The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-08-06
rs.E sIOUNrAIN sIEADOws.
Justice 10 he Melted Oug at
Inst
From, The s.. LOUIS l.lobe-Denocrat

IdIuS lUhI SNCE OIOooCO NhO
eft Salt Lake City, on its way to
California. 1t was composed OF
many wealthy families, not Nor
none, who carried with them not
,nly the necessaries, but even the
uxuries, of life, with which they
loped 10 render their abOdes on the
Pacific at least equal to the homes
eft behind. They had made q short
stay to rest at Salt Lake City. Brig
ham Young was at this time very
much irritated about come difficulty /
ne was having with the United
States authorities, and threatened
the emigrants generally with vi
Olenee. When this traia passed 3
number of dissatisfied MOrmons
went with IL, which added fuel to
the fire, and caused one of the most
plans 10 be laid that was
ever conceived. Whether or not
Young was an accomplish in this
horrible outrage, is yet to be proved
by the courta Ibutlhe was certainly
as he not long before, in
a sermon, declared that unless emf
grants ceased passing through his
he would turn the Indians
loose on them. But these emigrants
knew nothing of this, and PASSED on
their way, anticipating no harm. AT
Mountain Meadows there were a
number of MormoR settlements.
The emigrants reached this point,
three hundred miles from Salt Lake
City, and halted to rest and recruit
their stock before entering on the
great desert which lay beyond.
Here an Indian agent SAW them, re-
ported heir appearance, numbers
and condition, and for some years
nothing more was heard of the
train. Ii was said to be sslost." Grad
ually tales of blood began to be cir
cu;ated and credited, and now, sew
enteen years from the date OF the
murderous transaction, the whole
truth is coming TO light.
The Mormons held an informal
council at Mountain Meadows, and
decided to murder the emigrants
and possess themselves OF their
wealth. This was q ticklish task, as
the latter were well armed and on
the lookout for Indians. The Nor
mons disguised themselves as In
dams, and, assisted By q company of
real savages, attacked the train when
they supposed the party not to be
on their guard. The latter were pre-
pared, however. Taking their arms
they repealed the attack, and throw
ing up barbados and breastworks,
they stood a siege for q week, show
ing at the end as little prospect of
surrender as at the beginning. The
attacking force of Indian and Nor
mon savages then changed their tao
tics. The latter washed the paint
from their faces, put on their own
clothes and appeared to the emil
grants in the character of rescuers.
Having teams and loads, they APP
peared to be going on to California,
and were joyfully received. On a
given signal, the emigrants having
laid aside their arms, they fired alike
upon men, women and children.
The Indians, who had been conceal
ed near by. now appeared on the
scene, and to them was delegated
the dreadful task of numbering the
women and children, 8 job which
they performed most effectua!ly.. So
far as is known not one of all the
train cscaped-alivc. The men were
shot, and when not Immediately
killed. had their throats cut. The
women were raVished, stabbed, and
their bodies mutilsted; the children
were happy in having easy deaths
their brains were knocked out with
the but ends of rifles. 1t is said sew
enteen children were saved, bat
there is no certain proof even OF
this.
After all these years, Justice, fol-
lowing with slow but sure step, is
now on the track of the perpetrators
of this diabolical outrage on the
common rights of humanity q
number of those engaged in the
massacre have been lodged in Jail,
and are now being tried for their
lives. 1t is Solemn thought, and
fearful warning to criminals, TO
reflect on the circumstances of this
case. When the crime was commit
! ted, the whole western country was
comparative wilderness. The deed
was perpetrated hundreds of miles
from the borders of civilization, and
by men who acknowledge no higher
authority than that of their prophet
and their own wills. Years have
passed, the desert has blossomed as
| the rose, and all the while these men
have kept the deadly secret locked
in their own breasts, hoping to car
~ it with them to the grave; bnt the
even-handed goddess has ferreted
out their doings, and they nust now
appear at her bar and account in
their old age for the crimes in their
youth. One of the leaders, John ID.
Lee, sought to exeulpate himself by
turning states evidence and convict.
ing his old accOmpiicesi in guilt but
by latest accounts, his statement has
been declined, and the miserable
wretch who sought to save the dregs
of an evil life by proving the means
of condemning his associates, is now
forced to stand q trial on his own
account, thus bearing his meanness
as well as guilt. 1t was proved
against him that when the massacre
was going on, he dragged lovely
young girl from the scene, when she
resisted and struck at him with q
knife, he shot her. The facts in the
case are conclusive, and the evidence
said to be overwhelming. One wo-
man testified TO having seen two
huge piles of bodies, one of men
the other of women and children.
all dead, all stripped, and being eat.
en- by wolves. Another woulan de.
clared that the 1eweIry and property
OF the emigrants were worn and
used in Sait lake City to this very
day. The prosecuting officers appeal
Il to be doing their work thoroughly
and seem dstermiGetl TO get ct the
bottom of the whole affair, even il
the disclosures affect Young him
: self, as it Is believed they will. i
completely in, or direction of, tht
crime can be placed at his door, il
will be but common Justice to thii
|, old debauchee himself to dangle Al
the ropes end or spend the rest o.
his life in a states prison, The SWORD
of jnstice should fall, no matter OF
| whose head 1t may descend, and tbs
power welded in the name of rel
ligion by this hoary villain render
him only the more culpable.
: The sunflower stalk is now yer,
highly recommended as a coal kin
der of superior quality. Since thu
seed are SO good for poultry FOOD
: and produce q valuable oil, and thu
plant is raDorkad Tn n0saass Oraa