The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-01-20
MORMON HISTORY.
A Horrible Story of -Blooded Assas
SiRatiOn.

SlIidGlUH.
The recent attempted assassination in
Southern Utah of Phillip Kingen Smith,
the Mormon bishop, who participated in
the Mountain Meadow massacre and then
turned States evidence, has brought to
light diabolical deed which was com
mitted by Brigham's agents in Septem
Der, 1857. The following story is from the
Trucklc Republican of December %, and
was related to the editor of that journal
about year ago by one of the prophets
favorite assassius: The Aiken party,
, composed Of the Aiken brothers, a man
known as Colonel, one named Buck and
two others, started East from California
Just as Johnsons army was entering
Utah. They were wealthy gentleman of
an adventurous, speculative turn, and had
the finest outfit of mules, equipments
guns, pistols, etc, eycr seen in Salt Lake
City. They carried with them about
S3O,O in gold. On the Humboldt they
fell in with train going East, and trav-
! eled with the emigrants until they reach
ed the Utah settlements. Near Ogen they
We're arrested as spies, brought to Salt Lake
| City and closely confined Utah was under
martial law, and this fact was the pretext
for this outrage. The emigrant train came
! along and vouched for the men as being
! good, honest gentlemen, but without effect
! Their money was too tempting a prey.
/ After being incarcerated some time, two
were left in prison, and the four others
/ sent by the Mormons to California, under
an secort. The apparent fairness of this
move vanishcs when we learn that the
escort was Porter Rockwell, John Lot and
/ One-eyed Niles, three of the blackest-
( hearted williams that ever lived. When the
/ party arrived at Nephi, a council was called
among the Mormons, and sixteen men
/ were appointed to use up the Aiken party
! The few who opposed the cold blooded plot
were silenced by the argument that it was
! Gods will expressed through his prophet
/ Brigham. At midnight team was fitted
( out and driven on ahead ofthe Aiken party.
/ who were asleep at Nephi. The next even
! ing just as the victims were camping at the
/ Sewer river, party Of men drove up from
the opposite direction and asked permission
to camp with them.
TIE PLOT OF THE MURDER
Was we'll planed. The Aiken party never
suspected that these men were assassins,
who had been in Nephi the night before
They were pleased to have company, and
the camp fires were built side by side The
Mormons outnumbered their victims four
to one, yet were too coward!y to make the
attack until sleep rendered the poor victims
helpless; then they pounced upon the sleep
ing, defenceless fellows and struck them on
the head with king bolts, clubs and iron
bars The Colonel bounded up and bruised
and bleeding as he was, escaped in the
bushes. y second one of the Aiken bows
sprang to his feet, but was shot down.
The other two were Drained where they
lay The three lifeless bodies were thrown
into the river, and the brother who was
shot down revived when he come in con-
tact with the cold stream. Poor fellow, a
night of horror awaited him which was
worse than thousand deaths Crawling
over the cruel pebbly bottom Of the river,
drenchcd, bleeding and half dead the man
reached the willows near the camp. Here
he lay shivering with fear and heard the
murderers boast Of the brutal deed. Sum
moning all his strength the wounded man
crawled away through the bushes
AND STARTED BACK TO NEPHI.
1t showed lightly during the previous
day, and that nj ight there was a bitter
biting frost Aiken had on nothing but his
pants and shirt. The crisp snow and the
Sharp stones cut his feet until he could
hardly endure the pain Weak from loss
of blood, dazed and stunned by blows on
his head, cold, deserted and lonely, weary
and worn out, the man travelled all night
long Naught but thoughts of murder
ed brother lying mangcd and unburied in
the black waters of the Sewer gave him
strength to press forward to where he
vanly hoped for assistance. just at dawn
he completed his twcnty-six mile journey,
and fell exhausted at the foot of the little
hill in the outskirts Of Nephi. He had
fallen in front Of a house, and from the
inmates he learned that one of his com
rades had likewise escaped and had assembled
the hill only few moments before. Wild
with the hope that it was his brother he
struggled to his feet and staggered onward.
In spite of all his efforts he fell heavily four
or FIVE times, and could not rise until he
had lain still and rested for a few moments.
When he reached the hotel he found the
Colonel instead of his brother. The poor,
halfmurdered men uttered not word, but
locked in each others arms fell swooning
to the ground. Even the Mormons who
looked upon the scene were affected to
tears.
COLD-BLOoDED ASSASSINATION
Awaited these brave fellows after all.
Thoughtlessly they told that they recog-
nized some Of their murderers. The hotel
was guarded day and night by the Nor
mon. lest the victims should escape The
hotel keeper was in league with the assas-
sins. Ills team had hauled the murderers
to the Sewer. When three weeks had
passed, the wounded men had 50 far re-
covered as to wish to return to Salt Lake