Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-02-24
wBtrrEN IN BLOOD.

The FeQne attempted assassination
In South}sn Utah Of Philip Klingen
Smith. the Mormon bishop who parti-
pated in the Mountain Meadow massa.
ere and then turned States evidence,
has brought to light . diabolical deed
6hich was committed by Brigham's
agenta in September, 1856. The fol.
lowing story is from the -Truckee Re-
psblicns 81 December @, and was rela-
ted to the editor Of that Journal about
. year ago BY one Of the prophets IA
vorite assassins 'The Akin party.
'cBupaqea IF the Akin brothers, q man
known as Colonel one named Buck.
and two others, started east from Cali
fornis just as Johnson's army was
entering Utah. They we,e veal.
thy gentlemen of an adventurous,
speculative turn, and had the finest
outfit of mules, equipments, guns, pis-
tolls, etc, ever seen in Salt Lake CITY.
They carried with them about thirty
thousand dollars in gold On the Hum
boldt they fell in with train of emf.
grants going east, and Travelled with
the emigrants until they reached the
Utah settlements. Near Ogden thev
were 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 touched
for the men as being good honest gem
tlemen, but without effect. Their mo-
ney was too tempting prey. After
being incarcerated some time, two were
left in prison. and the four Others sent
by the Mormous to California, under
an escort. The apparent fairness of
this move vanishes when we learn that
the escort were Porter Rockwell. John
Lot, and One-eyed Miles, three Of the
blackest- hearted Williams that ever lived.
When the party arrived at Nephi,
council was called among the Mormons,
up" the Akin party. The few who op-
posed the cold -blooded plot were ST.
lenced by the argument that it was
Gods will expressed through His proph-
ct Brigham. At midnight team was
fitted out and driven on ahead Of the
Akin party, VIII" we're asleep at Nepb;.
The next evening just as the party were
camping at the Sewer river, a party Of
men drove up frcm the opposite direc-
tion and asked permission to camp with
them. The plot Of the murder was
we'll planned. The Aiken party never
suspected that these men were assas-
sins who had been in Nephi the night
before They were pleased to have
company. and the camp-fres were built
side by side The Mormons outuum-
bered their victims four to one, vet were
too cowardly to make the attack until
sleep rendered the poorvictims helpless;
then they pouneed upon the sleeping.
fellows, aud struck them on
the head with king bolts, clubs and iron
bars. The Colonel bounded up, and,
bruised and bleeding as he was, escap-
ed in the bushes. A second one of the
Akin boys sprang to his feet, but was
shot down. The other two were Drained
where they lay. The three lifeless bod
les were thrown into the river, and the
brother who was shot down revived
when be came in contact with the cold
stream. Poor fellow; night of hor-
ror awaited him which Was worse than
a thousands deaths. Crawling over the
cruel, pebblv bottom Of the river,
bleeding, and half dead, the
man reached the willows near the camp
Here he lay shisering with fear. and
heard the inurderers boast of the bru-
tai deed. Summoning 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 night there was a bitter.
biting frost. Akin bad 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 the loss of blood, dazed and stunned
by blows on the head, cold, deserted
and lone,v. weary aud worn out, the
man Travelled all night long. Naught
but thoughts of a murdered brother "
ing mapg.ed and unburied in the black
waters of the Sewer gave him strength
to press forward to where he vainly
hoped for assistance just at dawn he
completed his twenty-six mile journey.
aud fell exhausted at the foot Of the
little hill in the outskirts of Nephi. He
had fallen i'm front of house. and from
the inmates he learned that one of his
had likewise escaped, and had
ascended the hill only few moments
before. Wild with the hope that it was
bis brother, he struggled to his feet
and staggered onward. In spite of all
his efforts be fell heavily four or FIVE
times, and could no. rise until be bad
lain still and rested for few minutes.
When be reached the hotel he found
the Colonel instead of his brother. The
poor, half-murdered men uttered not
word, but, locked in each others arms,
fell svooning to the ground. Even tie
Mornns who looked upon the soane
were affected 90 tears. Cold-blooded
assassination awaited these brave fell
lows af.er all. Thoughtless!y they told
that shey recognized some of their mur-
derers. The hotel keeper was in league
with she assassins. His team had hauled
the nnrderers to the Sewer. When
three weeks had passed the wounded
men had So far recovered as to wish to
return to Salt Lake Clty!'sThe hotel
keeper refused to let them go until his
bill Was paid. They had escaped with
nothing bus . gold watch and a silver
mounted Colts revolver. Their money
aud valuable property was lying IN the
Neph tithing cfice-in Gods store
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