St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-30

tel his death | held the same position
to Brigham Young, who succeeded
Smith as prophet. | was recorder for
the quorum of seventy, head clerk of
the church and organized the priest
hood into the Order of Seventies. /
took all the degrees in the endowment
house and stood high in the priesthood.
Immediately after Joseph Smith re-
ceived revelation concerning pOlyga-
my, was informed of its doctrines by
said Joseph Smith and the Apostles.
| believed in the doctrine and have
been sealed to eighteen women, three
of whom were sisters and one was the
mother of three of my wives. l was
sealed to this old woman for her sOuPs
salvation. | was an hOnOred man in
the church, flattered and regarded by
Brigham Young and the Apostles until
1868, when | was cut off from the church
and selected as a scapegOat to suffer for
and bear the sins of my people.
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.
As duty to myself and mankind L
now confess all that l know aud all that
| did at the Mountain Meadow massa-
ere, without animosity to any one,
shielding none and giving the facts as
they existed. Those with me on that
occasion were acting under orders from
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints. The hOrrid deeds then
committed were done as duty which
we believed we owed to God and our
church. We were all sworn to secresy
before and after the massacre. The pen
atty for giving information was death.
AS | am to suffer death for what then
did, and have been betrayed, both by
those who gave me orders to act, and
the most active of my assistants, now
give the true facts as they exist, and
tell why the massacre was committed
and who were the active participants.
The Mountain Meadow massacre was
the result of the direct teachings of
Brigham Young, and it was done by
orders of those high in authority in the
i Mormon community. The immediate
orders for the massacre were issued by
Col. Dame, Lieut.. Col. Isaac C. Haight
and council at Cedar City, Utah. | held
no position either in the civil or militia
ry departments, or in the church at that
time. About September z, went to
Cedar City, where / met Isaac G..
Haight, President or Governor of the
State of Zion, and also the Lieutenant
Colonel of the Iron Country Mormon
Militia. This was Sunday. Haight
was the leader there in all things civil,
clerical and military. 1t was a crime
punishable by death to disObey his or
ders. Haight gave me full account
of the emigrants coming. He said the
emigrants were rough set that they
were bad men, robbers and murderers,
and had helped to kill Mormon prOph-
cts. | believed him. | was ordered to
! raise Indians to attack the train and
run off the cattle, and to have the In
dians kill the emigrants. | Sent Carl
Shirts, my sOn-in-law, to raise the
Southern Indians. Nephi johnson
went to the other tribes. On Monday
morning left to obey orders. Haight
said /: "We are acting by orders 1t is
all right. We will let the Indians bear
all the blame" | said 1--WE are for
hidden to shed innocent blood" The
reply of Haight was, "Tbere is not
drop of innocent blood in the whole
: lot. Go, Brother Lee, and carry out
the Instructions of those in authority.
If you are dutiful in this your reward
, shall be great in the kingdom of God,
for God will bless those who obey the
Council and make all things fit for the
people of the Lord in their days.
THE ATTACK ON THE EMIGRANTs.
r On my way home passed many In
dians on the war path. promised to
join them the next day. On Tuesday
morning the Indians attacked the train
at daylight and killed seven and wound
ed sixteen emigrants. The Indians lost
some warriors. The emigrants then
fortified and the Indians surrounded
!. them and sent for me. The whole
county was aroused, both whites and
Indians rushing to Mountain Meadow
from all directions. | arrived at the
camp late Tuesday afternoon and found
the Indians in large force. They de-
manded that | should lead the attack.
| refused until further orders were re-
ceived from Haight or Dame. On
, Thursday orders came by Major Highly.
:. There were fifty-eight whites and about
/. five hundred Indians present. Then
Highly made a speech and said all the
emigrants were to lie killed who could
; talk, that we must get them out of the
Notifications by treachery.
AHoRRIBLE PLOT.
| was to follow a flag of truce and
o make treaty with the besieged and
: promise protection. | was also to get
: the arms of the emigrants and the sick
, and wounded and also the children into
: wagons. Then the troops under Highly
would meet the emigrants. The Indians
. were to remain in ambush. The women
:, were to go ahead. The Indians were
q then to kill the women. The militia
were to kill the men, and | aud the
4 drivers OF wagons were to kill the
: wounded and sick in the wagons. Sew
: eral other men then made speeches.
n Then we had prayer circle, and then
q more speeches, and it was agreed by all
. parties that it was the will of God for
$ us to do as ordered. On Friday morn
ing the emigrants had white flag fly
ing, and the Mormon brethren again
assembled. Speeches were made, and
all expressed themselves willing to act.
ROLL OF AssAssINs.
Maj John NJ. Highly, Philip K. Smith,
bishop of the church at Cedar City, Joel
White, William C. Stewart. Benz. Ar
Il Il thur, Alexander Widen, Charles Hop
t kins Tate, Ira Ellew, Robert Wiley,
Richard Harrison, Samuel Pollock,
= Daniel McFarlane, John Ure, George
! ! Hunter, Joseph Smith, Samuel Jukes,
!, Nephi johnson, Carl Shirts, Seven
= Jacobs, John Jacobs, E. Curtis, Thomas
! ! Cartwright, William Bateman, Anthony
: StrattOn, A. Loveridge, Joseph Clews,
John Durfey, Columbus Freeman and
! others, making fifty-four or fifty-eight
! whites and about 400 or 500 Indians.
Major Highly then addressed the party
: and said, Brethren, it is the orders of