The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-08-07
Mo6UNrAIN: MEADOW Y MASSACRE.

MooiUNrA1N: MEADOW ., Y MASSACRE.
Testimony EYiciicd Me First Day 1 The Tinl-
| HON The Butcher ,ras Planned and Erccafcd.
At the opening of tho trial of the
Mormons Implicated. in the Mountain
Meadow massacre, >at Beaver, Utah,
Robert Kays testified as follows. Game
to Utah October 2, 1857, through
of woman and children, piled promis.
cuously there were sixty or seventy
bodies tho children were from two
months, old to twelve years tho smaller
were torn by wolves and crows; some of
| the bodies were sshot, some had their
| throats cut, some stabbed, and oil were
| torn by wolves except one woman, who
laid a little way off. and appeared as if
asleep, baii aiii4lislogin sher left side; it
| appeared tho bodies were dead fifteen
days; seven Of MS saw it. piles of mems
bodies were further on; didn't; go to see
them; no clothing on the bodies, except
| one sock OH the leg of ono man; none
were scaiped. -fEt- -g,r--,
Assatel Bennett called: Was dt the
Meadows December, 1857; saw tho
bones there: horrible sight; skeletons of
women ana children; curls, long tresses
hair, dried blood; childrcn 10 TO 12
ye,trs; some skulls had flesh dried
on; the bodies had been covered
up; wolves evidently dug them mp
Philip Linger Smith: defendent of
San Bernnndi, California, called: Pros
ecntion entered nolle prosequi as to
himself. Lived in Cedar city from
1852 to,1857. Was ut the massacre in
September, 1857; heard of the en-
igrants coming. The people were for
hidden to trade with them felt bad
about it saw few of them at Cedar;
heard ,rumors of trouble S nday. It
was the custom to have meetings of the
president and council; bishop and
council and high council. The matter
came mp for discussion as to their de-
atHsHtion Ii9 Sl,z; Haght HHdisbes Hds Morrill,
destruction. I did. Haight ig' jumped rIei
mp and broke up the meeting. I asked
what would be the consequences of
snch m act. Then Haight got mad.
The Indians were to destroy them. On
Monday, Higbee, White and I met;
same subject again. I opposed the de-
struction. Haight relented, and told
White and to go ahead and tell the
people the emigrnnts shonld go through
safe. We did so, and Oh the road we
met John d. Lee. We told whero wo
were going, and he replied I have
something to say about that matter;
we passed the emigrantsat Iron Springs;
next morning We passed them again
MS we came back they Ind twenty or
thirty wagons ; over hundred people,
old men, middle aged men, old wo-
men, middle aged women, youths and
children near home met Ira
Allen; he said the emigrants'
doom was sealed, tho die cast for de-
struction three days after Haight sent
for me, and snid orders had come from
Damp; didn't get along, wanted rein
fOrcements; that he had been to Prowin,
Fl. Dame to finish tho massacre, to do
coy and spare only small children who
could not tell the tale. went off, met
Allen, our first runner, and others.
Higbee said : you arc ordered out,
armed and equipped; so went; Hop
kins, Higbee, john Willis and Sam
Purdy went along; had two baggage
Wagons got to Hampleu's rancho in
the night, three miles from emigrants ;;
there met Lee and others from the gen.
cral camp, where the largest number of
men were then found the emigrnnts
not all killed. Batemnn or Lee went
ont with white ilng. A man from the
emigrants met them. Lee and man
set down on the grass and had talk !;
don't know what they talked. Lee went
with the man into tho intrenchments.
After somc hours they came out and tho
emigrants came ont with their wounded
in wagons ahead. The wounded we're
those hurt in tho three days previous
fight. Next came the women, next the
| H.,
halted, and the women Oh foot and chill
dren and wounded went on ahead with
John d. Lee. Tie 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 a
man; net all killed at the first fire.
Saw tho women aftcrward dead, with
their throats cut. 1 saw, ps / came mp
to them, a man kill young girl. The
men were marched in donble file first,
then thrown in single file, with the SOL
diers along side. The emigrants were
congrntulating themselves on their
safety from the Indians. At last John
M. Higbee came and ordered my squad
to fire. Lee, like the rest, had firearms,
| No eniigrants were allowed to escape );
saw eolders on horses to take on wing
those who ran; saw man run !; saw Bill
start on horse and kill him, and n
wounded man beg for life. Highee cut
his throat. was told to gather up the
little children. I went, and saw a
woman running toward the men, crying,
"My husband, my husband A
soldier shot her in the baek, and she
fell dead. Is
"A belle Mt Saratoga wears diamonds
on her shoes,