The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-07-29

emigrants: next came the women, and
next the men; as the emigrants came up
the men halted and the women on foot,
the children and the wounded went on
ahead with John D. Lee; the soldiers had
to be all ready to shoot at the word:
when the word "halt" came the soldiers
fired: | fired once: don't know if | killed
the man; they were not all killed the
first shot saw the women afterward dead
with their throats cut; saw as | came
up to them a man kill a young girl; the
men were marched in double file first,
then thrown in single file with the sol
diers alongside; heard the emigrants
congratulating on their safety from the
Indians; at last John M. Higbee came
and ordered my squad to fire: Lee, like
the rest had fire arms; no emigrants es-
capped; saw soldiers on horses to take on
the wing those who ran; saw a man run;
saw Bill Stewart on horse go after him
and kill him; saw one wounded man beg
for his life; Higbee cut his throat the
man said, IL would not do this to you"
(Higbee); he knew him. after l fred /
was told to gather up the little children;
as l went saw a large woman running
toward the men, crying, my husband
my husband" a soldier shot her in the
back, and she fell back dead: as l went
on found wagons with the wounded all
out on the ground, and their throats cut
went on and found the children; put
them in wagon and took them to Ham
bins house, saw no more; the soldiers
dispersed at Hamblin's; there were many
soldiers from the counties south whom ]
did not know; the next day | and Nc.
Curdy and Willis took the children to
Cedar City, leaving one at Ponto Creek;
on the road met a freight train of wagons;
men living here, in Beaver now, were on
it; went to old Mr.. Hopkins and told
her | had the children; she rushed round
and got places for them; took one girl
baby home, and my wife sucked it, after
ward gave it to Berkbeck, he having
no children; they were well treated, be-
lieve; got good places for them, where
there were few children.
The question of allowing the state
ments of co-Conspirators as to the dispo.
sal of the emigrants' property after the
massacre was here argued for an hour.
The court held it admissible. During
the argument Sutherland, for the de-
fense, bitterly said it was an at
tempt to fix the crime on some one else,
Lee being only figurehead. Baskin, for
the prosecution, replied that he wanted
but the truth, whoever it implicated; and
that Sutherland feared his real client
would be reached. This created deci-
ded sensation, it being known that Brig
ham Young was meant
Witness resumed: After several days
Haight sent me to Iron Springs, where
the wagons, cattle and goods of the emf
grants were; | got them and put them
in the tithing-house was to brand the
cattle found there John Wrie" and
Hunter & Allen;" put the goods in the
church tithing-office branded the cattle
with The church brandt a cross; Lee was
in the cellar with me and saw the goods
IIaight and Higbee told me a council had
been held, and Lee deputed to 20 tc
President Brigham Young and report all
the facts Of the massacre; Lee went, and
followed, | to attend the Conference, DC.
tober 9th, at Salt Lake City; met Lee al
Salt Lake; asked if he had reported to
Brigham Young; he said, "Yes, every
Particular" the same day l, Lee and
Charley Hopkins called on Brigham
Young; he there, in the presence of them,
said, "You have charge of that property
in the tithing-office; turn it over to John
D. Lee; what you know of this say moth
ing of it; don't talk of it even among
yourselves" when tie time came l had
to 60 to the Vegas Lead Mines to get ore;
while l was gone Lee took the property
and had an auction and sold it off; so
Haight and Higbee told me; Haight sold
part of the cattle to Hooper, he was
Utah's Congressional Delegate afterward,
for boots and shoes; there were Indians
at the massacre; the hills were pretty
full of them; they were deputed to kill
the women; saw one Indian, Myack, cut
little boys throat; heard no effort to
restrain the Indians; Indians were
wounded, and three died oftheir wounds;
the Indians came back to Cedar, where
they lived: one was called Bill and one
was called Tom, both chiefs; saw some
emigrants' property with the Indians;
saw Lee get dresses and jeans from the
Furnishing Office out of the emigrants'
plunder; learned from Allen that Lee
was the one to gather up the Indians to
attack the emigrants; talked with Lee
about it afterward; Lee was Indian agent
at Harmony; the agent traded with the
tribes, and issued goods and rations of
the government to the Indians.
The Court here adjourned till 8 a. m.
After to-day night sessions are to be held.
The Court warned the citizens not to
speak to the jurors from the street up to
the time they were sworn, and declared
it would arrest and punish such offense.
During the time Klingensmith was
testifying and giving the horrible details
of the bloody scene thesuspense was ter
ribly painful. Lees square, hard, low
browed face and neck became fairly pur-
pie black, and his wives scarcely
breathed, straining forward to catch each
syllable. The excitement in town is in
tense.
l am prepared to state that Klingen-
smiths story, in all material details, is
the same as Lees suppressed confession
as to the massacre. Klingensmith's rep
utation here is that of man of truth.
He could not be impeached save by
facts.
BEAVER, July 26.--To-day Ann Eliza
beth Hoag was sworn and testified: Lived
at Harmony in 1857; was at the meeting
called before Lee and the Indians started
for the massacre; it was stated at the
meeting that the emigrants should be
destroyed; an express was sent to Brig
ham Young before the Indians started;
after the massacre meeting was called
to hear Lees report; Lee stood up and
said he wanted the Indians to rush on
the emigrants; the emigrants were prom
ised peace if they gave up their arms;
they agreed and marched out alongside
the soldiers who shot them down at a
signal and the Indians killed the women;
he said one man had a baby in his arms,
after the first fire Lee said: give up that
child; the man replied. if l die this
child dies with me; / know you, John D.
Lee, despite your paint. Lee said he had