The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-08-05
A CORY HORROR.

meauOW hassacre Case-Ine story oil
an Eyewitness of that Cold-BIooded
Slaughter-How the Emigrants Were De-
eoycd to their Destruction by Flag of
Truce-Men and Women, Young and
Old, Shot Down without Mercy-The
Bodies Disinterred and MangIed by
Wolves-Brigham Young, when Informed,
Advises the Strictest Secrecy.
The Mountain Meadow massacre trial
opened at Beaver, Utah, on Friday, July
%. The first witness for the prosecu-
cution was Robert Keyes. He came to
Utah in October, 1857, through Noun
tain Meadows. Saw two piles of bodies
of women and children, piled promiscu-
ously, about sixty or seventy the chill
dren from two monthsto twelve yearsold.
The smaller were torn by wolves and
crows. Some of the bodies were shot,
some had their throats cut, some We're
stabbed. All were torn by wolves ex-
cept one, woman, little way off, which
appeared as if asleep. There was ball
hole in the left side. They appeared as
if the bodies had beeen dead fifteen
days. Seven of us saw it. There was
apple of mems bodies further on didn't
go to see them. There was no clothing
on the bodies, except the leg of one sock
on man. None of them were scalped.
The next witness called was Asahel
Bennet: Was at the Meadows In De-
cember, 1857. Saw the bones there. It
was horrible sight. There were skele-
tons of women and children, curls, long
tresses of hair dyed in blood. The
children were 10 to u years old. Some
of the skulls had the flesh died on. The
bodies had been covered up, and the
wolves had evidently dug them up.
Philip Klingen Smith, of San Bernar-
dino, CAL, was next called: The prose-
cution entered nolle proseaui as to
himself. He lived in Cedar City in
1857. The Meadows were As miles south
of Cedar, on the California road. He
was at the massacre in September, 1857.
Heard of the emigrants coming. Peo-
pie were forbidden to trade with them.
he 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 the President and Council,
Bishop and Council, and High Council.
1 was Bishop. The matter came up
with a discussion as to their destruction.
Haight, Higbee, Morrill,, Allen, Willis,
myself, and others were there. Some
brethren opposed destruction. 1 did.
Haight jumped up ald broke up the
meeting. asked what would be the
consequences of such an act. Then Haight
got mad. The Indians were to destroy
them. On Monday Higbee, Haight,
White and I met and talked over the
same subject again. Iopposed their de-
struction. He (Haight) relented, and
told White and 1 to go ahead and tell the
people the emigrants should go through
safe. We did so. On the road we 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 the
next morning we passed them again as
we came back. They had twenty or
thirty wagons. There were over 100
people, old men and middle-aged, old
women and middle-aged, youths and
children. Near home we met Ira Allen.
Allen. He said the emigrants' doom was
sealed. The die was cast for destruction;
| that Lee has orders to take men, go out
and intercept them, Allen to go on and
counteract what we did. I went home.
Three days after Haight sent for me, and
said orders had come from the camp.
They didn't get along, and wanted
reinforcements that he had been
to Parowan and got further orders
from Col. W. H. Dame to finish the mas
sacre; to decoy out and spare only
the small children, who could not tell
the tale. 1 went off, and met Allen, our
first runner, and others. Higbee came
out and said "You are ordered out,
armed and equipped. So I went.
Hopkins, Higbee, John Willis and Sam
uel Purdy went along. We had two
baggage-wagons. We got to Hamblin's
ranch in the night, three miles from the
emigrants. There met Lee and others
from the general camp, where the largest
number of men were then found. The
emigrants were not all killed. Lee called
me out for consultation, one side. He
were strongly fortified, and there was nc
chance to get them out ; that Higbee was
ordered to decoy them out the best way
he could. That was agreed to, and the
command was given to John d. Lee tc
carry out the whole plan. They went tc
camp. Lee formed all the soldiers in {
hollow square, and addressed them
They were all white men, about fifty il
all. The Indians were in another
camp. Saw there Slade and hi
son, Jim Pearce, probably hi
sons, too, all those from Cedar
and Bill Stewart and Levin Jacobs
think Dan McFarlane, too. Slade and
were outraged, but we said, "What cal
we do we can't help ourselves" Jus
then the order to march was given. w
l lad to go part in double file. Higbe
| had command of part of the men.
was the Nauvoo Legion, organized fror
tens up to hundreds. We marched i
, sight of the emigrants. Either Batema
5 or Lee went out with white flag. Th
1 man from the emigrants met him. LIE
r and the man sat down on the grlss an
had a talk. Don't know what the
talked. Lee went with the man into th
: intrenchments. After some hours the
came out, and the emigrants came W
with their wounded in wagons aheat
The wounded were those hurt in th
threedays' previous fight. They said th
Mormons and Indians couldn't on
S emigrants. Next came the women, ne2
g the men. AS the emigrants came VI
the men halted, and the women on foo
e children, and the wounded went on ahea
i with John D. Lee. The soldiers had
= be all ready to shoot at the word. 1 fire
d once. Don't know if I killed any on
S The men were not all killed the fir
n shot. Saw the women afterward dea'
d with their throats cut. l saw as can
) up to them a man kill young girl. I'll
If men were marched in double file frs
= then thrown in single file, with soldie
n alongside. Heard the emigrants CO
N graduating themselves on their safe
10 from the Indians. At last John \
l. Rigbee came and ordered my squad
l. fire. Lee, like the rest, had firearms.
N Saw soldiers on horses to take on T.
ID wing those who ran. Saw q man ru
h Saw Bill Stewart on horse go after al
2, kill him. Saw one wounded man b.
for his life. Higbee cut his throt
L. H.