Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-08-10
the Mountain Meadow Massacre
Confessions of Mormon bishop
An Awfnl Record.

At the trial OF Lee and others at Beaver ''"'''
for participation 10 the Mountain Meadow "'''''"
ere Philip Klergen Smith, of san berh-'
california. one Of the defendants, was o"'."'
Tbe prosecution entered a nOlle prOsel"ii """ :"
,ben testified He said he lived in Gear OHS :"
ISL from lS52; The Meadows were a. niles S'u'''
# Cedar on the California road. lie was III ""
massacre In September 1851. When they hearu %
Tho cmigront, coming the people were iorbidde''
10 trade with them and f,It bad about IT. TIC ID"
few Of them at Cedar; this was on fr'uay 'O, ~
,worc and Higbee fined them. They went oh' IL
heard rimors of trouble Sunday. 1t was the Gus
tom 20 have meetings Nv the President and Co""
ell, Bishop and Council and hish Couh0"'
a Bishop. The matter came mp l't "'9'"s =,
TO their destruction. liaishti liSOcei '0
Allen WILLIS myself aud others were 'hcr'' -,
OF the brethren opposed the DESTRUCTION
HIglt Jumped up aud broke up Tue 'n'e'"s'
a .Lud what would be thc consequences Oh sue" ."
act. Then fIaight got mad; the Indians were ~
destroy them on Monday. Hishec, Haight "n"e
and met on the same subject again. lopPoseu
their destruction. Haight relented and told "hi'c
ami 10 90 ahead aud tell the people TIT the eu'
grants Should 20 through safe, and we dld'
ON the road we met John Lee, told him where
/ and why were gong. lit IeilltN.. 80
something TO say about that natter we pas-ed
! tie emigfants nj Iron SPRING.; next morning We
passed them again as we came Dack; lhe! nj
~ or 30 wagons and over lOO pe99i1-ou Sa,',bs
middle.agcd, old women and middIe'aScu, yVu,"I
| and children. Near rome we met Ira Aiicn, auu
! he said that the emigrants doom Was 7e"Itu, ~.
die was east for their destruction; that Lee VI
! ,lers were 10 take the men, 90 out AnG h'cI|eP'
! them. ,..,
! AMER detailing the preliminary movements pr, pr.
yious To the massacre at length. and 70 MS otlus
| compelled TO join the Mormon troops, ihe Nitno'
! said the order 10 march was gwen we l haI "
! in sight OF the emgrants Either Batemah OF l '
Went out with a white nag, while man IIoin tio
emigrants met them. Lee and the man sat uyM '
! i'm The grass and had talk; don't know what they
talked about. Lee went with tho man INTO 'he III
! treuchmcnts. Amer some hours they came 1u w.
| and the Cmgtants came up Win tue "uuhu'i ~ ~
| the wagons ahead. The wounded we're Wose H,,'t
/ I'M n light three DAYS previous. Next came thc
| women and next the men; ~ the enigrant- C"'lI
| up the men halted. and the women chluiTeh aul
! wounded went on ahead with John ID. Lee. Inc
soldiers had orders 10 be ready To SHOOT al inc
| when the word "halt' camu, the soldiers hgcu
/ nred once; don't know IL ] killed any one me
] men were not killed at the iirsl shot saw INC
/ women nitcrward dead with their threats cut l
/ saw ~ came up Ia them u man Kill young slri
I the men were marched In double Tile hrst an' tnch
thrown in single Tile with the soldiers along lue.
/ John NJ. lligucc came aud ordered ny squat 70
! Dire Ice Ike the r0st, had firearms. NO eini
| grants escaped. saw soldiers on horses 10 I'Ne
/ on the wing those who ran. ! saw man run anu
Bill stewart on horse 20 aitcr anu MI h'ih.
I / SAW one wounded man beg Tor Hl- lci u'E"e'
/ cut his throat. Alter fired was told To ShthcI
up the lttlc children. a went / saw = latS'
woman running toward the men crying My ~,
band, my husband, - soldier shot her IN me Olck
I and She fell dead A. went on ! found tue W1g'
ons, with The WuuuIul all out un tie sround VITA
their thguats cut went on az Iylud lWo chlhi'u
put them 100 wagon; Thea went on 10 liIho"h .
. house; saw 40 more sOllicrt. Who had dispttrtd.
These two children we're wouudcii one dci q!
IIamblli.'a agd .OOA lac uincf Dno home.
The question Uf allowing statements OF the tou-
spiratOr, % tic disposal oi the emlsr1nt. pro
perty amer the nia. ,IcrC was here argued Tor ~
hour. The court held that u was admissible.
purin. Tie argument Suthci lAudt for lhr defence
bitterly said lhat lg vas an auompt to hH tE'
crime On sone ono else, &C be.ns oHiy "s"''
head.
Buskin, for the prosecution, replied that he
wanted hat The truth, whoever 10 tuipiicdttdi luAl
sutherland feared his real client would hc leaei'
ell. This caused u decided sths"Huni 10 "'''7
known that Brigham Young was meant
The Wltnc., said hc attended, a conference octo'
Der cth at salt Lake City, met Lee and asked nc
had reported IL brigham Young he ssid yes,
I every particular. The same DAY ], Lee anl 'uAli
ley Hopkins called on Brigham Young. lie then
In the pr,.ogce Of them sad on have charb.
OF that property IN the uIhiuS ONCE turn u over
20 JOhn -. Lee what you know OF tGis say noili'
ing of 10: don't talk about Il even among your.
/ selves When The time came had 10 20 10 q
7 ga- lead mine 20 get ore While wA- gone lee
took the property had Il soll % ut auction ~
| laiIht and IlIsDee told ne. lldlslt sold par.
OF the cattle TO Hooper, Utah's Congressional del
egatr alierWard, for bOOi, and shoes.
There were Indians ~ the massacre. The nus
were pretty full OF them. they were dcputcd 10
Iii the WuHcHi saW Que lhdi'h cut l''ttc Ooy >
throat; heard no rlOtt 10 o. .iruin the Indians
| The Indians we've wounded aud three OF lAcnl
died OF their wounds. | saw some OF the emf
grants property wIsh The Indians, anu saw Lee
get dresses and Jeans from the uthiug Vice Oi Tie
/ emgUnt plumber.
/ I learned from Allen that Lee vas the one 10
gather mp the Indians 10 ulI4ck IGs eWlBfants
talked with Lee about Il afterwards. Lee Was tbs
Indian Agent No Harmony; the agent traded Win
the tribes and issued goods anu TaIious OF Ihe
government 10 the Indians.
During the time that smith was testiying, Civ
Ing horrible details OF blood, the suspense WAS
terribly painful. Lees square. hard. lOW-brVwed
ace and neck became fanny purple Llaes anu n
wives scarcely breathed, sIraning Forward 20
/ catch each liable.
| The excitement in tie town is intense. Smlih
story, iu all tho material details, j. the same as
Lees sUppTcs scd Compassion az 70 the marsacr e
Smiths reputation there j. that ol mAn OF truth
lie could rot Le .mplacAcd saYe by lacis.