The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-08-07
FOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE

Hor ne R",chcr N'nucN and E.rcca,ed
at tho opening of the trial of the
Mormons Implicated in the Mountain
Meadow massacre, ct Beaver, Utah.
Robert Kays testified as follows: Carne
to Utah October ., 1857, through
Mountain NIeal lows saw piles OF bodies
of woman and children, piled promis-
cuously there were sixty or seventy
bodies tho children wcrc from two
months old to twelve years tho smaller
| were torn by wolves and crows; some of
| the bodies were shot, some had tucir
| throats cut. some stabbed, and all were
| torn by wolves except one woman, who
lad little way off, and appeared as if
asleep, bal hole i'll her left side; it
appeared tho bodies wore dead fifteen
days; seven of MS saw it, Plies of mems
bodles were further on; didn't go to see
them; no clothing on the bodies, except
one sock on the leg of one man; none
| were scalped
Assatcl Bennett called: Was ut the
Meadows December, 1857; saw tho
bones there: horrible sight; skeletons of
women ana children; curls, long trcsscs
hair, dried blood; children 10 to 12
years; some skulls had flesh dried
on; the bodies had been covered
up; wolves evidently dug them up
| Phillip Linger Smith. defendcnt of
San 5crnandi, California, called: Pros
ccntion entered nollc proseqni MS to
himself. Lived in Cedar city from
1852 to 1857. Was Mt the massacre in
| September, 1857; heard Of the en-
iigrants coming. Tho people were for
| hidden TO trade with them; felt bad
about it saw few of them Mt Cedar
| heard rumors of trouble s nday. It
was the custom to have meetings Of tho
| president and council; bishop and
council and high council. The matter
| came mp for discussion as to their de-
sr9Gtion 9, Mus; Hagh MRiigfbes His ssJl Morrill,
there. Some brethren opposed their
destruction. I did. Haight jumped
mp and broke up the meeting. I asked
what would be the consequences of
such an act. Then Haight got mad.
The Indians were to destroy them. On
Monday, Uigbee, White and I met
struction. Haight relentcd, and told
White and to go ahead and tell tho
| people tho enigrnnts should go through
safe. We did so, and OH the road we
met John ID. Ice. We told where wo
were going, and he replied 1 have
something to say about that matter
we passed the emigrantsat Iron Springs;
next morning we passed them again
rs we came back they had twenty or
thirty wagons ; over hundred people,
old men, middle aged mon, old wo-
mon, middle aged women, youths and
children; near home l met Ira
| Allen; he said tho emigrants'
doom WAS sealed, the die cast for de-
struction three days after Haight sent
for me, md said orders had come from
camp; didn't get along, wanted rein
forcements; that he had been to Prowin,
aud got further orders from Colono! w.
| Ell. Dame to finish tue massacre, to de-
coy and spare only small children who
could not tell The tale. | went of, met
| Higbcc Haid : you arc ordered ont,
armed and equipped; so I went; Hop
kins, Highce, John Willis and Sam
Purdy went along; had two baggage
Wagons; got to Hampen's rancho in
| the night, three miles from emigrnnts
there met Lee and others from the gen
cral camp, whore tho lnrgGst number of
mon were then found the emigrants
not all killed. Bntcman or LEO went
ont with white ilEg. A man from tho
cmiGrnnts met them. Lee and man
set down on tho grass and had talk
don't know what they talked. Lee went
with the man into tho intrenchmemts.
After some hours they came ont and the
cmigrants came out with their wounded
in wagons ahead. The wounded were
those hurt in the three days previous
fight. Next came tho women, next the
men. As the cmigrants came up the men
halted, and the women on foot mud chill
dren and wounded went on ahead with
John d. Lee. The soldiers had to be
al ready to shoot at the word. When
the word halt camc tho soldiers fired.
fired onco; don't know if ] killed n
mnl; net all killed ut the first fire.
Saw tho women aftcrwnrd dead, with
their thronts cut. [ saw, ps ] came mp
to them, Il man kill young girl. The
mon were marched III donblo file first,
then thrown in single file, with tho sol
dicrs along side. The emigrnnts wcro
congratuEating themselves on their
safety from the Indians. At last John
NJ. HIigbec came and ordered my equad
to fire. Lee. like the rest, had firearms,
No emigranta were allowed to escape :;
saw roldiers on horses to take on wing
those who ran saw a man run saw Bill
start on Il horse and kill bim, and n
woui!ji,:,i man bul; for !;cG. Highnn cnt
his throat. | was told to gather up the
little children. I went, and saw q
woman running toward the men, crying,
"Mv husband, my husband A
soldier shot her in the back, and she
/ fell dead.
I u,