The Van Buren press., 1875-08-03
THE MORMON HORROR.
Progress OF the Trial Of the Alleged kur-
derers as Beaver, Utah
Phillip Klirger Smith, . Defendant,
Turns States Evidence
the Devilish Plan was
Concocted, Etc
BEAVER, UTAH, July %.


At two O'Clock the first witness called
was Robert Keyes, who testified as fol-
lows: Came to Utah October 2, 1857,
through Mountain Meadows; saw two
piles of bodies, women and children,
piled promiscuously; there were about
sixty to seventy the children were from
two months to twelve years of age; the
were torn by wolves and crows !;
some of the bodies were shot, some had
throats cut, some stabbed, and all torn
by wolves except one woman who lay a
little off and appeared as if asleep; she
had ball hole in her left side; it ap-
peared the bodies had been dead fifteen
days; seven of us saw this scene; there
was pile Of mems bodies further on,
but we did not go to see them there was
no clsthing on the bodies, except leg
of one man, on which was sock; none
we're scalped.
Asatel Bennett testified Was at the
Meadows in December, 1857 saw bones
there; it was horrible sight there were
skeletons of women and children; also
saw curls, long tresses Of hair and dried
blood; the children were from ten to
twelve years old; some Of the skulls hac
flesh dried on them the bodies had beer
covered up; the wolves evidently dug up
the bodies.
Phillip Klinger Smith, defendant, Of
Of San Bernardino, California, was called
The prosecution entered aolle prosegu
as to himself. He lived in Cedar City in
1857, from 1852 The Meadows were
forty five miles south Of Cedar City, on
the California road was al the massacre
of September, 1857; heard of the emf
grants coming; the people we're forbid
den to trade with them; felt bad about
it; saw few OF them at Cedar. This
was Friday; soms swore, and Higbee
fined them they went on heard runors
of trouble Sunday it was the custom to
have meetings Of the president and coun
Gil, the bishop and council aud the high
council; l was a bishop; the matter was
brought up for discussion as to their de
struction; Haight, Higbee, Merrill, Allen.
Willis, myself and others were there !;
some of the brethren opposed destruc-
ton; did; Haight jumped up and broke
up the meeting: asked what would be
the consequences Of such an act then
llaight got mad the Indians were to de-
stroy them, Monday Iligbee, Haight,
White and |, met the same subject was
again discussed opposed destruction; /;
Laight relented he told White and to
90 ahead and tell the people the cmi-
grants should 60 through safe; we did
so on the road we met John ID. Lee !;
we told him where we we're going; he re
piled, - have something to say about
that natter we passed the emigrants at
Iron lr@ia S; next morning We passed
them aga.G: as we came back they had
twenty or thirty wagons, and over hun
dred people-old men and middlc-aged,
old women and middle aged, youths and
children; near home we met Ira Allen !;
he said that the cmigrants' doom was
sealed and the die cast for their destruc-
ton; that Lee had orders to take the
mon aud go out 10 intercept them Allen
to go on and counteract what he did.
went home; three days after Haight sent
for me; SAID orders came from camp that
they didn't get along, and wanted rein
forcements; that he had been to Parowaa
and got further orders from Colonel w.
H. Dame to finish the massacre, to dccoy
them out and spare only the small chill
dren who could not tell the tale. went
off and met Allen, our first runner, and
others Higbee came out and said, 4" You
are ordered out armed and equipped !"
SO l went. Hopkins, Higbee, John Will
lis and Sam Purdy went along; had two
baggage wagons; got to Hamblin's
rancho in the night, three miles from the
there met Lee and Others
from the general camp, where the largest
number OF men were then; found that the
cmgrants were not all killed Lee called
me out for consultation to one side; he
told me the situation of the emigrants-
strongly fortified no chance to get them
out; that Higbee had been ordered to de
coy them out the best he could. That
was agreed to, and the command given
to j. ID. Lee to carry out the whole plan
They went to camp; Lee called all the
soldiers into hollow square and ad-
dressed them they were all white men,
about fifty in all; the Indians were in
another camp; saw there Slade and his
son, Jim Pesrce, probably Bizcon, too /;
all those were from Cedar, and Bill Stew
art, Levin Jacobs; think Dan MFar
lane, too; Slade and were outraged, but
he said what can VIC do, cant help our
selves; just then the order march was
given, and we had to go; we were put in
double die; Higbee had command of
part OF the men it was the Nauvoo le-
gion, organized from tens up to hun
dreds; we marched in sight Of the cmi-
grants; either Bateman or Lee went out
with white 6ag; a man from the cai-
grants met them; Lee and the man sat
down on the grass and had talk; dent
know what they talked about; Lee went
with the man into the intrenchmcnts !;
after some hours they came out, and the
emgrants came up, with the wounded, in
wagons, ahead the wounded were those
hurt in the three days previous fight !;
said Mormons and Indians could not oust
emigrants next came the women, next
men as the emigrants came up, the men
halted, and the women and children, on
foot, and the wounded went on ahead
with John ID. Lee the soldiers had to be
all ready to shoot at the word when the
word halt came, the soldiers fired l fired
once; don't know IL killed the man I;
not all killed the first shot; saw the wo-
men af.e.ward, dead with their throats