Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-11-06
BRIGHAM's DE,TROYING ANGELS
Two Of tn cir Grimes, as Rscited by
One of The MuEderOus Band.

A special dispatch from Detroit
to the Cincinnati Enquirer says:
"What ! have told you must not
find its way into printl" These
words were addressed to your cor
respondent in December, 1871, at
Omaha. The man who spoke them
was George p. Case, for several
years a resident of Bay county,
Michigan. l found him in Omaha,
at the date mentioned, sick, penni,
less and seemingly about to die,
and it was only when he had be-
come convalescent, and was about
ready 10 start for Mexico, that he
gave me the information used be-
low.
George P. Case was no more nor
less than one of Brigham Young's
paid assassins or avenging angels.
His acquaintance with Young was
brought about rather curiously.
He was at Salt Lake City, on his
way to California. This was in the
spring of 1866, and the Gentle
population of Utah was fast in
creasing. Being on the street at a
late hour one night, the prophet
was recognized by three or four
boisterous chaps, and they were
ready to give him rough handling,
but Case came up and took the old
mans part and beat them off. He
was asked to call on Young next
day, and before the interview closed
Case had hired to the prophet as a
detective. 1t was not long before
he discovered that his associates
were asSassins, and that asSassina.
tion would become part of his
duties.
Case was rough and reckless, but
he was neither a robber nor a muir
derer. When he found himself
pointed out on the streets as an
ayenging angel, he sought an inter
view with Young, and stated his
desire to resign his position.
at would be safer for you to
continue on" was the prophets re-
ply.
"But I don't want to-" Case pro-
tested; 81 want to go on to Califor-
MIA"
"Men who leave our service after
being entrusted with our secrets do
not always get along finely" Young
continued,
lie spoke very pleasantly, and he
seemed very friendly, but there was
something in his look and tone that
gave Case a feeling of uneasiness.
He was given a day or two to re-
fleet, and he finally decided to re.
main.
Case said that after once a Gen
tile had been given over to the
avenging angels he was a dead
man. They might put him out of
the way at once, or might delay a
month, according to circumstances,
but the shadow Of death walked by.
the victims side from the moment
his name was handed to the "an-
gels" In some cases the victim
was imprisoned for time, in or
der to extort information, or for
reasons best known to the church.
When once the dungeon doors had
shut behind him, no man came
out alive. In some cases the dead
body would be left on the street,
ard it would be made to appear
that the man had been waylaid. In
other instances it was carried out
on some highway, or flung into the
lake, Many of the Gentiles, and
more particularly those OF wealth
and standing, had nothing to say
against the church, bat in many
cases gave it more or less support.
Such people had no cause for fear.
Other Geptiles were fierce in their
dennpciations, and sometimes pro-
yoked quarrels; bRt unless they
needed the contents Of warning
letter their tongues were soon ST.
fenced.
One day in 1867 William Foster
Buckley, Of Birmingham, England,
arrived in Salt Lake in quest Of his