The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-03-27
exPIATioN.
The Story Of the Mountain Mead
ow Massacre Of Twenty
Years Ago,
How the Latter Day Saints" Out
did their Savage Allies In the
hellish Work.
Men, women and Children Deceived,
Ewsaared and Slaughtered.

SALT LAKE, March 23.-At ten a. m
precisely, Lee was brought out upon tn
scene OF the massacre at Mountain Mead
ow before the executing party. AID seated
on his coffin, about twenty feet from tn
shooters. The odrered OF the court wa
read to him and the company present By
Marshal Nelson. After Marshal Nelson
concluded reading the order of the courI
at 1885 a m. he asked Lee if he had any
thing to say before the execution was
carried into effect.
LEE SAID,
l wish to speak to that man, (pointing
10 Mr.. Fennemore, who was liking ms
canvas near by to take Lees photograph
prece ding the shooting.) Lee calling TO
the artist, Fennemore :replied in sec
ond to Mr. Lee, and waiting till the art
ist a.tested his readiness to listen, Lee
said, ~ want to ask OF you favor. |
want you to furnish my three wives each
q copy of the photograph tmeaning the
one being taken), a copy OF the same 10
Rachel A., Sarah c. and Emma B."
Mr.. Howard responded for the artist.
He he will do 1t, Mr.. Lee"
Lee repeated the names over again
carefully, saying, "Please forward
them" He then arose and said: II
have but little to say this morning; Of
course, feel that ana upon the brink OF
eternity, and the solemnity OF eternity
should rest upon my mind at the present.
have made out, or endeavored TO do
so. manuscript and an abridged history
Of nv life. This will be published. 1
have given nv views and feelings with
regard to all these things. | feel resigned
to my fate. feel as calm as summer
morning. have done nothing wrong.
NJ CONSCIENCE Is CLEAR
Before God and man. l am ready to
meet my Redeemer. This it is that places
have not denied God or his mercy. j am
a strong believer in those things. Most
regret Is that Of parting with my fam.
lily. Many OF them are unpro
tected and left faiherles.. When l speal
CT those little ones they touch tende
chord within me. Here Lees voice tai
tered perceptfbiyl. have done noIhin.
wrong in this AFFAIR. / used Dry utmos
endezvors to save these people. lwoul'
have given worlds, were they al u.
command, TO have avoided that calamity
but could not. 1 au sacrificed TO sat
isfy feelings, and am used 10 crafty
parties but am ready 10 die. | have
10 fear OF death i. has no terrors, anC
no particle OF mercy have | asked irou
the court or officials to spare my life.
do not tear death. l shall never 60 10
worse place than the one l Sm how in
have said il TO my family, and 1 viii
say IL to-day. that the government OF Ia
United States sacrifices their best friend
and that 10 saying . great deal. but il
true. i am true believer IN the gospe
OF Jesus Christ do not believe every
thing that is now preached and laugh
by Brigham Young. / 90 not agree Will
him. / believe he is leading the people
astray, but / believe in the gospel a
taught in its purity by Joseph Smith il
former days. lhave nv reasons for say
ing this. fused TO make this mans viii
my pleasure. and did so for thirty years
See now what have come to. This day
4 have been sacrificed in cowardly das
tardly manner. Thousands OF people an
iu the Church, honorable, good hearted
that | cherish in my heart. regret Il
leave my family. they are near and deal
10 me, and these things arouse my sym
patty. l declare done did nothing de
signedly wrong in this unfortunate al
fair. ] did everything In my power I,
save all the emigrants. but am the on
that must suffer. Having said this,
feel resigned. l ask the Lord, my God
to extend his mercy to me, and to re
ceiye my spirit. My labors here ar
done.
After the speech Parson Stokes,
Methodist, made a prayer, commendin
the soul OF the condemned man to Gol
Immediately after this handkerchis
was placed over Lees eyes ; he raised hi
hands and placed them on top OF hi
head. sitting firm.
Nelson gave the word to fire. and el
actly at ii o'clock FIVE guns were fired
the balls penetrating the body in the II
gion OF the heart. Lee fell square bac
upon his coffin, dead. His death We
instantaneous. The body was placed i
the coffin and the crowd dispersed. Thel
were about rs persons, all told, On tn
ground. Not child or relative OF tn
doomed man was there. The best ordt
prevailed and all pronounced the exec,
ton a success.
Lees last words to Nelson were, sail
at my heart" The body is now passl n
TO be given to relatives at Cedar City.
Lees COnfession.
SALT LAKE CITY, March 23.-The fo
lowing is q correc. copy Of the confessio
Of John ID. Lee, carefully compared wit
the original penned by Lee since his Sc,
ond tnal and since his sentence OF dealt
IL was written by him without aid Q
advice, and ID now given without alt
rauon or erasare. Where any il
ierpolation is made it 10 distInetI
marked.
The document was received und
close seal from United States Distri
Attorney Howard, who had received
from John ID. Lee himself, then in Il
penitentiary at Salt Lake City, in Fe
ruary, 1877, and Ia certified by Mr.. Ho,
ard AZ the statement written by Lee. NJ
Howard hitherto withheld il from pub
cation, but now that the prisoner h,
not escaped the penalty OF the la'
permits II to be given TO the public,
justice cannot now be defeated BY
publication.
statement of John ID. Lee of facts co
necte.i with the Mountain Meadow ma
saere:
In the month of September, 1857, Il
company OF emigrants known as the A
kansas Company arrived ia Parowa
iron county, Utah. on their way to Ca
Hernia. AT Parowan young Alden Of Il
company saw and recognized one Wn
i.aney, . Mormon resident OF ParoyaI
Eden and bis father had rescued Lane
from an anu-Morman mob In Tennesse
several years before and saved his Iits
hs iAaney) It the time he was attacke
~ me mob was Mormon missionary
tennessee. IIaney was glad to see n
Trend and benetactor and Invited him
Mis- honse, and gave him some gard
sauce to take back to the camp Wi,
him. Tbs same evening 1t WAS reports
10 the Bishep, Col. Dame, that Ian,