The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-23
LEE TO BE SHOT TODAY.
fffE HISTORY or THE CRIME or the
MOUNTAIN 1E.IDOIyS CHIIR

Sentence OF Lee How he Keeps his Pledge.
SALT LAKE. March 22-John u. Lee IL To
mr'r death by shooting tomorrow for his share
In tho massacre Of l2D men. women. and chill
ircn in the Mountain Meadows, Utah Territory.
aAlrly twenty years Nro. Tho massacre took
place at atimo when Federal troops wcrc I'd
ganring upon the Mormon, To Iut down tho
spirit Of rcbcllion that had unaffected itself
Among that people.
The iatsl cml,rants were on the plains u littlo
IN advance OF the troops. aud by the time they
r,acied Salt Lake there WAS nothing seen or
hoard Of among tn Morm'ns but preparations
Tor war with the Unito1 States. Treated every
whore W "a sulicn hostility. soma Of the team
,t,rs acc said to have given violent expression
" their feelings. and even boasted that they had
bO,n pr sent at the assass nation Of the prophet.
Joseph Smith. The Mormons also accused
u. of swapping OF the heads OF chickens
shooting ut a cow and threatening the woman
who owned IT, story was also told Of the emf
grants having male missions into tho carcass
OF u dead OK and filed il with arsenic that
Indians who afterwnrd partoOk OF the Il ali
died. Another story was thai the cmigrants had
poisoned ~ spring Ivy tho waysdc. but tho
volume OF wnt'r gurgling out of the ground was
very large and would have required about bar
rUl OF arsenic to affect IL,
After aomc weeks OF slow travcl-for the cattlo
we're footsOre and badly fcd-the cmigrants
reached the Mountain Meadows whore there
was excellent grazing and there they resolved
~ stop. Their position was indeed pitiahle.
even had mother Indian nor Mormon mocsted
them. They had but forty days ratiOn5 for "A
journey OF at least sixty days.
On the first Monday morning after their ar
rival in the Meadows the cmigrants concluded
To- renew their progress toward the Pacific. and
before sunrise they were astir. busy with their
Preparations for an early breakfast. suddenly
guns were heard. and seven mon standing round
The camp fires fell. pierced with rifle balls. Tho
emigrants hastened 10 defend themselves. They
hurrlodly ranged their wagons in IA circle and
throw up an intrenchmcut against the in
side wheels. They knew not who tn cir
assailants were. but they soon discov-
cred that they. were attacked by vlglant
ioos. who would not expose Themselves In the
n'ht During four days and nights the emf
cns'iy from the want OF water. There was "A
spring near the camp, but not "a soul from the
%heut fansp p yctm 70 Il h. n dSad Tr
mother maddcncd by the suffcrngs " her
Tnlsem r Y,n IRON ner p%Ge ol rG'9gs to
al the animal = feet. After three days of suffer.
ing from anxiety and thirst. the besleged
thought Il possible that the appearance OF chill
Oh. "a at the spring might touch the heart Of the
attack ,s. ng party Two little grls wire dressed
wounded IN each others arms.
Tho hearts OF tho cmigrants were at length
chrcrcd hy the sight of a wagon approaching
ihcm from the direction Of the Mormon seiilc-
~ nts. The upanis Of the wagon were white
~ Il, anu ono pi them h"ll alot "a Mhite nag.
miii,ia-john i. LOO. "''' = "''''' VI ''o''i'o''
A YOUNG grl wac hastily dressed in white and
p nt Out from the circle OF Tn wagons 10 be-
t,rn to the perso ns approaching that tho cmi-
rrluis rerogniz'd their emblem NJ pencc and
t,-le th,m thousand times welcome. Lee pro-
fns- 1t the gr attest interest and friendship, and
offered his services IN pacliying the Indians
whom he represented az the attacking party
Alter this conversation Ice and his associatcs
g. IN order. as ~ represent Il. To- visit the In
dmns. and alter few hours absence lac re-
iihed wan tlc proposition thht II inc en-.
Ei nis would lay down their arms he would
- ort them safely to the Mormon settlements
~" cmigrants accepted the terms and surren-
urf'd the + arms
The sick. the wounded. the aged. the women
AMI children were placed in wagons provided
Tor uher transportation 10 the setiements. and
lee hurried them ont ui the corral; IN" men
on foot were some little distun - behind. cs
cort vi by the Mormon militia and before they
had gone half a mile from their wagons, the or
q O. TO hat Mas given nj The mead OF the column
~ was tlr prseOn ferted signal for the attack.
