The New York herald., 1875-07-17
MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE.

41AAAL VI JOnN ~. LEE, IhE A4NG2sLAD43I VI
THE MORMON AssAssns-THE THRILLING
STORY OF 1857 REvIvED-REvIEw OF THE
BUTcHERY, WITH THE HORRIBLE INCIDENTS
CONNECTED THEREwITH.
BEAVER. Utah Territory. July 8. 1875
The trial OF the Mormon ex-Bsnop and Major.
John ID, Lee for participation in the horrible mas
sacre or emIgrants from Missouri and Arkansas
while on their way through Southern Utah for
California in 1857, has commenced IN the
United states Third District Court, before Judge
Lowe. great deal OF interest is felt In the trial
ansng the MormOns OF nigh and low degree, as
well as among Gentlles who have been long IA
mlar with the details OF this "eterna blot on the
Mormon name,n as Brigham Young has termed
the slaughter.
HISTORY OF THE MASSACRE.
The readers OF the HERALD have from time TO
lime been furnished with the particulars OF this
atroclous tragedy (Which occurred some eighteen
years ago. as they have come to light through
different chanaels-somc Mormon, some anti
Mormon. The following anidavlt OF ex-Blsnop
Smith gives the leading iacts OF The massacre:-
AFFIDAVIT OF Ex-BIsHoP PHILIP KLINGoS SMITH.
peared before Peter b Miller Clerk Of Court q the
sTen.n yuagiai District OF the state OF Nevada Philip
says:-My name Is Philip Kinson mith reside in tho
Tssr Uss G IN D. s & to TsR 5 the s. % SI
Cedar City at the time OF The massacre al Mogiain
Meadows, in said Territory OF Utah had neard that
1uy. bound for California. said company arrived at
California After said COMPANY had et Cedar oty
a ms sc, esd out Tor the % Gf S
regular military ca from the superior officers TO the sub
City and vicinity composing part OF the militia OF .he
regmen was at hat H me the sshop OF hs cSureS
o. Jesus Christ O. Latter Day Saints at Cedar Cy Isaac
and The southern settlement in SAID Territory. NV posi-
Iion bishop subordinate that saia president
IN said Iron county. aid w. II. Dame also colonel
colonel o said regiment and John D. Lee Of Harmony,
~ SAD IRON county, was MAJOR OF said regiment said
and equipped as the law directs, and. prepared
az that time, neither did l march with said
panys beng massasTed at the Mountain Meadows in
said county Of Iron About tour days after said company
regiment then mustered Cedar city took up It's line
eomsany had lett said Geaar City iieuenant Colonel
O. Taught expressed in my presence desire that said
peace; but aierward he told me that he had orders
grants seDS the little children do not Know whether
sad headFuarters meant the regmental headquarters
CHIEF at salt Lake City. when the said company had
Gs the Pinto
ment through which nj De said company M would pass
mt said company to pass ON their way IN peace. |
him and aid him IN his sndea~ors to save lie when
said White ana myself got agoSt three miles from Gedas
were going replied that we were going to try to pre-
semethns s To about m Lee was at that time
@ M T m rno ec hese
right and the next day returned 10 Cedar City,
tore reac6ns cedar City We ono Ira I Alien % who tod
to destrucuon Alter the 6ght had been going on for
three or tour days ssenaer from MAJOR Lee reached
altogether succcs ssa Upon which Lieulenant Colonel
oraeea o 6y Capa john Highly Who ordered
me TO muster armed ana equipped as the law directs"
It wa "A nattp Of o %
not and mustered with the reinforcing troops 1t was
wa. the oroefs from headquarters tnat an but
Hnga Al hat s just reHrned rom
quarters at Parowan. where military council had been
q Magt and MAJOR Jobe - nee
The result Of this council was the calling out Of sad
Iegimens tor the purpose alreeay stated The rein.
.dT Major pq Let ali j 4SdUs @ 4
made speech 10 them. sayins That his orders from rom,
were 70 xiii ne entire nj, company except
but On n one ne SIDE taking to % man named sqde and
Lee them sent DAG Of III rnce into ihe e,gran
camp Offering said emisrants iii they would lay
they accordingly laid down their arms came
Lee The women and children were then By The order
said Lee. separated from the and were marched
about Sa ia mile toward cedar City the oricr was given
heaa Of the Column was in The rear did not n hear
otiicers as It was passed down the column he eni
grants then and shot down except
charge do not Know total nanbeT Of said aid COM @
pany did stop to count the dead Immediately
The little children in baggage wagons belonging TO
the regiment and took them to Hamlins Ranch and
from there to Cedar City. and procured them homes
among the people. John Wilhs and samuel Murdy as
evening OF the massacre Colonel ". II. Dame
and Lieutenant Colonel | c. Haight to Hamn's
where had the said children ana fell into diso ute
in the course OF which said Haght told Colonel Dame
that lie going 10 report OF the killing ot said emf
grants he should not have ordered II doncn do not
two after said massacre occurred said Major Lee
(who was also Indian AGENT went to salt Lake City
and believe reported said fight and its results
the Commander-iD Chief was at either of
the before mentioned councils, nor AT any council con
nectcd with the aforesaid military operations with
satd company gave orders except those connected
with the saving OF the children ana those
ma had occurred and said orders given
bishop and not in military sense. At the time the
firing OF the first volley discharged my piece did
fired. After the first fire delivered once
set about saving the children ] commenced
gather the children before the firing had ceased
have the foregoing statement before the
entitled court for the reason that believe that would
be assassnated should attempt to make the be.
returned from salt City aforesaid said Lee told
that he had reported fully to the President
the Comma ander-in-Chiei) the fight Mountain
Meadows and the killing of SAID Brigham
Young at that time the Commander Chie OF the
militia OF the territory of Utah And further deponent
saith not PHILIP KLINGON SMITH.
Subscribed and sworn before this l0h day of
April. A. d.. lS7L i. MILLER, County Clerk.
Tne authenticity OF this afidavlt is fully certified
TO by Cnlef Justice McKean and Associate Justice
Strickland, OF the supreme Court oil Utah Terri