The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-16
MRS. WEBB'S STATEMENT.
Forty-Two Years in Communion
as Ann Eliza's Mother.
Brigham Instigated and Probably Or
dered the Slaughter"
MORMONS SILENCED BY THREATS.

Mrs Eliza J. Webb, mother NJ "Ann Eliza" the
recently divorced wife Of Brigham Young, has resided
hero her return from Utah, where sho
backsIid from tho Mormon fifth with her
daughter than two years ago. Mrs. Webb
was ono OF the original Mormons, having Joined
tho sect in New York In 1888, when she was
sweet sixteen and dreadtully poor. Three
years latcr she married in Kirkland. Ohio,
TO ChaunceyG. Webb, Mormon ike herself, whom
she followed through years OF vcisstudcs TO Missouri
TO Nauvoo In llihos tho long journey Utah and
through the wds aud settlements OF that famous
Territory. She has encountered hards6ips enough to
drive sensitive woman crazy, yet neither her health
nor her spirits broken. The thing she had ut
first to endure after Joseph smith's revelation in
lSi3 concerning poygamy was the accession TO her
husband OF other wives First he brought ono
WHO, who according to Mrs Webb. was a
every good girl" "when he brought throc
more wives, and all in the course OF a
month";" says Mrs. Webb, al felt that my husband
was too much married. and my heart was SORE" Mrs
Wcbb's long residence In Utah, her acqu ,intance OF
forty-two years with Brigham Young. and tho former
close connection OF her daughter with tho Prophet
dor her statements In regard to his responsibility for
the Mountain Meadows massacre very important
EVIDENCE BRIGHAM YOUNG.
She received ploasantly this morning at her
tagc home and thus responded to my questions
"Have you any opinion. or evdence,"I asked, ''in
regard to Youugs connection with tho Mountain
Meadows AFFAIR.""
81 have positive conviction" she replied
ITO what efcctS"
THAT Brigham Young tnstigated, and probably or.
dercd, tho slaughter This conviction was long in
forming, but It has been matured since fifteen
months"
| "Plcase state your reasons"
| "Tney are several They spring out OF thorough
knowledge of the hfc and character OF Brigham
Young experience of the ianaticsm regulations of
| the Mormon Church. recollection Of circumstances ut
the time OF the massacre ana tho testimony OF men
familiar with the facts Brigham Youngs abilities ure
not TO DO dcspised, although he IS popularity
credited with many that he has not To this day,
after all the shocks tho Mormon Church and his own
| reputation have met wth ho continues to hold
100000 people In subsection Some he holds
through their fears their OF self intcres,
but tho most OF them still physically, morally
aud intellectually PROSTATE before him. Al the time
OF the butchery at Mountain Meadows his mastery
over his people far absolute than the Popo
Of Rome could have boosted or
! BRIGHAM GoD's MourHPrEcE.
His word was law; It was in fact accepted as tho
word of God himself !, among thousands OF others,
Implicitly believed It 10 be so, and every
member Of the Church OF Jesus Christ
OF Latter Day Saints sworn. as John
D. ee sworn, to obey all the orders OF the priest
hood ofwhich Brigham was the head He acknowl-
edged, almost worshippcd, as prophet priest, rove
lator. To tho most ignorant Of the Mormons no was
the only God they knew anything about and the rest
he stood mediator tetweon them aud the Almighty.
All, excepting OF course those who held tho mental
reservations which nobody aege for against a
fellow being. imagined that they must comply with
Brigham Young's requirements suffer the supreme
| Gods displeasure."
| BRUTAL ryRANr.
| "Did this feeling that they must obey Young and
the priesthood 60 to all lengths? Did It not stop short
at crimey"
"why, The command Of the Prophet to do any
thing whatever madc obedience sacred duty 1t took
away from all crmss called the faint OF crimnality
II vice virtue IL sanctled practices totally alb
horrent to Christians, to civilized human nature
For example, Young frequently permitted directed
tho marriage of his favorItes to their wives
daughters by other men. Privately he encouraged tho
marriage OF brothers and ssters ana once he married
u couple who children OF the same mother, but
not by the same father. Hc admitted then that
the people not sufficiently advanced to
| bear much OF this but dared openly
| gainsay him when asked by MIN to swallow II. The
! man who welded influence like this had no AIN.
Guilty In getting anything accomplished He madc
himself feared well respected, through tho ter
ribe order of the Dantes from which the Destroying
Angels OF the Church selected. John ID. Leo,
Dame, and others. all belonged to this msnamcd, dov.
nsh elan. They we're ready to strike at anybody At
the lifting OF Brigham Youngs finger, at such
signal as tho scratching OF his nosc'
WHY MASSACRE ORDERED
.sBut what could have boon Young's motive for
directing the commission OF 70 horr,d crimes"
.sSomo," responded Mrs Webb. "nsvc ascribed
ayarce us motive, for reasons THAT the Ar.
kansas omgrant tho richest that had passed
through Utah since tho Mormon settlement there
and that Brigham rs, perhaps. tho most avaricious
fnlso prophet who lived. Yet, no; II was not
avaricc that chiefly prompted him that occasion
"what, then ~
"a brutal and misguided resentment--a laundering
military policy encouraged by the fanatic desperation
OF tbs Mormon priesthood next under him. AT that
time tho whole Mormon fabric endangered for tho
third fourth tmc by tho power OF the United States
government Tho outside prejudice against Mormon
ism, East and wos. was intense, and a report was
circulated that tho people Of the approaching emgrant
train had used bellgcrcnt language On the north
threatened by Johnsons army, and In tho south
there was, might havo been, reason TO suppose
that tho smgran,s would take tho part Of the govern
| mcnt against the saints There great excite
ment In tho Mormon settlements, we'll recoIlect
OF the approach OF onoral Johnston. But
most Of tho Mormons except tho priesthood and tho
people living In tho vicinity Of Mountain Meadows did
not hear OF tho cmigrant OF the massacre until
q considerable time af,er the killing
SLAUGHTER sEcRgr.
.'were you the sccnOS"
sNo not Therefore all that say now Is
based as told you, general knowledge and subse.
/ Quent information"
"when did you hear OF the massacreYn
| "lvc forgotten. II was long whiic--a number oil
weeks--beforo tho spread through tho sparse
and scattered settlements OF Utah. 1t had been car
ricd California by other travellers who passed aIons
the trail ana camo tho unburied bodies perhaps
weeks IN advance Of our Information When my hus.
band nrst brought the news TO me tho whole butch