The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-18
How She Revolted from POlygamy and
Was Cursed by Her Husband.
ORSON PRATT'S HAREM.
The Reign OF Terror WILDLY
Described.
PROTESTS FROM THE MORMON PRESS
The Mysterious Disappearance OF
Judge Wapdeli.


SALT LAKE CRY, May 10, 1877.
/ shall in these letters cite the testimony Of more
than ono woman who is who has ceased to be Nor.
uion Il time 10 give you The pathetic narrative Of
Mrs orson rrall first ami lawful wife OF the ablcst
mos, eloquent most ianatical and unfortunate OF the
twelve apostles OF the Mormon Church, who IS best
Known i'll the East the champion who overthrow
BrotLcr Newman, Of Washington, u an argument on
poiygamy At the Tabernacle here several years ago.
Mrs Pratt was married 0rson Pratt at the age OF
pinetccu as other connding girls are married every
day to husbands who promise to ovo them only until
death Hardly year mad passed when she was
ru,cy awakened from prolonged and Elusive honey
moon Her husband heard the teachings vi tho
prophet oseph smith and was infatuated by them
His coquencc and her affection induced her to aban-
don her family and her early friends and join him in
long and miserable pilgrimage OF the Mormon out
casts which ended in The valley OF salt Lake
rnE PROPHET BEARDEp.
Mrs Pratt's experience IN Nanvoo and aiterward In
Utah not only taught her TO study he characters and
motives of the leading Mormons with whom she was
continually associated gave ner knowledge Of their
lets IL 50 happened that shc had known Brigham
Young when he vulgar iiliteraic boy, and this
,act involving bad original impression of him, led
Der ai,orward his right tho mantle OF tho
Prophet Joseph address him when at the height
extremely dstasteul hnn 'tMr Pratt" she says,
soften used to say nc, i wish could iaM to Brig
ham Young freely you do, but somehow never
darc do IT, !"
Ihc ady's recollection OF the state OF Mormon
eciy III Utah IN tho years Just preceding the Mountain
Meadows massacre, and Of the whose names have
figured the traditions atrociiy iron Brigham
Young, Governor, down ludan Farmer John d.
Leo, il vivid. she knew immediately, her husband
DID, all the apostles. spiritual hcads bishops
scllors officers the Nauvoo Legion that time
Dame Haight. Hisocc, Stewart and others in Southern
Utah among her acquaiu ,anoes, also cunning
missile ary George A. smith, At her home lie other
evening, where obtained IRON her lips u thorough
and fearless statement OF events within knowledge
since her pilgrimage here she gave me these facts and
Impressions
TERROR.
whether the Mountain Meadows massacre was or
dercd by Brigham Young no,--and l haven't a
doubt Tint 1t vast tho natural result OF Brig
ham Ioung's teachings. The ccrcmonials and oaihs
of tho Endowment House. the commands given by
Brigham Young and the twelve apostles from the
pulpit. and the counsel Transmitted to the people
through bishops, counselors teacheis all uraed
The doctrine of blood atonement Murder had be-
common; the smell or blood IN the very air.
Scores OF dead men u1d few. dead women Law
unburied the benches at the feet OF the noun.
around Salt Lake Citylay there, say US food
for the and objects OF interest TO the hawks
that circict over their gradually deuuded and when-
ing bones. There wcrc few inquiries and satisfactory
explanations in regard these corpses IL is nor
rble but IL is true, that men in that time missed
their and wives their Husbands forever without
daring to seek their remains even TO make an in.
curry about them. There time when the disap-
pcaranos Of prominent citizens here was only mem
~, hp flai. frtnu fu tcl4t "A
woman being discovered by her teacher in tears over
the news that her husband had been murdered, was
found In bed next morning with her throat cut. such
was, tien the lear OF brigham Young and his chief
counselors, SUCH indeed the ianatical Surrender
OF Mormons to The doctrine that whatever he ordered
was dirccacd IRON Gu high that few among those
who suffered most drcaduly from carrying out OF
The dogma of blood atonement bad the tcmcrty to
question dcnounce Il IS impossible 10 cxae-
gcrate give you III my POOR anguagc an
idea OF the Of oppression, the Dread shrink.
ius from unriendly look the face of acquaint-
by dry and the anxiety every unusual sound at
night Of those among who.were earnest IN tho
faith or who were suspected OF not being So
MRS raATrs MORAL nEsoIsM
AT that time. remember, had ceased to DO Nor.
was cndcavoring TO my children so that
they shculd never csponsc he.Mormon faith and al
the time, TO conceal from my neighbors iud from
tho Church authorities the fact that was thus rear
ing them. Fortunately my husband almost con
Btant!y absent foreign missions; but imagine II you
the difficulty, the strain ufon my nervous system
Of tho task resolved TO accomplish bad not only
10 prevent my children from becoming Mormons
had II that they should not become
hHbucd with such early prejudice az would
Cause them 10 bctray the ncignbors my teachings
and intentions Many night, when my children
alp ..rI,,.u y..t
be companions to INC, have closed this very room
where sitting locked the door pulled down tho
window curtains, put all but one c4ad e on tho
table, gathered my boys close around my chair and
talked TO them IN whispers Tor that what said
would be overheard lhis was no ldlc appreh cnson.
Spies, then, we're on the track OF every suspected
household. There were nights when from two 10 four
used TO GATH around TINS dwelling leaning with
their against the pancs some word witch
might warrant them n.enlcrlng and crasing all our
hycs.
A MALIGNANT ExcLrsIvENEss.
ssThc state OF things IN Southern uiah- continued
Mrs.. Pratt .'was even worse. brigham Young and
.hc other leaders, wero rom tho irs opposed to Utah
Beng place 81 transit iof travellers aud cmisrants
between the Eastern states apd Cailornn. They
wanted to ISOLATE tho Mormon people, aud especially
they ala not wish the ignorant English, Danish ana
other foreign Mormons In tho South TO become ac.
quainted with strangers ana thus learn much OF
tho outside world. They, Therefore, inculcatcd ia
the southern settlements malignant dstrust
81 Gcnu'es, most OF whom TO be
gIded iherc as the very people upon wnon
ar Mornons who had taken tho 'cndo wment
oaihs' had bound themselves revenge the death OF
The prophets Consequently asAassinations OF out
sdcrs who took the southern to tho Pacific be-
came moro frequent than The putting away Of
Mormon aposlacs. There is not old Mormon rest
aent Of Beaver or Psrowan Cedar CITY who doesn't
rrcoilect and could not tell y he would, OF murders in
aud those places which educated perpetrators
q. tho Mountain Meadows butchcry in throct cutting
ard Injured every ono Of them TO the sight oil blood
shc pretended horror Of Mormohs affair, aud
particupriy Brigham Young's statement that when
Leo came To salt Lake City he told him ho