Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-29
j ohm d. Lees Confession and Execu.
ton.
PIETRO.

The Mormon leader, John ID Lee,
tried and convicted of The crime Of
numbering large party of Califor-
MIA emlgrants twenty years ago, was
executed at Salt Lake last Friday.
He made full confession which is
given below aud is interesting read
ing. 1t leaves one with the con-
viction that it is altogether honest
| and truthful in statement and that
Lee is more victim OF the williams
with whom he was associated than
the leader in those awful crimes.
The following is substantially the
confession of Lee. 1t ia the only one
he made; the others are spurious.
Lee himself gave it into the hands of
u. S. District Attorney Howard, in
February, 1877:
In the month of September, 1877,
the company of emigrants known
as the Arkenaas company, had ar
rived in Parewan, Utah, on their
way to California. At Parowan
young Abep, one of the company,
saw and recognized VIM. Laney, a
Mormon resident of Parowan. Aben
and his father had rescued Laney
from an anti-Mormon mob in Ten.
nessee several years before, and saved
his life. Laney at the time he was
attacked by the mob was Mormon
missionary in Tennessee. Laney
Was glad to see his friend and bene-
factor, and invited him to his house
and gave him Some garden sauce to
take back TO camp with him. The
same evening it was reported to
Bishop Dame saat Laney had given
| POTATOES and onions TO the man
Aben. one of the emigrants. When
tho report was made to Bishop Dame
he raised bis hand, crooked his little
finger in significant way to one
Barney Carter, his brother-in-law,
and one of the CANCELS of Death. !"
Carter, without another word, walk.
ed oat, went to Laney's house vito
q loag picket in his hand, called La
nsy out and struck him a heavy
blow on the head, fracturing his skull
and leaving him for dead.
Between the 1st and 10th of Sop
ber, | was summoned by mes
senger to see President Haight at
Cedar City. The messenger said
that large band of emigrants hao
gone south. met Haight near sun
down and We spent the night in an
open house, talking. He said the
emigrants had passed through two
days before, threatening the Mormons
with destruction and one said he
helped to kill old Joe Smith and his
| brother Hyrem, and other members
of the company, and that he would
drive tbs Mormons ont. Others
threatened to hang Brigham Young,
etc, and had defied the laws con-
corning profanity; they had shown
great disresp CT to the Mormons and
their God they intended to steal
provisions unless the NJ ormons would
sell, and had actually killed two
chickens belonging to widow and
taken them off; ordering the woman
| who demonstrated to shut mp, and
threatened to blow her brains out.
We were threatened on the north
by Johnson's army ; our safety de-
| pended on imme diate action; that q
company Of Indians had already
| gone south from Parowan and Cedar
City to surprise the tmigrants, who
| were then at Mountain Meadow. He
wanted me to return home in the at
ternoon (Sunday), and send Colonel
SchuFtz, the Indian interpreter, from
his home In Harmony, to raise In-
dams in the south to join the Indians
| FROM tho north and make an attack
upon tho emigrants at the meadows.
I said: would it not be we'll to hold
a council of brethren before making
e mover" He replied that every true
latter day saint that regarded their
covenants knew we'll their duty, and
that the company of emIgrauts had
forfeited THAR lives by their acts, and
that Bishop Smith and Joel White
had gone by the way of Pintoa to
raise Indians in that direction, and
those that have gone from Parowan
and hero will make an attack and
may be repulsed. We can't delay
| for counsel.
Lee here gives the names of per-
sons who will eubstantiate this part
of the story.
In the latter part of August, 1857,
ABOUT ten DAYS before the massacre,
n company of emigrants passed thro'
Cedar City Geo A. Smith, their
frat counselor in the church, and
Brigham Young's right hand man,
came down from Salt Lake City,
preaching to the different settle
menGs. He got me to take him to
Cedar City, via Fort Clara and the
Piute settlements. They took de-
vious course, and saw many Indians.
Smith remarked that these Indians,
with the advantage they had of the
rocks, could use up large company
of en- igrants or make it very hot tor
them. After pausiDg for short
time be said TO me, Brother Lee,
what do you think the brethren
would do if company OF emigrants
should come down through here
making threats? Don't you think
they would pitch into them?" | re-
piled that they certainly would. This
seemed to please him. and be again
said, "And you really think the
brethren would pitch into them?' 81
certainly do" was nay reply, and
bad better instruct Col. Dame and
Haight to tend to it ana see that the
emigran.s are permitted to pass if
you want them to pass unmolested.
He continued: 81 asked Hsight the
same question, and he answered me
Inst IS you do, and | EJECT the boys
wouli pitch into them" | again
sa;d :. him that be had better say TO
Gov. Youps that if be wants emf
grant compansss 70 pass Tiloous
m ,lee alton he must Instruct toionel
NJ. n ainhf sfs that af-