Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-02-07


CRIME AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
l From the New York Herald, January 2j.l
In the spring of 1856 Elder Perley
p. Pratt, Of the Mormon community,
seduced from her home the wife of Mr..
ii. II. Mclean, a merchant, of San
Francisco, TO make her his seventh
wife. On her flight the deserted hus.
band sent his two children, very in
teresting boy and girl, to bis iather-in
law in New Orleans. Some time after
ward the mother left Salt Lake, got
the children and started back TO Utah
with them On discovering this the
doubly injured father started in pursuit.
He came TO New York, heard OF Pratt
here and tracked him from this point
TO ST. Louis There he lost him. Then
he left for New Orleans, where he
heard his wife and children were then
going through Texas to Salt Lake, so
off he went to Texas. In his search
for the missing ones he had learned
that his wife had assumed the name
Of Mrs p p Parker, and while travel
ling through Texas he contrived to in
tercept some letters which he found
bearing this superscription, On break,
ing the seal he saw they were written
in cipher He succeeded in finding
the key TO the cipher, however, and
discovered that the letters were from
Pratt and contained request that the
caravan with which Mrs. Mclean and
her children were travelling should 60
to the neighborhood of Fort Gibson, in
the Cherokee Nation. Confused and
dispiritcd, Mr.. Mclean returned to
New Orleans whence he started for
Fort Gibson, assuming the name Of
johnson. He made known his secret
to the officers OF the fort only. Here
his vigiant and energetic pursuit of
the iugitives was soon rewarded. He
captured not only his wife and children,
but the scoundrel who IN the name of
religion had enticed them from their
home. The United States Marshal
took them before Commissioner John
b. Ogden for trial The case awoke
intense excitement at the time, and
the populaee clamorcd for vengeance
ON the wretch who had deliberately
plotted and planned the ruin of pros
porous and happy family. The cipher
letters were produced in Court, and
Mr. Mclean told such a pathetic story
of bis wrongs that Pratt only escaped
ynehing by being concealed in the
Jail. Even the complainant himself be
came so enlaged at one time during
the trial that in the very Court TO
which he had come for Justice he
clutched bis pistol to shoot Pratt then
and there. And no wonder, for he was
told that the law was powerless to
punish Pratt. Early the next morn
ing the Mormon elder was dismissed
and left the place secretly, but Mclean
watched and pursued him, overlook
him on his road and killed him in his
tracks.
With his children Mclean returned
TO New Orleans, and the wifo having
meanwhile become a raving maniac
was sent TO an insane asylum,
MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME.
1t was this event, combined with the
apprehcnded appointment of new ter
ntorial officers by the Government,
that led 10 the horrible massacre of
cmigrants at Mountain Meadow soon
aiier--slight motives for such terri.
bic crime. Piece by piece came to
light the fearful truth concerning that
monstrous slaughter for participation
IN which John ID. Lee was sentenced
last October to suffer the extreme pen
atty of the law. Enriched by the
earlier discoveries in the gold mines OF
California party of Arkansas miners
returned TO their homes with light
hearts and full pockets to take back to
the land of gold their household goods,
wives, children and friends. The story
of their success intlamed the hearts of
all their neighbors, and very soon
large party got ready and set out, lib
orally provided for the trip across the
Continent. The emigrant train must
have numbered about 40 souls in all,
and in property and money, horses,
furniture and camp equipments was
rich beyond all comparison with the
cmigrant trains then moving westward.
The men were well-armed for defence
against roaming bands OF Indians, and
all cherished high hopes of safe and
comfortable journey and a prosperous
future in their intended new home in
the gold fields. Before they had pro
ceedcd very far into the Territory of
Utah the Mormons became informed
OF their approach, and deeming this an
excellent opportunity for revenge and
lplunder, called council, at which it
was determined to order out the Nor
mon militia, "to follow and attack the
accurscd Gentiles, and let the arrows
Of the Almighty drink their blood"
Meantime the Mormons assured their
unsuspccting victims by pretended
friendly advice. They told them it
was too late TO cross the Sierra Nevada
Mountains by the old cmigrant route.
This was in the spring Of 1857, and
the emigrants were told their better
way would be to 20 through Southern
Utah and Nevada to Los Angeles.
They proceeded as advised and passed
unmolested for some days through the
settlements of tho Latter Day Saints.
About the fourth day after passing
through Cedar City the cmigrant band
campcd in little valley well grassed
and watercd and sheltered by bills on
either side. II was beautiful spot
fora camp, and they admired its natural
advantages, looking upon that as an
earthly paradise which was soon to he
to them field of frigbtful slaughter.
While in camp Of this point their first
iniimation of danger came in the form
OF what they believed to be an Indian
surprise at the rear. The attack was
sudden, but was met with the prompt
ness that characterized the frontiers
men Of that time With great rapid
ty they parked their wagons in lines
Of breastworks, behind which were
gathered their women and children.
They dug trenches and arranged mat
tiers so that water and some fuel could
hc procured without leaving the shel.
ter thus provided. Then, with their
old long rifles, they kept at bay the
attacking party without loss beyond
that sustained In the capture Of their
animals, which were run off at the first
fire.
A PRoTRAcrED SIEGE.
For five days the assault was kept
up and the defence sustained without
any definite result being arrived at
All this time the appearances indicated