The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-09
AffidaYits in Support OF HOW
ards Statement.
w. W. BISHOPS LETTER.
The Mormon Priesthood Sacrifice Lee
for the General Safety.
KEN OMISE S

SIR-Referring TO the affidavit or Edwin Gilman,
made the instance, as am informed, OF E. h. Par
sons OF this city, and by the latter gentleman, or
through his instrumentality with the aid OF
George G. Bates, an attorney in the en-
ploy OF certain Mormons, given to the
press Of the country and subsequently
flied In the office OF the Attorney Generalso lar as it
Is possible prove negative to the allegations In
said affidavit contaned-I respectfully submit the toll
lowlng:-I positively deny that Gilman ''went to the
Penitentiary of Utah" at my request, ''nominay to
act as guard in my interest, or in any manner what
subscrve my wishes, but, on the contrary ne
applied 10 Marshal Nelson for the employment and
asked TO intercede with that officer in his behalf,
which did. l assert that Lees name was not spoken
by Gilman myself, and his Gilman's) employment
had reference TO Lee did not, directly nor ndi-
rectly, request authorize him TO say anything to
Lee nor to influence hi I'M 10 any line OF action Gilman
employed one OF the authorized force and sta
toned OH tho outer wall Of Penitenliary with no
right to talk with Lee the other prisoners Neither
do believe that he did talk him what hc had
written
LRRs RESOURCES EXHAUSTED.
l positively assert that Gilman's statement OF my
conversations with Lee, or that 1 made any request
whatever OF him in reference to Lee is unquali-
hcdly false. l not anxious that he should
rid himself OF his attorneys, nor do believe he did
SO; but the contrary, was told by his attorneys
Reconsideration W. w. Bishop OF Nevada, and Mr.
+. D. Hoge Of Salt Lake Cty-that they should not go
with his defence to tho Supreme Court Of the United
States for the reason that Lee would not GOULD not
pay them their advances and services supposed
that Lees friends were making efforts to pay his
attorneys until some tme alter his was decided
by the Supreme Court when Lee sent Tor
tlary. / called on HIM with Marshal Nelson.
HIS first BUSINESS was TO ask my ntcrcession
in his behalf, with the Deputy Warden to allow hiin
Lee sleep Ia the attic OF the guard room instead OF
the cell he claiming TO have the rheumatism, which
promised TO attend 10, and supposed arrangements
we're made that purpose At this time Lee was
SICK. When | first arrived he in bed. He was at
no time during my stay within hearing or sght oil
Gilman the latter being the wall OF tho
prison. over the the prison yard, where
saw hun as | entered and out He did not to my
knowledge leave his station during my stay
After talking about the sleeping arrangement Leo
stated to that his counsel would do nothing more
IN his case without money; that he could not raise
lite Tor publication by Mr. Bishop after his iee's)
DEATH and urged me 10 that he had the privilege
OF writing III the prison
without going into details OF the conversation Will
say that on that occasion he proposed 10 write
..siatement OF the Mountain Meadows massacre and
otner Church Crimes and submit II 10 me, 10 use
substantially his language, ITO show that he
the victim Of perjury and reachery on the part oil the
priesthood and their tools" said TO him that the
time have done that on his trial, ald reminded
hun that he had once written what he claimed be
.sIuIl confession and offered 1t Mr. Carey and Mr.
Baskn before his first trial. and that they had refused
upon 1t or receive IT. because they did not be-
told the truth. Le stated that ne did not DO
before his first trial AS he would have done II he had
supposed the Church was gong to sacrifice him and
send perJured witnesses his lilo away that be-
tore trial Brigham Young had sent word TO him By
Rachel TO sbe his covenants ana Obligations and
not hnr OF his head should be harmed" he said II
looked very much as though he was TO be sacri-
iced by the priesthood that he hardly knew on his
urst trial what TO do as the Church authorities had
employed lawyer George Z. Bat,sh VINO was opposed
tic making oil any statement, ard had told him ne
was danger, which he believed TO be true, until
the Mormon witnesses against him on his Sec
ond trial. He urged me To furnish HIM writing ma
tera aud him the privilege OF writing ana said
he would write a full and truthful statement OF the
whole matter; that he had already written the same
for Mr. Bishop IN his biography
In day again called at the Penltentary with
writing materials he was then In the guard room.
