The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-13
LATTER DAY SAINTS.
The True Inwardness of Mormon
ism Exposed.
A RELIGION OF CRUELTY AND HATE.
The Organization and Purposes
of the Danites.
MURDER GIVEN NEW NAMES.
How the Blood OF the Martyrs
Was to be Avenged.
FANATIClSM'S VICTORY OYER FEROCITY.
MURDER GIVEN NEW NAMES.
How the Blood OF the Martyrs
Was to be Avenged.
FANATIClsMs VICTORY OYER FERoCITy.
Horrible Stories Of Open and Secret
Assassination.

JOnn ~ Lee, VINO mas Decn paraueu as Inc HeaNy
Villain Of tho Mountain Meadows massacre, and who
was undoubtedly chief OF the Mormon cuthroais on
that OCCASION has been pooncd since his execution
for not having Implicated Brigham Young, his Mormon
chiei HIS published confessions have been ransacked
in vain for direct accusation OF the Prophet. Al
though the terms OF those confessions frequently sg
Nifty his resentment toward Brigham Young and even
50 so far AS to accuse HIM OF betrayng and sacrificing
his lifelong servant they laer on the verge OF DIS
nct arrangement OF The Prophet the author OF tho
massacre That there strong tor
Lees hesitation to pronounce judgment upon his chief
respecting the Mountain Meadows affair apparent to
all who understand the ties between Mormons. Lee,
condemned by the law but still having hope from the
Church. forebore, except IN secret 10 testify against
his master snpcrslilous the last he expected from
that master his release am told by the United States
Marshal who conducted him from his prison TO his
,oftn and by several OF the special marshas who
companicd him along the way that Lee constantly
rciied upon Brigham Young for rescue. Trusting
thus in the friendship OF his CHIEF he kept out
Df his written communications to his lawyer and the
United States District Attorney anything recty ac
:usatory OF the heads Of the Mormon Church. IL was
y at the last, when a hope had deserted him, that
ie pcnned some manuscripts, not yet published which
nave fallen into my hands Tho first papcr-in Lees
handwriting like the which shall quote from
deals with that period OF Mormon history which pro-
ccded the advent Of the Saints in Utah. Brigham
Young has denied the existence OF Danites Destroy
ing Angels any organization similar to them con-
ncction with the Church Of Jesus Christ OF Latter bay
Saints Let observe Lees specific testimony against
that denlal:--
LETS TESTIMONY.
Before rectpg these facts" Ice writes, "a!low
to say that have suffered imprisonment for two years,
portion OF the time fettered with CHAINS before
could get the consent OF my 10 come out
And tell what know Even then l could not have
done SO II our leaders had proven true to the sacred
trust committed 70 them and An old adagc has 1t
that what is sauce for tho goose Is sauce for tho gan
der II my superiors bctray their trust and sacr
flee my life through ialsehood then there cannot DO
much harm in my telling all know. l am fully con-
vinced now that corruption Is at the bottom Of the
Mormon religion; that it is only wicked scheme to
lu people to sleep carna security, the better to
slave them, and alter robbng them TO sacrifice and
send them lots hell, to Brigham Youngs
own expressive language. Under his direction the
Mormon people have cut asundcr every sacred chord
Of love and tie OF friendship aud humanity. He has
broken every bond by which a people can be bound
together, and now feel free to speak aud tell what
know In fact, feel IT my imperative duty 10 aid Ia
bringing 10 light the damnabc secrets and acts OF
ruption which have come 10 MY knowledge, and to
doavor to correct entacd upon the people
by spiritual w,ckedness In high places.
~ begin my narrative with year 1914. In that
year, Mt Nauvoo, a police force OF forty men was
organized to guard the city, but more especially 10
guard the Prophet and leading men in tho Church. /
belonged to that guard, and was the seventh man
chosen My nrst post was at the Prophet Joseph's
mansion; after his death assigned to guard
Brigham Young This guard to which belonged was
tn md 10 nut q a
plcous person whomsoever- Any one who dared to
threaten tho life OF Joseph Smith, Brigham Young or
any leading man OF the Church, was marked Tor
slaughter. When certain JOB was arranged to DO
done ny more of the guard the mon designated
10 do The JOB were prohibited from asking any qucs.
