Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1877-03-24

of a sanguinary massacre-the most
horrible butchery of which there is
any record in the annals of Ameri-
can history, even though we go back
to the bloody deeds and horrid
story of the Indian murders in the
valley of the Wyoming. While
thus encaInped and fearing no
danger, quietly resting in this love-
ly plot, they were suddenly attack
ed from behind the adjoining hills
by, as they supposed, Indians.
At the first fire several Of the emf
grants were wounded. but the pio-
neers, however, we're used to Indi-
an warfare and well skilled in the
use of the rifle, and at the first on
slaught had no trouble in keeping
their assailants at long range.
Their wagons were quickly drawn
to circle, the wheels sunken into
the earth to the hubs. earthworks
thrown up. and hasty- bnt thor
ough defence made. Here. behind
thsir rude breastworks, for five
long days and terror-shrouded
nights, they sustained themselves
successfully against the attack, all
this times surprising that their as
sailants where Indians. Early on
the morning of the sixth day. how
ever, to their joy they discovered q
large body of white men approach
ing the beleagured camp. Improved
to be John D. Lee the commander
of the Nauvoo legion and his fol-
lowers, and in this fatal hour began
the scarlet tinged history of the
slaughter that followed Under
the guise of friendship and with a
promise of escort through the sup.
posed hostile Indian country. the
Mormon butchers lured the emf
grants from their stronghold, and
it was within a half hour and
distance OF 200 yards from their
wagons that the massacre was in
augurated. without a moments
warning, Lee and his brother fends
commenced firing into the emf.
grant ranks, and continued unit; all
save sixteen little children lay
CHASTITY dead or dying on the
plains. With the demoniac ambi
ton which inhabits the hearts OF the
devil and his imps. and not content
with butchery, the arch fiend Lee
added to his crime by ravishing q
beautiful girl of eighteen years and
then cutting her throat, left her
dishonored body to be eaten by
wolves. The train was robbed Of
$4,000 in gold, and all the stores;
the stock and wagons were driven
into Salt Lake City or scattered he
You'd Identification among the Nor
mon settlements outside, and the
stains OF the crime wiped out AS far
as could be; but the avengiug an
gels of high Heaven were on the
demon tracks Of the inhnman mon
sters, aud the rest of the story is
known to all. The investigation
and search for direct testimony had
been pursued for years and was
finally rewarded by success in the
capture. trial and condemning to
death of John d. Lee, the man who
WAS launched into an eternity Of
punishment and remorse yesterday.
How truthful, then, the old adsge.
murder will out" Twenty years
OF silenced crime and guilt, perpe-
trated on the theory that dead men
tell no tales" aud with no eyes to see
and no tongues to bear the horrors Of
that lonely mountain massacre save
those Of babies and prattling chill.
dren; and now, al the end. is Truth,
the black shadow Of the execution
ers and felon's grave--the first the
unholy work of the Mormon Church,
and the latter the slow but sure
trscings of Justice. John d. Lee
is dead, and had he Thousand lives
their ignominious ending would
but poorly atone for the crimson
historyh his hand has been chief In
carving.