The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1875-08-14
Mountain Meadow Secrets.
THE ACT WHICH LED To THE
MASSACRE.


THE ACT WHICH LED To TIE
MASSACRE.
The Mountain Meadow massacre
among the Mormons, in Septem-
ber, 1857, rec>lis to my mind the
incident which gave it birth. ln
June, 1857, | had crossed the noun
tains of the Indian Territory from
the northwestern counties of Tex
as along the old Fort Townsend
road, and found myself in the city
of Van Buren, Arkansas, OH the
banks of that river, within four
miles of the Indian line. The
trial Of Parley Parker Pratt, one
of the great Mormon chiefs, for
stealing the clothes of the children
of Mr.. q. w. Smith, of California,
was then in process before the
United States District Court.
Pratt had induced Mrs. Smith,
with her children, to leave her
comfortable home in San Francis
co aud accompany him as his spir-
Itual wife to Utah. She was a
woman OF fine personal appear
ance. Her high, fair forehead,
oval features, queenly department
and dignitied behavior in giving
her testimony were ovcrpowering.
For five long years she had eii-
dnred the drunkard in the silence
Of her Chamber and now she had
determined to share with the ap0s-
tie the trials of life in Utah.
The apostle looked like the dg-
lres we see on stained windows
in European cathedrals Of the
great ST. Peter. According to the
advice Of his attorneys, he offered
no testimony to the charge. Ac-
corsiing to the custom Of the bar
on the Western frontier, all tho
lawyers joined against the govern
iuent, a0d asa travelling Bohemian
Of that profession | remember
joining in that advice. In this
great land OF America there was
legally no criminalty in adultery,
nor any law against the abduction
OF children, and the only offence
which Smith had brought to
prntt's responsibility was the ta-
king Of the clothes upon the per-
sons Of his (Smilh's) children
Pratt was discharged nominall.
By The Court, but kept over might
in Jail to protect him against
Smith.
Early the next morning your
Bohemian was ell route tor thu
Ozark mountain pass. Ahead o
him rode Smith on d line horse
with several friends. Ahead o
them rode the Apostle, on q littl'
black mule. The mountains clos
ed upon the dctilc, and the aveng
ing husband closed upon the spir
itual nsurper ol his marital rights
| The tive-shoOtcr of Colt rang Ol
the morning air, one barrel atte
another, until the two pistols h
carried were exhausted. Til
Apostle zig-zaged down the mar
row road until u Dcrringer's ohl
and last ball cut his mules crup
per and entered his own back
Then the Calitolnian's knife gle,l
med for Il moment in the air, an
II sank deeply in Pratt's bacl
Thrice it was lifted and sped bs
tore the apostle tottercd, and .h
= Californian rode on avenged.
| was not witness at the IN
quest of these Arkansas settler
upon the mute body. | wrote til
verdict. The foreman said: "Ol
jesse Turner (ihe leading lawye
at Ven BUREN, could not have di
ii better" 1t was that Parlc
Parker Pratt came to his death .
, the hands of some person to I'll
jury unknown"
Smiths children had been pu
on the boat from Van Buren, I
! Napoleon. ut the mouth OF Il
Arkansas river, and | heard th'
he Joined them at Ozark, sOn
hundred miles below the scene
a tic homicide.
No one remained Of the Pra
= cortege, except Mrs. Smith and
|: dark -haired, stout young ms
a who | remember as Lee. lie seer
n ed TO adore the Apostle, aud pr
!, dicted vengeance for the act wh'
: he should report to Brigha
Il Young. In few days they d
parted upon their lonely jourlA'
. across the plains and return
Il TO the States. In the tall leal
II of the Mountain Meatlow mass
n ere.
Smith was from New Orleai
a lie moved from there to San Fra
/, cisco, where the Mormons fl
!" gained the confidence Of his wi
7 and led her to ruin. lie was
y intelligent man, all employee II
railroad company, and appear
n to be beloved by his children.