The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-08-03
Misrflla,uw.
The Most Arch Deed of PiteOuS
Massacre That Ever Yet
This Land Was Guilty Of.
Particulars OF the Mountain Mea-
dow Massacre I'm all Their
BiOOd.Curdiing Horror.


Particulars OF the Mountain Mea-
dow Massacre I'm all Their
BiOOd.Curdiing Horror.
BEAVER, UTAHsJuly 23.-At 9 o'clock
the first witness was called. Robert
Keyes came to Utah October 2, 1857,
through Mountain Meadows. Saw two
piles of bodies, women and children,
piled promiscuously, about sixty to
seventy in number, the children from
twasmvnths old to twelve years. The
smakF ones were eaten by wolves and
crows, and some of the bodies were
shot, some throats cut, some stabbed,
and all torn by wolves, except that one
woman, little way off, appeared as if
asleep. There was ball hole in her
left side. 1t appeared that the bodies
had been dead fifteen days. Seven Of
US saw it. There was pile OF men s
bodies further On: Did not 60 to see
them There was no clothing on the
bodies except. a leg of one sock on a
man. There were none scalped.
Asetel Bennett called at the Meadows
December 2, 1857 Saw bones there-a
horrible sight of skeletons of womA
and children, with curls and long tresses
of hair and dried blood. The children
were ten to twelve years Of age. Some
skulls had the flesh dried on them. The
bodies had been covered up, and the
wolves had evidently dug them up.
Philip Klingensmith, defendant, OF
San Bernardino, was called. The pros
ecution entered nolle prosequi as to
himself. He lived at Cedar City in 1857,
from Two Mea lows, forty five miles be-
low Cedar, on the California road
Was at the massacre in September, 1857.
Heard of the emigrants coming. Peo.
Pile we're forbidden to trade with them
Felt bad about it Saw a few of them
at Cedar, This was on Friday. Some
swore and Higbee fined them. They
went on Heard rumors of trouble on
Sunday. 1t was the custom to have
meetings of President and Council, ,Bish
op and Council, and High Council
was Bishop. The matter came up in
discussion as to their destruction
Haight, Higbees Merrill, Allen, Willis,
myself and others were there. Some
brethren opposed the destruction. ]
did. I asked what would he the conse-
quence of such an act, Then Haighi
got mad. The Indians were to destroy
them. On Monday, Higbee, Haight,
White ard l met The same subject
was discussed again. l opposed the de
i struction. Haight relented and told
White and to go ahead and tell the
people the emigrants should go through
Safe. We did SO. On the road met
John D. Lee. Told him where and why
we were going He replied, 81 have
something to say about that matter -
We passed the emigrants at Iron Springs
next morning. We passed them again
as we came back. They had twenty OF
thirty wagons and over one hundred
people, old men and middle aged, old
women and middle aged, youths and
children. Near home met liza Allen
He said the emigrants' doom was sealed
and the die cast for their destruction
and that Lee had orders to take mer
and 60 out and intercept them, Allen tc
90 on and counteract what we did. !
went home. Three days after Haigh
sent for me and said orders had come
from camp, that he didn't get along
that he wanted reinforcements; that hi
had been to Parowan and got furthel
orders from Colonel w. H. Dame tt
finish the massacre, to decoy out, ant
to spare only small children who coult
not tell the tale. | went off, met Allen
our first runner, and others. Higbe'
came out and said, "you are ordered ou
armed and equipped" So / went
Hopkers, Higbee, Willis and Sam Purd,
vert along. Had two baggage wagons
Got to Hamblin's rancho in the night
three miles from the emigrants. Their
met Lee and others from the genera
camp, where the largest number of mel
were. Then found the emigrants no
all killed. Lee called me out for consul
tation at one side. He told me the sit
uation The emierants were stronel.
fortified. No chance to get them on
of that. Higbee ordered to decoy then
out the best we could. That was agreet
to and the command given to j. D. LIE
to carry out The whole plan. They wen
to camp. Lee called all the soldiers il
"a hollow square, addressed them. The
were all white men, about fifty in all
The Indians were in another camp
Saw .here Slade and his son; jim
Pearce, probably his sons; Bill Stewar,
Levin Jacobs, and, l think, Dan McFar
land, too. Slade and / were outraged
but we said, what can we do? We can
help ourselves.
Just then the order to march was Civ
en-, and we had to go. We we're put i
double file. Higbee had command G
part of the men. 1t was the Nauvo
Legion, organized from tens up to hun
dreds. Marched in sight of the em
grants. Either Bateman or Lee wen
out with the white flag. Flagman fror
the emigrant's met hip. They sat dow
on the grass and talked. Do not kno'
what they talked about. Lee went wit
the men into the intrenchment Afte
, some hours they came out and the EN-
grants came up with the wounded
wagons. Ahead of the wounded wer
those hurt in the three days. previou
fight. He said the Mormons and Ir
. dians could not oust the emigrants.-
Next came the women and next tn
men. AS the emigrants came up th
l, men halted, and the women on foot an
, children and wounded went on ahea
with John D. Lee. The soldiers had
; be all ready to shoot at word. Whe
the word halt came the soldiers immt
diately fired. l fired once l don
know if / killed the man or not. The
were not all killed the first shot Sa
: the women afterward dead, with the
1 throats cut 1 saw as l came up t
!, them man kill young girl. The me
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