lions 10 its justice or legality II 1t was 10 XII a
man. ROB house, or 10 do anything else, no qncs-
tons were TO be asked why or wherefore; the only
Insurance given TO Us was that the Chief OF Ponce
would order killed unless he ought 10 be
killed. We led with maxims such as thcso:-
Tnat the LETT hand should not know what the right
hand dld We were told hat whatever We snouia DO
The blame would not rest on US since We had only 10
uucy our leaders II Anything wrong was don" our
leaders would bear the whole responsibility, and we
would be called Oh to make no atoncment whntcvcr
Now" says Lee nle,Joclin5 an Indignant oucry
IA Inc midst OF his narrative, ..sce what have
10 Nv obeying such connscll ask brigham Young
aud the leaders o his Charch to I'VE W their own doc
trIncs; IL late IN mo uay now Tor them 10 back
own guilt
"Fortunalcly,' continues Les ~ was never called
on bu While policeman, and Oh that OCCASION
broke through orders. man had been seen gong
into the house Of Widow Ilawson, Hyrum b. Claw
sons mother alter dark and leaving lust before day.
l. with another guard. was sent To watch the house,
with instructions 70 knock the man down rs he came
ont ana cas- lrate him XIII hm. This was greater
responsibility than willing 10 take without know
ny what The man had done. wanted 10 Know why
hc should receive such treatment The thought III
tpl. rot ar ru me-
nearer evening approached tue more wretchcd
became until unabic to resist my feelings which
continued TO revolt against ME eominssi"n oi such
crime. finally went TO the Prophet Joseph aud
uy the matter before him. he was absent, but his
brother lytum saw that soncthig was Nions ahu IN
iuccd me 70 explain. He tuu me was rght ~ re-
ssling The order had received SAID that he mnn VINO
Visited that house had right 10 70 there because Ms.
dawson his celestial wc, ordained by the lrIesl-
hood, and therefore more truly wife than any woman
married by the Law Of the land. TINS was my hrst
essen as d Destroying Angel, and ncrc 'or the ifst
lime, was taught the meaning OF poygamy. This,
loo tac only occasion IN my me- except Tue Noun
tain Meadows massacre wherein the destroying 81 NE
occasioned There were pcnt. vi wiiiing aahcr-
snts TO 40 such dlrty jobs without me- an, not
man oil blood. and never was ! met with the pUco
Dncc day and heard the report OF that days dongs-
whether any one had been killed. AMI how or Ny
whom aud anything else that had hnppencd Az these
daily meetings the business OF I'll. nght and the FOL.
loving day was arranged, aud this business was Kept
secret unaer OATH
wArcHrrL or STRANGERS.
"A duty assigned 10 tho police was TO watch oil
atraugcts tina. came into the city ana whttle every
suspicious person out oil town. This whiting pro-
cess was peculiar. Some ten or fifteen Mormons would
90, nro,ind the man they wanted TO drive away, each
With keen ground butcher knife and piece oi SOFT
good IN his hands They would crowd close up 10 HIM
ind commence whiting, all cutting toward nIm but
90 one apparently paying the least attention 10 tho
urungpr surrounded and threatened thus tho poor
man was compelled TO retreat from The town. On his
retreat he was surrounded by whttlers whiting,
whitlliny some Of them making skitish hinges TOW
ard his breast and arms II hc TOOK his cscod quietly
very we'll II he was foolish enough 10 resist or
,nr.atc lie was very likely to be put out OF The way
lumnn llc, = says Lee, Twas Of little value IN those
times almost vaueless AS II was ia later times ~
Iinh FOR example, two men were arrested In 1913
md takci "a tho Nnuvoo Masonic Han dont Know
wat tncir offence WAS | only know that they were
1eut there tn h ight and that they were doomed.
mole was dug Tor OF them IN patch OF corn near
by The corr dug up and set on one SIDE. Tue
man was taken out apd lreachrrousy deceived. 10
us ured 10 the cdgc OF this hole aud told 10 rench
DOWN iuto u and hand up jug o. Whisky 'or inc
c,owd AS be bent over to 10 this he was suuck on
,he buck II tile head with rolice club and dropped
il!o his grave. small cord was tightened arounu ms