Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-07-31
THE MASSACRE AT MOUNTAIN
MEADOWS.

Public attention is directed with alb
sorbing interest to the testimony now pc
inc taken in the trial of John d. Lee,
charged with being one of the leading
parties engaged in the Mountain Mead
ows massacre eighteen years ago. Ihe
facts. so far as hitherto known, can be
briefly stated thus: In 1857, large par
ty of immigrants, comprising men, wo-
men, and children Of all ages, coming TO
California, while camped at the Mount
ain Meadows, in Southern Utah, were
murdered, none being spared except
few small children, too young to long re-
memb the actors in the horrid deed
The Mormons were blamed for the act,
but while the evidence pointed to them
unmistakeably, the deed could not be
proved against any individual and none
we're punished. But the Government
has never been wholly asleepin the case,
and many efforts have been made at var
ious times TO bring the guilty parties to
Justice. Lee, the party now upon trial
was arrested some months ago, and by
the advice of his counsel made confess
sion, the prosecution agreeing to dismiss
all indictments against him il it was sat-
isfactory one. The leading points of the
confession are not made public, but it
was not accepted as full one, and Lee
is now on trial.
Most of the witnesses thus far examin-
ed deposed only to the general facts OF
the massacre. The most important wi =
ness for the prosecution is Philip Klingen
Smith, Mormon now resident of San
Bernardino county in this State, who was
one of The attacking party. Smiths tes-
timony fixes the guilt upon parties high
in the Mormon church. There were over
one hundred of the immigrants, of whom
only seventeen were saved. In regard to
Brigham Young's knowledge and com
plicity in the transaction Smith says;
After several days Haight sent me to
Iron Springs, where the wagons came,
and the goods of the emigrants were
Got them and put them in the tithing
! house. | was To brand the cattle too
| put the goods in the church tithing Of
! flee cellar left the wagons in front of the
| tithing Office branded the cattle with
| the church brand-a cross. Lee was in the
cellar with me and saw the goods
Haight ard Higbie told me that n
council had been held, ard that Lee had
been deputed to go to President Brig
ham Young and report all the facts of
the massacre. Lee went. | followed to
attend the Conference, October 9th. at
Salt Lake City. Met Lee at Salt Lake,
and asked him if he had reported to Brig.
ham Young; he said yes. every partcu-
lar" On the same day |. Lee and
Charley Hopkins called on Brigham
Young. He there, in the presence If
them, said. " You have charge of that
property in the tithing Office ; turn it
over to John ID. Lee : what you know of
this say nothing don't Ink OF it, even
among yourselves" When | came
home had to go to the Vegas lead mines
to get ore while | was gone Lee took
part Of the property and held an auction"
During the time that Smith was testi-
/ eying and giving the horrible details OF
blood, the correspondence of the Record
Union, says the suspense was terribly
painful. Lees sqnare, hard, low-bi owe
face and neck become fairly purple and
black and his wives scarcely breathed,
straining forward to catch each syllable.
Smiths story in all its material details is
the same ms Lees suppressed confession
ms TO the massacre. 1t is now to be ear
nestly hoped that Justice, though long de-
lay ed, will now overtake the perpetrators
of that terrible crime.