The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-29

A Salt Lake dispatch dated FRIDAY
March 23d, says
A II a. M, precisely, Lee was brought
out upon the scene of the Massacre at
Mountain Meadows, before the executing
party, and seated on his coffin, about
twenty feet from the shooters, After the
order of the Court was read to him, he
made a speech of about five hundred
words, bitterly denouncing Brigham
Young, and calling himself the sCapegoat
for the sins of others. He hoped God
would be merciful. He denied that he
was guilty of bloodshed, to the last, and
maintained that his mission to the Mead
ows was one of mercy.
After the speech Parson Stokes, Metho--
dist, made a prayer, commenting the soul
of the condemned man to God. lmme-
diately after this handkerchief was
placed over his eyes. He raised his
hands, placing them on top of his head.
Nelson gave the word to fire, and exactly
at eleven o'clock five guns were fired, the
shots penetrating the body in the region
of the heart. Lee fell square back upon
his coffin, dead. Death was instantane-
GUS. The body was placed in the coffin,
and the crowd dispersed. -,
There we're about fifteen persons, all
told, on the ground-not child or rrela-
ton there. The best order prevailed,
and all pronounced the execution a sue"
cess. az.
Lees last words to Nelson were: Aim
at my heart" The body is now passing,
to be given to the relatives at CEDAR
City. =,
After Marshal Nelson concluded the
reading of the order of the court, at 1854
a. M, he asked Lee if he had anything to
say before the order of execution was car
ried into effect. Lee said Il wish to
speak to that man." pointing to Mr.. Fen
nimore, who was fixing his canvass near
by to take Lees photograph preceding
the shooting. Lee calling to the artist,
Fennimore replied, "In a second Mr.Lee,
and waiting till the artist asserted his
readiness to listen, Lee said, II want to
ask favor of you. l want you to furnish
my three wives each copy Of the photo
graph"-meaning the one being taken
"a copy of the same to Rachel A., Sarah
G. and Emma B." Mr.. Howard respond
ed for the artist "He says he will do it."
Mr.. Lee repeated the names over again,
carefully, saying, "Please forward them"
He then rose and said:
"I have but little to say this morning
Of course l find that am upon the brink
of eternity, and the solemnity of eternity
should rest upon my mind at the present
have made, or endeavored to do so, a
manuscript and abridged history of my
life. This will be published. Sir, l have
given my views and feelings with regard
to allthese things. l feel resigned to my
fate. | feel as calm as a summer morn
ing. Ihave done nothing wrong. My
conscience is clear before God and man.
am ready to meet my Redeemer. This
it is that places me upon this field. l am
not an infdel. | have not denied God OF
his mercy. l am a strong believer in
those things. The most l regret is part
ing with my family. Many of them are
unprotected, and will be fatherless. When
speak of those little ones they touch q
tender chord within me. Here Lees
voice faltered perceptibly.] l have done
nothing wrong in this affair. | used my
utmost endeavor to save this people
would have given worlds, were it at my
command, to have avoided that calamity,
but could not. l am sacrificed to satisfy
the feelings and l am used to crafty par
ties; but am ready to die. | have no
fear. Death has no terrors, and no par
ticle of mercy have l asked from the
court or officials to spare my life. l do
not fear death. shall never 60 to worse
place than the one | am now in. l have
said it to my family, and | will say it to-
day, that the Government of the United
States sacrifices their best friend, and
that is saying great deal but it is true.
am true believer in the Gospel of Je-
sus Christ. 1 do not believe everything
that is now practiced by Brigham Young,
l do not agree with him. l believe he is
leading the people astray but l believe
i'll the Gospel as taught in its purity by
Joseph Smith, in former days. l have
my reasons for saying this. l used to
make this mans will my pleasure, and
did so for thirty years. See how and
what have come to this day. i have
been sacrificed in cowardly, dastardly
manner. There are thousands of people
in the church-honorable, good-hearted
that I cherish in my heart. Iregret to
leave my family. They are near and
dear to me. These are things to arouse
my sympathy. 1 declare 1 did nothing
designedly wrong in this unfortunate af-
fair. did everything in my power to
save the emigrants, but am the one that
must suffer- Having said this, feel re-
signed. 1 ask the Lord, my God, to ex-
tend his mercy to me, and to receive my
spirit. Ny labors are here done."