The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-08-10
THE WOMAN WHO CAUSED TIL
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.

n recent NUMBER Oh inc NOW
York SIN contains IN account OF
an occurrence which lead to tho
Mountain Meadow Massacre, which
is so erroneous that We propose to
give the facts rs they occurred, The
following account, derived from in
innate acqua lntanccs OF some Of the
parties to tho tragedy, can be relied
upon as substantially true. H. is Il
strange chapter of ianatcism, vii.
lainy and domestic inielcity, result
ing at last in one of the most horri.
bio butcherics which ever occurred
in II civilized country, and rs such
may not prove unintcresting to our
readers.
In tho early days Of the gold OK,
element in California, amongst the
pilgrims in search Of the promised
Ian E, were II Mr.. Mclean and his
young family, consisting of his wife
and two young children. Mclean
was II well to do small grocer in
New Orleans, and although not
moving in the highest society, was
considered an honest and upright
man, u member of the Presbyterian
Church, and enjoyed the respect of
his ncighbors. His wife was the
daughter of II respectable Mississippi
pi plan ter; had been moderately
well educated, and was considered,
albeit somewhat fighty and romant-
ic, II true wife and mother.
Not long after settling down in
San Francisco where he was pros.
perlng, it cumo TO the knowledge of
Mclean that his wife was in the
habit of attending IL Mormon chapel
not far from their residence, of
which Farley j. Pratt was the ora
Gle. Mclean demonstrated with his
wife about this, aud oXorted II
promise that she would give it
up. The GOODNESS between hus.
band and wife growing out of
this circumstance, seemed, for the
time, to have passed away, and they
continued for some months to live
together harmoniously y. But ut the
end Of that time Mclean began to
suspect that his wife was not keep.
ing faith, and upon setting II watch
upon her actions, had his suspicious
confirmed. This, rs was natural.
led to II domestic thunderstorm; but
the wife protested her innocence
and unbelicf in Mormonism so vche-
mcntly that the husband generously
forgave her; but in order to remove
her beyond Mormon influence and
possible apps tacy to Mormonism, he
closed out his business in San Fran
cisco and returned to New Orleans.
This was about 1854. For two years
the Mclean family continued to ro-
side in the Crescent city in the ut
most harmony, Mclean fully be-
licving in his witc's innocence and
purity, and regarding her leaning
towards Mormonism, il it ever eX.
listed, as passing dcluson of
which sho was now entirely curod.
After developments, however, dem
onstrated the ialacy Of this theory.
Upon tho return home ono day to
dinner, his wife and the two young
eat children were missing, Search
by the police and detectives threw
no light upon this mysterious dis
appearance, and it was some ten
days before any trace was found of
the iugitives. 1t was then ascer.
tanned that II woman and two young
children, answering the description
OF tho missing parties, had landed NJ
Galveston, accompanied by II man,
in whose description Mclean rccog-
nizod the Norman apostle, Paroy
Z. Pratt.
Mclean Immediately went in
pursuit. He traced the fugitivcs to
Houston, where Pratt purchased n
light spring wagon, and with Mrs.
Mclean and her two children had
set of northward. Following tho
trail like n sluench hound, through
central and Northern Texas and
the Indian country, Mclean at last
overhauled the party in tho neigh
borhood Of Van Buren,, Arkansas,
and killed Bratt upon tho spot.
The act was pronounced "justi6able
homicide by the examining magis-
tratc, and Mclean taking his two
children, and allowing his wifo to
go hor way, returned to New Or.
leans. The infatuated woman con.