, 1875-08-07
THE MORMON MURDERERs.
brigham Young the Chief at Mountain
Meadows.

Meadows
BrAvER, ~. IT, July 18th, 1875.
The telegraph has informed your readers
of the rejection of John ID. Lees statement
by the Prosecuting Attorney, on the ground
of the insufiiciency of his admissions This
terminates ell temporizing between counsel
on the opposite sides, and this arch-criminal
is to be placed on trial tomorrow for partici-
patton in the Mountain Meadows Massacre
The part taken by this criminal in the great
crime of the age seems to be clear. He was
farmer TO the Pah-Ute Indians. appointed by
| Brigham Young, at that time Governor of
Utah Territory and Indian Superintendent.
As Lee spoke Indian and lived among them,
he acquired
| GREAT INFLUENCE OVER THEM,
And when the destruction of the company of
emigrants was determined upon by the lead
ers of the Mormon Church, the assistance of
Lee was invoked to take direction of the In
dian allies. Higbee was Lieutenant Colonel
| of the regiment and seems TO have command
cd upon the field. Dame, the Colonel, di-
rected the bloody business from distance
His instructions were received from George
\. Smith, Brigham's First Counselor, who
preceded the emigrants on their way through
the territory and instructed the people in
every settlement 10 sell the emigrants no
supplies In Beaver one disobedient Saint
sold a small homemade cheese to one of the
starving emigrsnts for bed quilt, and for
this offense he was
CUT OFF FROM THE CHURCH
And handed over to the buffetings of Satan
for Thousand years. From motives of poll
icy it was intended that the massacre should
be perpetrated by the Indians, but when the
danger OF attack was imminent the emigran's
barrioaded themselves with their wagons, and
as their assailants closed around them kept
mp so active and well-directed fire as to in
iiict severe injury upon the savage enemy.
1t is said that as many as fifty Indians were
killed and wounded in the assault upon their
position. The latter succeeded in raiding the
emigrant's herd, amounting to 600 head, and
wounded four of those in charge of them.
At this pOip comes in the complication The
order to the local military authorities-Ddme,
Higbee and Haigh;-which George y. Smith
is supposed TO have borne and delivered. can
not be produced OF course great care would
be used by the heads Of the church in
FRAMING SUCH AN ATROCIoUs ORDER,
To make it as blind as possible, for fear of
future consequences. Having fanatical and
ruthless subordinatcs to deal with, who paid
no heed to the responsibility they incurred,
an intimation of the viii of their dread mas
tiers was sufficient. without asking positive
instructions or the elaboration of specific de-
tails. Besides, the distinct teachings OF the
church since their settlement in these noun
tains have been hostility to the human race
and the approaching universal domination of
the Saints. Ii, in carrying ont the revealed
will of the Almighty, His chosen people
choose to help score of the doomed race out
OF existence, and appropriate their goods, such
zeal is only aiding the Almighty in His in-
scrutable designs, and must be accounted to
them for righteousness. Hence, however
| this order may have been WUrded,
THE rRoPHET, SEER AND REVELATOR-
Supposing him to have issued the mandate or
been privy to the conspiracy against The lives
0: this company of emigmnts-must have
known that the mere cry of " Havoc ~
would let slip his fanatical dogs of war, and
the work of blood being once begun, the in
IN Il
make certain complete extermination. Thus,
the attempt of the Indians to destroy the
emigrants having proved fruitless, the aid of
white men had to be called in. So bloody
an employment was distasteful to many of
the Prophets followers. Some fled from
their homes TO escape service, and Others
were forced into the fight at the threat of
their lives. About fifty white men were
thus mustered, who, when they appeared III
front of the beleagured emigrants, were hailed
as friends and deliverers. These victims OF
REvENGEFUL AND BRUTAL. THEoCRACY
Were suffering untold agonies for want of
water, and their ammunition was nearly ex-
pended. Next some wagons were seen ap-
preaching, and from the foremost floating a
flag OF truce. This act of per6dy was re-
solved upon in a meeting held on the ground,
where Higbee and Lee were the chief spirits
Lee presenting himself with the flag of truce,
| offered the Arkansans protection from the In
dians on the condition of their surrendering
their arms and following him to a place of
safety. Although portion of the emigrants
were Inclined to doubt his good faith, yet be-
ing without ammunition and water they
finally resolved to capitulate on the terms
offered.
THE ARMS WE'RE DELIVERED UF,
And were placed in the wagons, together
with the children and four wounded men.
The women then issued ont, followed by the
men, and when the mournful procession had
advanced far enough TO be strung out in line
volley was fred upon them, the Mormons
selecting the men for their mark and the In
dians the women. This treacherous assassina-
ton filed the survivors OF the murderous
fusilade with terror the men sought refuge
behind any object that presented itself, and
the women sought the knees of their assail-
ants to supplicste for mercy. Then ensued
/ the indiscriminate massacre of all who were
found alive, and during this work Of butchery
occurred the revolving episode of Lee seizing
a young girl, while begging for her life, and
frst violating her and then cutting her
throat. This act of fendish brutality, how
ever, he persistently denies
The CATTLE RAIDED