Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-04-05
MOUNTAIN MEADOWS.

MOUNTAIN MEADOWS.
Execution and Confession of the
Mormon John ID. Lee--Havin2 Been
Convicted of Participation In the
Mountain Meadows Massacre, he
is Shot to Death.
SALT LAKE, q. T., March %.
Lee was brought out upon the scene of
the massacre at Mountain Meadows, be-
fore the executing party, and seated on
his coffin, about twenty feet from the
shooters. Being asked if he had anything
to say, Lee arose and said, among other
things:
have done nothing designedly wrong in this
affair. used my utmost endeavors to save those
people. / would have given worlds, were 1t at
my command, to have avoided that calamity, but
could not lam sacrificed to satisfy feelings,
and am used to crafty parties, but am ready to
die have no fear of death It has no terrors,
and no particle of mercy have 1 asked from the
Court, nor have asked the officials to spare my
life. do not fear death. / shall never go to a
worse place than the one am now in.
do not believe everything that Is prac-
ticed and taught by Brigham Young. l do not
agree with him. ! believe he is leading people
astray but believe in the Gospel as taught IL
its purity by Joseph Smith in former days. 1
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, das-
tardly manner. There are thousands of people
in the Church honorable, good-hearted, that
cherish in my heart
I declare did nothing designedly wrong In
this unfortunate affair. 1 did everything in my
power to save all the emigrants, but am the one
that must suffer. Having said this l feel re-
signed. / ask the Lord my God &c extend His
mercy to me, and receive my spirit My labors
are done here.
After the speech, Parson Stokes (Metho-
dist made prayer, commencing the soul
Of the condemned man to God.
Immediately after this handkerchief
was placed over Lees eyes. He raised
his hands, placed them on top of his
head, sitting firm.
Nelson gave the word to fire, and exact
ly at eleven O'Clock five guns were fired,
heart, and Lee fell squarely back upon his
coffin, dead. His death was instantaneous.
There were about seventy-tive persons,
all told, on the ground, but not child or
relative of his was there. The best OF
order prevailed.
THE CONFESSION.
The following is the correct copy of the
confession of John D. Lee, carefully COM
pared with the original, penned by Lee
since his second trial and since his sen
tence to death. 1t was written by him
without aid or advice:
STATEMENT OF JOHN D. LEE OF FACTS CONNECTED
WITH THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE.
In the month of September, 1857, the COM
pany of emigrants known as the Arkansas
Company" arrived in Parowan, Iron County,
Utah. on their way to California. At Parowan,
Young Alden, one of the company, saw and rec
r1a1r
of Parowan. Alden and his father had rescued
Laney from an anti-Mormon mob in Tennessee,
several years before, and saved his life. be
Naney), at the time he was attacked by the
mob Mormon missionary in Tennessee
Laney glad to see his friend and benefactor,
and invited him to his house, and gave him
some garden sauce to take back to the camp
with him. The same evening it was reported to
Bishop (Col.) Dame that Laney had given po-
tatoes and onions to the man Alden, one of the
emigrants. When the report was made to Bishop
Dame, he raised his hand and crooked his
little finger in significant manner to
Barney Carter, his brother in law
and one of the Angels of Death
Carter, without another word walked
out, went to Laney's house with long picket in
his hand, called Laney out, and struck him
heavy blow on the head, fracturing his skull
and left him on the ground for dead. c. Y.
Webb and Isaac Newman, President of the High
Council, both told me they saw Danes maneu-
vers. James McGuffee, then resident of Parowan
but through oppression has been forced to leave
there, and is now merchant in Pahranagat
Valley, near Phoebe, New. knows these facts.
About the last of August, 1857, some ten days
before the Mountain Meadows massacre a COM
pany of emigrants passed through Cedar City.
George A. Smith. then First Counselor in the
Church, and Brigham Youngs right hand man,
came down from Salt Lake City, preaching to
different settlements. l at that time was in
Washington County, near where St. George now
stands He sent for me. | went to him, and he
asked me to take him to Cedar City by way of
Fort Clara and Pinto settlements as he was on
business and must visit all the settlements. We
started. On our way up through the canon we
saw herds of Indians, and he Geo. A. Smithl
remarked to me that these Indians, with the adj
vantage they had of rocks, could use up large
company of emigrants, or make it very hot for
them.
After pausing for short time he said to me,
Brother Lee. what do you think the brethren
would do 1T a company of emlgrants should
come down through here making threats7 Don't
you think they would pitch into them!" l re-
piled that they certainly would. This seemed
to please him, and he again said to me, And
you really think the brethren would pitch into
them?" Il certainly do" was my reply, land
you had better instruct Col. Dame and Haight
TO tend to 1t that emgrants are permitted to pass
if you want them to pass unmolested." He con-
tnued: Il asked Isaac (meaning Haight) the
same question, and he answered me just as you
do, and l expect the boys would pitch into
them" / again said to hum he had better say to
Gov Young that if he wants the emigrant COM
panles to pass without molestation he must in
struct Col Dame or Maj. Haight to that effect,
for If they not ordered otherwise they will
use them up by the help of the Indians. He
told the people at Clara not to sell their grain to
emigrants, nor to feed it to their animals, as
they might expect a big fight next spring with
fhoT Tod G4o%n -,
tend to let the troops into the Territory. He
said: "We are going to stand up for our rights,
and Will no longer be imposed upon by our enc
mics, and want every man to be on hand with
his gun in good order and his powder dry" and
instructed the people to part with nothing that
would sustain life.
From the LIST to the 10th of September, 1857, a
messenger came to me. His name was Sam
Wood. He told me that President Isaac G..
Haight wanted me TO go to Cedar City that even
ing without fail. This was Saturday. He told
me that q large company of emlgrants had gone
forth. then lived at Harmony, twenty miles
south of Cedar City. / obeyed the summons.
President Haight met me. twas near shutdown.
We spent the night in open house on some
blankets, where we talked most all night. He
told me that company of emigrants had passed
through some two days before, threatening the
Mormons with destruction, and that one of them
had said he had helped to kill old Joe Smith and
his brother Hiram; that other members of the
company of emigrants had helped drive the Nor.
mons out of Missouri. The others said they had
come to help Johnston's army clean the Mormons
out of Utah; that they had the halters ready to
hang old Brigham and Heber and would have
them strung up before thesno blew; that one OF
the emigrants called one of his oxen "a pair OF
stags) Brig and the other "Heber," and that
several of the emigrants had used all kinds of
threats and profanity. John Nj. Higbee, City
Marshal, had Informed them that it was a breach