His nrst sauation was, "Mr District Attorney, there
10 question OF vcracity between Warden Grove and
yourself. You promised TO see that was allowed TO
sleep the attic but Grove says he will shut me mp
In the CELL and that you bave made arrangement to
The contrary" do not remember my reply, but y
was IN substance that mad done as ! agreed aud
would appeal directly To Marshal Nelson,
winch | did, and there was 10 further trouble
on that question. state positively that the
above was The only conversation ever had with Lee
when had occasion TO speak OF having done as |
agreed 10 do and am just as positive that dd
say 10 him, .Mr Lee, am a man OF my word, and
will take care OF you" as said Gilman IN his affidavit
alleges.
lions OF the Mormons, including the Mountain Mead
ows massacre He gave II 10 me 10 read and lost no
"
mine. No WORD has been erased, altered or .'sup-
pressed, has anything been added TO It, II Is IN
his own handwriting from date 10 signature BY II he
declares himself 10 be entirely innocent OF any an
tentional wrong In that unfortunate aiair" lie con-
lradlcts many unimpeachabie Witnesses and denies
lacts that clearly established by positive and CIR
rumslantial evidence. In fact, insioad OF being a
stateinen OF facts confession II Is denial and a
reiterationso lar as it refers to the question
Of the story he had submitted TO the prosecution
his former trial, and winch had been rejected by the
officers then in charge OF tho case
In the presence and hearing OF Marshal
Nelson plainly and distinctly informed Lee that
could not accept his statement THE truth that IL
not confession at All aud gave HIM ID detail my
objections to the document told HIM that every
man implicated In the massacre as leader, except
Brigham Young, according to his u.ee's statement
either dead had absconded that better proof
existed against them than his statement indicated
that he could furnish. That so lar as II
charged guilt upon Brigham Young was not
o step In advance Of what already knew.
That bad proof that whatever orders or directions
wcrc gwen By Brigham Young verbal ana com
municatcd through George A. Smith tsincc dcceasedJ
lee positively denied the possession oil any paper I'M
piicatiDg Brigham Young
BRIGHAM yoUNG's COMPLETELY
then believed and do now, that whatever written
communications were sent by Brigham were sent TO
persons than Lee and have long since taken
Of by Brigham Young. who. with all the other
charges brought again him. has not to my knowledge
been accused Of beng either tool or 80 Indifferent to
guilt TO remain the hands oil men over whom he has
had supreme control Tor all the time since this crime
was committed, now about twenty years
There are facts within my knowledge, not derived
from Leo, that rebut the inference that there was
written comrnu fcation between Lee and Brigham
Young, but which Will show that communication 10
have been between Young and another party, which
viii. II desired by you, recite In private communlca-
tion and which, with little time and patience on the
part OF the public will, believe, fully establish the
correctness OF my conclusions In regard 10 Lee nm
self being tho party to written communication with Or
from Young. Lee sent to do his part Of the bloody
work TO gather the nUians at the Meadows and take
command OF theml before tho council was held AZ
Cedar, with which IT Is claimed Young communicated
ii is unnecessary to enlarge upon tins part o Gilman
aldnvL II s enough TO say that when he states gas
he does 10 his ahidavitl that Lee gave me ''statc
ncnt" other than the one referred 10 by me, and I'M
ertaes give the contents OF that statement, he not
only cont radcts the written narration made by Lee and
now IN my possession. but stutncs all the known
facts MS proved on the trial
LEE SATISFIED WIN HIS TREATMENT
NJ Lee accepted our decision and acted upon IT,
n0crcd 10 return 10 him the statement ne had made.
c satd ID be OF no use TO him. AS he had already
-. had NJ Hishnp Wltb subslantnlly the same.