my conscience in silence, and in
pursuance of disinterested advice of my Ut
torneys, l now submit the facts rs far "a
know them, stating nothing from malice or
purpose or revenge, holding back nothing
that can state of my own knowledge, will
ing that the world may know all that was
done and why the acts were committed. |
submit the following as exact and unvarying
statement of facts and circumstances con
nected with the crime known as the Noun.
tain Meadows Massacre. The facts are as
follows:
AT this point the pages of the confession
relating to the massacre were refused to the
reporters for the present, but the character of
them Is permitted TO be stated as follows:
He gives at great length an alleged perfect
and concise statement of acts and facts con.
nected with the massacre. giving the names
or persons, dates and places He Claims to
fully expose all classes OF men, and every
man connected with the outrage. He starts
out with his first knowledge Of the emigrant
train, following through their unfortunate
experiences and conflicts, up to the termina.
ton of their sad career. He describes oil
that was done by the murderers after the
commission OF the crime, and the action of
all concerned with It; also, tho action of
Brigham Young and The high priesthood, the
acts of those in authority, the disposition OF
the children saved, and the particulars of
their delivery to DR.. Forncy, agent of the
government, who removed them to Missouri.
In fact, the statement of Lee fully explains
who for, for what reason, and how the
tragedy was accomplished, stating the justi-
ication relied upon by participant for the
commission OF that fearful crime. The de.
tails fix the crime upon Isaac G. IIaight and
John M. Highly, commanding officers. the
former standing on an eminenee and giving
the signal agreed upon for the slaughter af
ter the cmigrants had been decoyed out of
their stronghold by n flag of truce. The
wounded Ind first l,cen hauled out and were
dispatched. There were thirty white men
and q largo number of Indians. The details
of the killing OF the men, women and child
rem surpass in horror all that has ever been
written concerning the massacre. and more
terrible, atrocious and bloody than the most
vivid imagination could conjecture st.
Bartholomew'sday and the utmost barbarity
of humanity absolutely pale before the sick
ening tale. ef4a
In conclusion, Lee writes as follows; A
few days after the massacre, was instructed
by Maj Isaac @. Haight, next In command to
w. III. Dame, in Iron military district, to
carry report of what had been done to the
President, Brigham Young at Salt Lake City.
He directed me to give him my report and
stand up with manly courage, and shout
dered as much blame as possible lie saying