The indians. Who had taken up their position
among tn undsrhrush and trees 10y the road.
Inc hel ~ ~ IN the wagons The Mormon militia
.1lt walked side by side with the men IN foot
u. % dfl ir ril's upon them and shot them
u wa. IL WIS the work of hut a few minutes.
ont oY.r l2u men, women. ana rhllirfn iNll VIZ
i.ls. The order had boon given 70 spare the
rh.ilr "a. hut in the cont uslon and excitement
rad oi tn"m were killed. Dat ot the Who'll"
nun~f lIshildrgn, SUPPOSED 10 be too young 10
r'mrmlrr the incidents OF the massacre. Were
permitted 10 live; but among these there were
two lttl' ones who aftrward gave evidence ot
li.y w,r, sent TO their graves Ivy I,.r.
Tm horm9ns, r.tqrned 70 Their mos alen
wer'irom Arkansas and ssouri. The former
y mad" up Of probably the rshc-t company
ca ' ae 6o blood d. stock the best Of NV wagons
anI numbero Of light ridinng carriases, They
They had GOLD in col
in low' Try, and in valuable wat hes. The
women hal taken with them their silks satlns.
Nrh tiom their suits u Lroadrloth nni-os
.niigrants did ~ that tne-brought outfits To
laat thou. for years ia a new country.
me hoimpns w're cNe.ed,nsiy poor. They
had no intnr curse with the stranger, and no
market tor their labor hut among themselves
anu tnr.r ohiy commerce and exchange was
labor ior lnh9r or barter. They hal mo money
tho women wore silks, the men wore zoo,
clothes ana th,y could drive 70 th9ir SUNDAY
some OF the cattle aud some Of the firearms. bu
Leo and his assoc mites sozod the bulk
for nlt.en yrars THIS crlme was CHARGED to th'
Of H. But a few years ago Brigham Young de
t-r'nin"d {" get rld OF the stain ly sarrlllcinl
lhr men who had been leaders IN the nnssacr"
r." and lIaight were cut of from the Mormon
iuurh and when llnight asked 10 be heard
Brigham decl Jared tllt be would not listen Ia u
murderer L-r. Hnight. Iligbe. and others fe,
Z. the mountuns 10 hide themselves from the
u. :. Marshal. But one DAY Lee thouglttha he
tonli return IN disguise from his og cabin ll
IN Ilolso. thu Colorado river uear the moutl
of the Ptroah ctnof io visit one ui his wiv,.
iu southern Utah Tn Marshal had aids al
Utnr tine country. aud one uurning over tWt
y'Hr- ago. Ice was surrounded 10y armed men
Llhrn prisoner. and brought 10 the Unite,
states military fort near Beaver CTS. where h'
has boon tWiro tried, and on Wrdu sduy las
was thrr" sent n"Dd g. he shot On the 23d Of Tie
resent month.
Prior 10 ms conviction. he never told Twins
soul ING truth icsal linz The crime. Even IN
counsel MHr DECEIVED. He admits this. II
had 81 IA lath in Hrigh an and tho Church tlH
ia" Nnriiti guilty came INK" a Thunder bolt
H. meyer moved 90 nus'l', but - ting erect Hn'
lumOyahlc. eyed the lurymen Xix" Il hawk
When judge Burrlnnn first pronounrH
sentence, I.t.~ la''h 'trHycd uN sign If emotion
Attne con usion, when the Juds' gave Lee IN
choice. Ia be- shot bchcad.d, OF hanged. the ole
man arose Slowly, and standing erect Us Il -,,l
dior. answered IN clear ilrn voice, l wou'
rather hr SHOT.
Zee - "a years old has square. sturd
( rm firm, sol'lior-llkr Textures; keen cy
aud "a grunl. Eooi-naturcd smile. Age ha
tr.ut rdudl, oVIr him sin his arrest al Pan
"a ~n. yet h' lpoh- hale Hnl vigorous bearn
MS - yrnr- with un ere cnrriagr. n sprghtlS
tlI-ilo walk, aul ID firm, military bearing.
tn" .. Iafn i0 nN' W0li the name II pcnl
lcniiuri. III 'uli9 Its ol tuur plain adobe WALL
rn losing pa lul, yard int b. COO feet lon
hy 49, lort VIDE. la th' ocuft. I- a small two
TItUpI. ono. story irtifnp house flI.lt serves (