Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-03-30
A NORMAN BISHOP EXECUTED.

~~S1 w wv RAsAN&
A NORMAN BISHOP EXECUTED.
SHOOTING OF BISHOP JOHN D. LEE-IIIS
CONFESSION OF THE MOUNTAIN MEAD
OW MASsACRE-HE ORDERS PHOTO
GRAPHS OF THE EXECUTION FOR HIS
WIVES.
&C., &C., sc.
John d. Lee a Bishop of the church of
Latter Day Saints, was executed last Fri
day at Mountain Meadow, the scene Of the
murder, for assisting in the murder of over
one hundred and fifty men, womel and
children composing a party emigrating
from Arkansas to California, twenty years
ago. He was led and convicted in the
U. S. Territorial Court, and given the
choice of hanging or shooting, chose the
latter. The murder was of the most cold
blooded chal acter, the Mormons h.sving
sent a party of Indians to perform it but
they not being able, d party of Mormons
under Lee came up and telling the emf
grants they were friends got them to give
ans then slew the defenceless people. Lee
said it was done by order of brigham
Young who reported that the Almighty
had directed the slaughter of the '.'gen-
tiles" Lea had three wives and sixty
four children. After his conviction Lee
confessed, giving a lull account of the
massacre, but still trying to mitigate his
part of it. After the Indians had attack
ed the train and killed and wounded some
of the emigrants, but gotten finally repuls-
ed tie Mormons came up with white flag
and sent word to the emigranls that they
were U. S. troops. The emigrants then
hoisted white flag and surrendered. Their
arms, and the wounded ami women and
children were put in wagons and Lee went
with that train,it being agreed that direct
ly that got out of sight the Indians and
Mormons should open fire Oh the unarmed
emigrants. The following is an extract
from his conf ssion.
THE SLAUGHTER.
When all Was ready Samuel McMurdy,
counsellor to Bishop z. K. Smith (kling-
nSmiUh), drove out on the lead. Fl is Way
III had the seventeen child EN-, clothing,
IND arms. Samuel Knight drove the 9th
u team, with five wounded men and one
soy about fifteen years old. | walked be
Aud the front wagon, to direct the course
tnd to shun being i'll the heat of tie
slaughter; but this kept to myself. When
We got turned fairly TO the east | moi ioned
10 McMurdy TO steer north, across the val
icy. l at the same time told the women,
.slo We're next to the wagon, to follow tie
toad III, to the troops. which they did. In
,,ead Of saying to McMurdy not to drive
SO fast-aS he sWore Oh my trial. said to
the contrary. to drive on, as my aim WAS
y get out OF sigs before the firing COM
aenced, which we did. We were about
ali a mile ahead of the company when
we heald tue fist firing. We had drove
over ridge of rolling groaHd, and down
IA a low fiat. The firing WAS simultane-
rus along the whole line. The moment
the firing commenced, McMurdy halted
and tied his liIes across the rodof TIE wagon
oox, stepped dawn cnuliy with a double
,arrelled shot gun, walked back to Knights
wagon, who had the wounded men. and
.sas about lwe:itj feet iii the rea'. AS he
..lsed lis piece he said, Lord, my GOD,
receive tlIelr spirits, for it is for the king
ION OF heaven S Sake that We do this
fired AID Killed tw" men. Samuel Knight
i.'u d iIuLLtE-iOd@liiS iLe, liiu ne Suot aiu
ill til three men, then struck the
wounded boy on the lead, who fell dead
In the mean time [ drew a fve-shouter
from Ly belt, "hic accidentally went
off, cutting across McMurdy's buckskiu
pants III front below the crotch. McMur-
uy sad, ''Brolher Lee. You are excited
take things coo you was near killing Inc.
Look where lie ball cut" pointing to the
place III his pants.
AT t. is moment heard the scream of a
child. | locked UP and saw an IudIan lave
a little boy by he 1dlr o his head drag
glng hin cut vi Tie tli.d end Of tie wagon.
with "A knife Ia his hand. getting ready to
cut his throat. sp'ang for the Indian,
with revolver i'll hand, and shouted at the
top OF my voice: "Arick, Ocma cat 700
54oet" (atop you iool). The Child was ter
.or stricken. His Chin was bleediug-I
II posed it was the cut OF knife, but al
forwards learned that it was done on tue
wagon BOX as the Indian :anked the boy
own 10y the hair of the head. [ had no
sooner rescued this child than anuli er In
dai. seized ii little girl by he hair. | reg
clcd Fl as soon as l could speak. | told
the Indians that they must rot hurt the
children; that | would die before they
should be i.ult; tat We would buy TIE
chl,irel. Of Thorn. Before tits time the
indians II rushed up around the wag
II quest oil hlopG, I; Gespa, ch|d the two
| runaway Wounded ns'ii. In justice t. my
statement would say that ii my SIX shooter
had nc. prematurely exploded would have
had hand III despatching the five wound
ed. | had LIST control of myself and scarce
knew what | was about. saw an Indian
pursue little girl, who was fleeing. He
caught ller about one hundred feet from
the wagUu and plunged his knife through
her. | said to McMurdy that he had bet
ter drive the children to Hamb!in' 3 rancho
and give them nnuriShment, while would
| go down and get my iIorse at the camp.
| Passing along the road | SAW the dead
| stfewn along the distance of about half q
| mile. The women and children were killed
| by the Indians. | saw SurtZ with the IL
| dams aud no other white man With them.
! When l came up with the meh they lay
about a rod apart. Here | came up with
! Ii igbee, Bishop Smith, and the rest of the
company. AS l came up Higbee said to
me, ''Let us search these persons for yalu-
ables," ard asked ne to assist him. He
gave me a hat to hold. Several men We're
already engaged in searching the bodies.
[ replied that was unwell. and wanted to
get upon my horse and 90 to the rauche
and nurse myself. My request was granted.
got breakfast that morning. Then all
hands returned to he scene of the Slaugh-
ter to bury the dead. The bodies were all
in a nude state. The Indians through the
night had stripped them of every vestige
of clothing. Many of the parties we
laughing aud talking as they carried the
bodies to the raviue for burial They were
just covered over little, but did not long
remain SO. for the wolves dug them mp,
and, after eating tie flesh from them, the
,, bones laid upon the ground until buried
sometime after by Government military
!, officer.
TIE EXECUTION.
At II A. NJ precisely, Lee was brought
out upon the scene of the massacre at
Mountain Meadows before The executing
party, and seated on his coffin about TWEEN
: :, fnnt from, Tho chnotarS Marshal NoIcn,