Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-02-15

Mr.. Lee was farmer to the Indians. or
rather small band of them, near the
fort. which position we had held only
short time. Isaac c. Haight, then stake
president at Cedar City. was bitter en-
emy of Lee, and had succeeded in hav-
ing him thrown out of all ofices-church.
Territory, county and militia. Mr.. Lee
felt aggrieved at this. and presented it
to Brigham Young. who was then Cow
ernor of Utah and also superintendent
of Indian affairs in Utah. Brigham
Young told Mr. Lee to act as farmer for
the indians there and he wonId pay him
for it. Mr. Lee was not Indian agent
as has been reported. and had no au-
thority over them. Rufus Allen had
charge of the lrdian mission. and T. d.
Brown was also there as aid to Brigham
Youpg, or as his secretary as superIn-
tendent. Mr.. Lee understood the Piute
language a little. but not much at that
time | could talk the languages of the
Ctes. Piutes. Oribahs and Navajos. Mr..
Lee was very friendly with the Indians.
The Indians loved Lee on account of
very many friendly acts of himself and
family to them. such as dividing his last
sack of -four or pound of meat with them
when they were in perishing condition.
and by aiding them when in distress in
many wavs. and particularly on account
of his generous treatment of an Indian
named Tonab. who attempted to kill Mr..
Lees first wife. Agathe. but succeeded
only in cutting open her scalp. very
nearly killing her. The Indians of the
band took the offender and tied him to
a tree IN front of Lees door, taking
turns whipping him with gads on his
bare back until he was nearly dead. Lee
begged for his life. which the Indians
reluctantly spared, when Lee dressed
his wounds, fed him and let him 90.
At the time of the massacre Utah was
m state of war. and the people were
all in desperate condition for the nec-
essaries of life, such as provisions and
clothing. They were positively in rags.
and the grasshoppers had devoured their
crops. Johnson's army was coming in
at the north, and hostile Indians sur
rounded the people on the east, south
and west. The Indians in the Territory
surrounding the settlements were in a
measure friendly. but their friendship
was obtained only by constant concilia-
tion and concession to them. and at the
same time we're not so very friendly but
that the people had to maintain constant
vigilance and build forts and block
houses for protection to fee to in case of
an outbreak which might occur any day
or night. The people were at all times
at the mercy of the bands of Indians
surrounding them. and hence used every
effort to quiet and keep them friendly.
Frequent disturbances occurred between
the Indians and people over little diff
culties. These troubles required the
greatest efforts of the people to keep
from ripeuing into general Indian war
of determination
When it was known that Johnson S
army was coming, the Indians got the
idea that there was 4 big war on band
between the people of Utah and some
other people who were then sending
their braves into Utah to fight the peo.
pie here. and SO they prepared for war
These Indians. the Utes, Piutes ard
Pahyants, being the friends and allies
Of the people believed they should rally
on the war path to fight the .'Americats
as they called all the emigrants passing
through the country. They looked upon
all emigrant trains as ..Amerlcats" and
enemies. and it was with the utmost diff
ticulty that the people could keep them
from fighting every train that passed
through. and that several trains were
saved from destruction only by the great
est efforts of the people.
The emigrants that perished at Mount
ain Meadow might have gone through
the country in safety with the assistance
of the settlers as other trains had don,
before them, had they not brought de
struction upon themselves by their owl
bad conduct, by exciting and maddenin:
the Indians to such an extent that th
people could not control them At Corr
Greek. forty-eight miles north of Bea
yer. aud about 100 miles from Mountain
Meadow. these emigrants excited the In
dians to great hostility by poisoning
spring. which caused the death Of cattle
horses and some Indians, among tier
Nou-a-quich. one Of their leading braves
Tic Indians at Corn Creek were old Ka
nosh's band of Pahvants. They. becoru
ing infuriated. followed the train an
surrounded it between Corn Greek an
Beaver. and would have then massacre
the whole Of them, had not the peopl
rallied to their assistance and got thel
into Beaver in safety. guarded By a con
pany Of Mormons. The Indians sti
hOvered around. but it was thought the
could then get through in safety and :
the guard who had saved them let the
20 alone. The train had no further al