The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-24
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.
PoRTAET TEsTIMoNY-EvIDENcE OF AN EYE
WITNESS OF THE MURDERS

Robert Reyes came to Utah. October 2, 1857,
through the Mountain Meadows; saw two piles
OF bodies OF women and children piled promis-
cuously. about sixty to seventy; the children
from TWO months old to twelve years the smaller
ones more torn by wolves ana crows;
some bodies were shot some had
their threats cut some were stabbed.
and all were torn by wolves, except enc woman
little way or who appeared as n she was asleep;
there was bullet hole in her left side; from
appearances the bodies were dead for fifteen
days; seven OF us saw them; the pile OF mems
bodies were further on; did not go TO see them;
there was no clothing on the bodies. except
sock on the foot OF one man; none had been
scalped.
Ashel Bennett called WAS at the Meadows
December, 1857; saw bones there; horrible sight
OF skeletons OF women and children, with curls
and long tresses OF hair dried In blood; the chill
dren were from ten to twelve years Of age; some
OF the skulls had the flesh dried on them; the
bodies had been covered up, but wolves evidently
aug them out
Philip Ningen Smith, defendant of San Ber-
nardino, CAL, was called. The prosecution
entered noHe prosequt as to himself; lived IN
Cedar City in 1857 since 1852; the Meadows are
forty-hve miles south Of Cedar City on the Cali
fornia road; was ct massacre in Sep
TENDER, 1857; heard of emigrants coming the
people were forbidden TO trade with them;
felt bad about 1t; saw few or them at
Cedar City; this was on Friday some swore, and
Higbee fined them; they went on heard rumors
of trouble; on sunday t was the custom to have
meetings of the President and Council, the blsh-
ops and Council and the High Council; was a
structlon came up Tor discussions Haisht,
Higbee MorrilL Allen, Willis, myself and
| opposed distinctions; did; Haight jumped up
and broke up the meeting; asked what would
got mad; the Indians were 10 destroy them ON
Monday; Higbee, Haight, White and met and
discussed dnUaT the same subject again OPP
and tell the people that the emigrants
road we met John Lee and told INN where we
were gong he replied that he had something
to say about that matter; we passed the emf
we passed them again as we came BACK !;
numbered altogether over one hundred persons |;
Dad and mlddle-aged men and women, youths and
children; while near home we met Ira Allen; he
! said that the doom of rhe emigrants was sealed
and that the die was cast for their destruction I;
also that Lee had orders to take men out and in
| tercept the emlgrants, and that Allen was to
| 90 on and counteract what we had done;
! went home; three days afterward Haight sent
| TOR me ana said that orders had come from the
| camp that they did not get along and wanted re-
Inducements; that he had been to Parowan and
| got further orders from Colonel w. II. Dame to
! finish tue massacre, 70 decoy che emIgrants out
ana spare only the small children who could rot
| i
runner, anu others; Higbee came out and said we
| were ordered out, armed and equipped; so
| went; Hopkins, Higbee, John Willis and
baggage wagons with us; we got
TO Hamblin's ranch in the night three
miles from the emigrants. We there met Lee and
others rom the general camp, where the largest
| number OF men were; we then found that the
| emigrants were not all killed Lee called me out
for consultations; he told me the situation the
| emigrants he said, were strongly fortified;
! there was no chance or getting them out: Higbee
| naU hast urav
could; this was agreed TO and the command was
given to John ID. Lee 70 carry out the whole plan !;
soldiers in hollow square ana ad-
dressed them; they were all white men.
another camp; saw there Slade and his son, Jim
Pearce and probably his sons too, all those from
Dan McFarlan too; Slade ana | were outraged
but we said "What can we do? we emit help
ourselves;' just then the order TO marcn was
given, and we had to eo we were put IN double
| file Higbee had command or part of the men |;
1t was the Nauyoo Legion organized from tens up
to hundreds; we marched In sight OF the emf
grants; either Bateman OF Lee went out with a
white nag; man from the emlgrants met them |;
! Lee and the man sat down on the grass and had q
talk; don't know what they talked about;
Lee went with the man into the intrench-
| ments: after some hours they came out and the
emgrants came up with the wounded in wagons
| ahead the wounded were those nurL In the three
days. previous fight; said the Mormons and In.
! dams could not GUST the emigrants; next
| came the women and next the men; as the
emigrants came up the men halted, and the
! wounded went ahead with Jonn d. Lee; the
soldiers had to oe all ready to shoot
! at the word; when the word halt came the SOL
] dIers fired; fred once; don't know If killed
! the men; they were not all killed the nrst snot;
saw the women alterward dead with their throats
| cut; saw, as came up to them, man Kill
| young girl the men were marched Ia double 1le
| first, then thrown in single 1le. with soldiers
aongsl1e heard the emgrants congratulating
| on their safety from the indians at last:
| John Nj. Higbee came and ordered my squad to
/ fire. Lee, ike the rest, had firearms; no emf
! grants escaped; soldiers on horses TO take on
! the wing those who ran; saw man run; saw Bill
| Stewart, on horse, go after one and XII him;
! but Higbee cut his throat; the man SAID
! al would not do this to you, Higbee;'' he knew
| him: after fred, was told 60 gather up little
/ children; as went saw a large woman running
| TOWARD the men crying, "My husband my hus-
! Tell dead; / went on / found wagons
with wounded all out on the ground
! children and put them in wagon and took them
! TO hambnn's house; saw no more; the soldiers
one died at Hsmohn's; think had to leave il
! There; many OF the solGiers were from southern
counties and dld not know them
! took the children to CEDAR City leaving
one at Pinto creek; on the road we met freight
| tram OF wagons; went to cid Mrs. Hopkins and
| told her we had children with US; sue hustled
around and got places for them; took one girl
! gave 1t to BirkDeck, he having no children the
children were well treated, l believe; good places
were obtained for them.
coconsprators as to the disposal OF the emigrantsi
property after the massacre was here argued for
an hour. The Court ned it admissible. During
the argument, Mr.. Sutherland Tor the defence,
bitterly said 1t was an attempt 20 Tx the crime on
some one else Lee being the only figurehead
Baskln, for the prosecution, replied he wanted
but the truth, whoever IL Implicated; That Suther-
land feared his real client would be reached (de-
clded sensation), IL being known shat Brigham
/ Young was meant.
Witness resumed-After several days Haght
sent me TO the Iron Springs, where the wagons
cattle and goods OF tse emigrants were to get
them and put them in the titnng house; | was 10
brand the cattle, too; found there John Wrie and
lluhter ana Allen; | put the goods IN the
Onurch Tithing office cellar; left the waR
ons in 'front.' OF the Tthing office;
branded the cattle with the Church brand, a cross
Lee was In the cellar with me and saw the goods:
HaIght and hlgoee told me that q council mad
been held, and Lee deputed TO 40 to President
Brigham Young aud report all the facts
OF the massacre; Lee went, and l followed
TO attend TO Conference October 6, at Salt
Lake City; met Lee at Salt Lake; asked # ne had
reported TO Brigham Young; he SAID Yes; every
partlcular;n same day !, Lee and Charley Hopkins
called on brigham Young: he there. eqanp