The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-22
The Mountain Meadow. Massacre.

| Mountain Meadows massacre comes seven
teon years after the event. In the year 1857
large emigrant train was on its way across
the Plains to California. An army officer
who saw it in June described it as probably
the finest train that had ever crossed the
Plains. 1t was believed to contain not less
than forty heads of families, some young un-
married men, women and many children, and
it appears to have had an uncommonly per-
feet outfit, among other things three car
riages-very unusual appurtenances on an
emigrant train. One of these carriages,
which was peculiarly marked, is said to have
been Tor some years after the massacre in the
possession OF the Mormons. The Mormon
leaders were at that time furious about some
threatened or contemplated interference of the
! United States government; and it is related
that Brigham Young, preaching in the Taber-
nacle, said that as Governor and Indian
| Agent he had hitherto protected
emigrants passing through the Territory,
but now he would turn the Indians loose on
them" 1t probably increased his anger that
when this train left Salt Lake City several dis
affected Mormons joined it. The emigrants
were journeying toward Los Angeles, in Cal
ifornia, and were last seen by an Indian
Agent near the upper end of Mountain
Meadows. This spot lies about three hundred
miles from Salt Lake, and the leaders of the
train had been told that large spring, near
the south end of the meadow, would be
favorable spot to rest and recruit their stock
before entering the Great Desert; and this
they did.
The Indian Agent was the last man who saw
the train and reported it. Thereafter, and
for some years, nothing was heard of its fate.
1t was reported "lost." But the bloody tale
of its massacre gradually leaked out, and the
details, which We give below, have now been
known and forgotten for many years. The
Mountain Meadows were then surrounded by
several Mormon settlements. The bishops of
these one day gathered their people together
and declared that they had received
command from the Mormon capital to
''follow and attack the accused Gentiles,
and let the arrows of the Almighty
drink their blood" A force of sixty white
men and party of Indians. surrounded the
!
light, the Mormon whites having painted and
disguised themselves as Indians in order to
give the movement the appearance Of an In
dian attack. But the emigrants rapidly drew
their wagons into a circle, made all energetic
defence, and as quickly as they could threw
up earthworks, behind which they sheltered
themselves, their women and children and
stock. They were surrounded and kept under
fire for a long week, the Mormons hoping
they could weary them out. The wife of an
Indian trader afterward testified that while the
firing continued and was plainly heard at her
house the Mormon leaders were going back
ward and forward between the place of MUIR
der and her house, and at the latter place
pitching quoits and amusing themselves in
various ways" At the end OF the week, how
ever, the Mormons appear to have got tired of
the slow attack; they washed off their paint,
resumed their clothing and appeared before
tie overjoyed emigrants as a rescung band of
whites who had driven off the Indians They
were received as deiverers; the emierants
accepted the Mormons as an escort, and Oh the
march these, at an agreed signal suddenly
opened fire upon the parry whom they had by
a trick persuaded to lay aside their guns. In
dams Stationed in ambush rushed in to help
in the work of ASSASSINATION, and in very
brief time hundred and twenty
men, women and children we're slain
in cold blood. Three men only escaped
but only to perish later by starvation or the
Indians Seventeen children were saved
alive, being supposed too young to remember
the assassination. All of them were after
ward claimed by their friends in the East,
and two of them later gave evidence concern
ing the murder. The property of the emf
grants was divided by the Mormons and In
dams; and it is said that as late as 1862 Jew
elry taken at Mountain Meadows was openly
worn at Salt Lake City and its origin not
denied.
The despatch which relates to the trial now
going on in Utah for this foul murder speaks
OF one Lee, whose confession the govern
ment refuses to accept This is John d.
Lee, then Mormon Bishop of Harmony, and
one Of the three chiefs who planned this cruel
ASSASSINATION. He appears to have been a
peculiarly atrocious scoundrel; for it is ro-
lated IN the accounts Of the massacre which
we have seen that while the MOrmons we're
killing the men this Lee singled out beauti-
full young girl and dragged her out of the
melee for his own vile purposes; and he him.
self is said to have related afterward that
''She struck OF him with large knife where
upon he shot her through the head" SO late
as 1870 this scoundrel still lived at Harmony,
in Utah; and now in the hands of justice il is
to be hoped he will not escape hanging.
TIE PRESBYTERIAN UNION. The gathering
Of delegates from the various branches OF the
Presbyterian Church, now in session in Lon
don, bids fair to be one Of the most important