Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-07-29

Mormons and Indians were known to be on
good terms, the offer was gladly accepted and at
ter Lee aud his associates had conferred WIN Tue
attacking party of savages, 1t was agreeo tnat ,he
emigrants should surrender their arms ana other
property, and return by the road they came. Inc
Mormons on their part p. omised to guard and pro-
tect the party until they should reach the settle.
ments.
Having given up their arms, the emgrants left
their wagons and stock and started northward on
foot. The women and children were in front, the
men followed and in the rear was guard OF ~
Molmons. Hardly had this sorrowinl procession
started on its way when fire was poured INTO tnem
from an ambush, followed by az attack from the
Mormons in the rear, and in few minutes 40
men, women and children lay slaughtered upon the
ground. Seventeen of the youngest children were
saved and adop.ed by Mormon families, and 1t Is
said that three men escaped immediate death
But one of these was afterward murdered by the
Indians another starved to death, and the third
was killed upon the Colorado, though by whom 1t
is not known.
The evidence produced in the pending trial all
goes to show that this account OF the massacre -
Substantially correct. Phillip *. Smith, one oil
the defendants who was a Mormon bishop at tue
time of the massacre, appca cd as ate evidence
and gave full description OF the slaughter, with
all its horrible details rs well as as an account OF
the deliberations among the Mormon leaders
which preceded the butchery, in which, against
his will as he says, he was forced to participate.
The massacre was resolved upon by Mormon
bishops and councillors, Lee and W. Ii. Dame be-
inc among the most conspicuous. The descnp-
ton which smith gives of the saugh liter fully con
firms all that has heretofore been reported oil lis
bafbarous character.
While the general facts Of the Mountain Meadow
massacre have long been admitted, 1t has seeh
contended by the Mormons and their defenders
that Brigha Young knew nothing aboutlt j; while
on the other hand it has been vehemently asserted
that it was accomplished by his express command
1t is certain, SAYS the New York Sun, that large
portion of the Mormons living in the territory at
the time of the murders we re greatly shocked
when they became known, and the general I'M
preston among unprecedented persons has been
that the act was committed without the knowledge
of Young, who, ii thought, was certainly too
shrewd man to countenance such atrocious
treacbery and cruelty to innocent women and
Children The evidence of Smith, however, II 1t
is to be credited, proves that Brigham \ Dung was
at least an accessory after the fact, for he distinct
" swears that, in company with Lee and another
man, he called on Young in Salt Lake City, Lee
having previously reported the facts in full, and
received from him instructions as to the DISPOSE
ton of the property captured from the murdered
emigrants, and at the same time warning against
talking about the affair, even among themselves
In 1850 Judge Crsdlebaugh, Federal Judge ap-
pointed by Buchanan, attempted to bring the per-
petrators of this horrible crime to justice, but
failed 1t is doubted whether the present trial will
result in the conviction Of Lee and his associates,
since eight of the jurors are Mormons; while 1t Is
said that some of them are near relatives OF per-
sons who are deeply implicated in the murder.