Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-31
AIM AT MY HEART /.
The Last Request of the Mormon Lee
was Needed, and He Fell,
RaCk wa nrds Upon His Coffin, Dead
Upon the Very spot of
the Great Crime Of
Years ASo.


SALT LAKE, March 2$-Ier was sho,
at Mountain Meadow at II O'Clock to-
day
He was brought out upon the scene
| OF the massacre at Mountain Meadows.
before the executing party. and seated
on his collin, about twent, feet from the
shooters. After the order OF the court
was read to him and the company pres
ent by Marshal Nelson, Lee made a
speech OF about tive hundred words, bit
| terly denruncing Brigham Young and
calling himself II sc1.pc- goat for the siu>
OF others. He hoped God would be
| mercltul, denied that he was guilty OF
bloodshed to the last. and maintained
that his mission To the Meadows was
one of mercy.
Alter Lees speech. Parson Stokes. :,
Methodist, offered a prayer, recommend
ing the SOU OF the condemned man to
| God,
Immediately after this the haudker-
chief was placed over Lees eyes He
raised his hands and placed them on the
top Of his head. and sat firmly
| Upon giving the word 10 fire, exactly
at o clock, tive guns We're fired, the
charges penetrating the body III the re-
| giOn OF the heart. He fell square back
upon his coffin, dead His death WAS
instantaneous.
| The body was placed in the coffin, and
the crowd dispersed There were about
40 persons, all told, on the ground
| Not child or relative OF Lee was there
The best order prevailed, and all pro
| nounced the execution "a success.
| Lees last words 10 Nelson were, Aim
at my heart The body will he given
to the relatives at Cedar City.
Alter Marshal Wilson concluded read
ing the order OF the court at ~ ia a m,
he asked Lee II he had anything to say
before execution was carried into
effect.
Lee SAID: 81 wish to speak t. that
man. pointing to Mr.. Fenmem"re, who
was hNlnS his camera near by To take
Lee 5 photograph preceding the shoot
ing
Lee calling to the artist, Fennemorc
| rpplicd In n second Mir pn and
whiting mi the arti,, ,,s.ntca hi. r.ad-
mess to listen
Lee said Il wan, to ask vnu favor
| want Won To finnish my ,i,rco yivos =
COPY OF the photn,-rauii tmaanino the
on. beiur tak.n) :, COPY tn Rachel \
Emma + and sarah G.
Mr.. Howard re.uonI.d for IN. ar,i,,
.He saws he will do it,
Lee repeated the names oven
again carefully. saving. Please for.
ward them Will Won 2. II. Then aros.
and said II have Inn, li,tin ~ say mi.
n,nm.n, or course / ,nel ,h,t an,
anon thu, brink Of r,.rni,v and th.. sol.
emniry of r,.rnj,y .hnu,i rest unnn my
f mind AT the present. h,v. made oui
or .ndravnrt1 TO do So , man,,-crin,
and an ahr;dp.L history rt INV 1it.
5 This will h. nuhlishoi Sir h,v,
giynn nv vinwI ,nd tanl;nos with r.T,r,
f. ali ,hes. thinys tesI ra.irnaI +,
NV f.,t,. t.ni ,s c,Im ,s :, smmnn,
morrinr. have don. nothinc wronr
! Nv cnnscieuc. is clear betnre God ,n,
ma, | an, r.,av tn ,ra,.t nv r.J,emnr
nm NOT nm ;nti5.I I b.xn nor do
ni.I God nv. Ills mercy nm , str,n,
; brI;,v,r in ,hns. mines Them,.t r.,
g. r~->:-e -. -. ......,!, al..,
= OF them are unprotected and vii! be LET
J. tatherleSS. While speak of th",r litti,
ones they touch tender chord within
=, mt His voice iai;cred perceptIh!y
, - nave done nothing wrong III thI
| affair. used my utmost cudeaV"r L
: save th"Se people. Wn"Io nave SI'e'
y "oilds' were IL III my c"illliahu' II
a'caFol'ed thal rlianlty. y.butlcou.d not
am SACRIFICED To satisfy party techlg
anu am used to Sratlly parties. but an
T ready to die. have no fear, OF dealt
and no terror. \" particle ol mere,
nave asked lrom thc cour, or olilcEil
A to spare my HE. ii" NOT lear death
| shall never 90 10 a worse pace INA!
the one am in
n nave sad 1t To my family ana WI
h say 1t to-day. that the government OF tn
n nited States sacrifices Their best friends
j. and that is saying great deal, but 1t /
true. am true oeIie'cr III the gospel o
If Jesus thrist 40 not oeheVc every
thing that Is now practlced dnd tauSh
by Brigham oung | do not aSre
with him. believe lie Is leading Peo
= pie astray: but l oeiie'e IN the SoSpt
s AS taught IN us purify py Jo>eph StuiIi
: In former days. nave my reasons 10
l. saying this. l used 10 make this man
l., WI! my pleasure. and dld SO tor thlrt
II years. See how and what have com
to this day. | have been sacrificed III
~ cowardly daStardly manner. Thousand
:. OF people in the church. honorable an,
a good hearted. that cherish in my hear;
: / regret to leave, and my family tina
are near and dear to me. these declar
:, | did nothing designrdlv wrong in thi
:, unfortunate affair | did everything il
r my power to save all the imm! grants ,bu
:. am the one that must suffer.
), Having said this, feel resigned
4 ask the Lord my God to extend his mer
Y cy to me and I" receive my spirit. VI.
: laborS here are done.
v SALT LALE. March 23.-'rhe tull con
:, iession OF John ID. Lee has been furnish
- ed for publication by [. :. District At
tornev Howard. Ii gives COmplet
:, history of the Mountain Meadows mas
~ sacrc. detailing mInutely the circum
r stances which led to it. the manner il
:. which it was executed. and the names o
= most ofthe persons in any way connecte,
# with or engaged in it. The documen
y is very long. aud no synopsis could Civ
. an intelligent idea OF the atrocious bar
= tha ,r;.stbnnd in c,rrvino ont the mas
II sacre,
: Lee placed the blame upon the churcl
y authorities. and the names of Bi,ho,
Il Dame who was also Co,oncl of Militia
Grnrre A smith first counselor in tn,
church and BRIGHAM Youpg.s rirbt nan,
man: President Haicht. also a Major O
Militia; officer Hamblin. John 4. Hic
y bee, and number Of other bright dig
4