Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-09-12
BRIGHAM Y0UNG'S LAST DAYS.

How the Prophet Prepared FOR His End
and Pat His House in Order---Dis-
tributing His Great Estate and Con-
s0lidating His Dynasty.
A correspondent wrote from Salt Lake
City, August 10Th prior to Brigham
Young's death During the last six
months Brigham Young has been en-
gagged with his apostles in reorganizing
the working machinery of the Mormon
church. 1t. has seemed to some that
this was owing to the apprehension of
danger from the courts in this territory
and from the next congress- But Brig
ham has no such fears. He had rea-
sons, some weeks ago, to apprehend
trouble, when Burton and Clinton were
arrested on the charge of murder; but
since the former is out on bail, and the
latter is out OF the hands of the United
States marshal, he feels perfectly at
ease, as far as concerns them, and as
for congress, he has always boosted that
he could purchase it at any time. For
this reorganization Of the church there
is another reason. stss1 - a1 cst
Brigham Young has the appearance
Of being physically a strong man; yet
the reverse is true. He comes Of a long
lived race, but he has frequently had
hard work to pull through attacks Of
sickness, and it is only with constant
nursing and much doctoring that he
has been able to keep up. When Chief
Justice Mexican was worrying him, the
marshal, with q warrant in his hand,
was almost certain to be met with Il
doctors certificate that the prophet
could not leave his room. This being
so, frequently the case, those unac-
quainted with the facts regarded the
statement of his illness as Il mere sub
terfuge to keep out of the hands Of the
officers of Justice. But his inability to
leave his house was real, and as he in
creases in age he grows no better. 1t is
this consciousness of decreasing vitality
and the possibility of the recurrence of
trouble that have prompted the prophet
to put the church in order" SO that,
in case of sudden death or any other
unpleasant eventuahty, he may have
everything prepared for his successor,
and may rest assured that there will be
no repetition OF the discussions that al
most killed it at the death of Smith.
To those who have asked the ques-
tons, "Will Mormonism die with Brig
ham Young?" Will there not be Il
general break-up?" :" Who will be his
successor the prophet is now giving
answer
More than a dozen years ago Brigham
began to prepare for proper diStribu
ton of his private property after his
decease. He chose the most capable
men in his church for this kind of bust
ness. Elder A. Milton Musser, an or
phan of some Pennsylvania Dutch fam
lily. and he set him to work to travel
through the territory to obtain legal
deeds for every piece of property he
said was his. In the two hundred cities
and settlements there is everywhere a
b, Y. brand. 1t is imprinted on every
thing hecoveted from q yearling's rump
to a forest of pine. Musser was FIVE
years at the work, and he amassed for
his chief an enormous quantity of
property. The extent of it is incredi-
bic to those who do not know the oper-
tlons of the one-man power. AS the
whole machinery of election is in his
own hands, notaries public and record
ers did as they were told, and asked no
questions In this way Brigham has
provided for his legion of wives and
children, Now he has begunto provide
for the church. ar ~, s7r -.
Brigham was once asked by a young
and jealous apostle: :" Who will be
your successor, Brother Brigham ?" He
answered: 'sThe Lord Will manifest
that in due time" Brigham was not
ready to unveil his mind, and until he
is the very biggest Of his crowd can only
guess at his intentions. He set out to
found a dynasty when he came to these
mountains, and it looks now as if he
were going to carry, out his programme
successfully The people are becoming
familiar with the thought, and the obsta-
cles thatwer in his way few years are
quickly vanishing s.:f . -7oqs1 sa ~
g About a dozen Years ago he resolved
to make his three sons. Joseph A., Brig
ham, dr.. and John. W., apostles. He
consulted no one but one day when his
counselor, and the second in authority
in the church, Heber G. KimbaH, came
into his Office, he said :,l1 Brother He
Der, let us lay hands on the boys" In
the usual manner of ordination, Brig
ham and Heber laid their hands on the
heads of the three, and IN a few minutes
the SONS of Brigham were flll=hedged
apostles; rHebers was amazed at the
business and the part he had taken
in it; but as no opposition to the
will of the prophet was possible, with
out open rebellion, he had to content
himself as heubest could. That was the
first visible step leading to Brigham's
successorship, and even that. was .un-
known for years to any but those within
the sanctum. 1s4 H1D s9ei...-' = $3.50 i'54 y
By hereditary right Joseph a, should
have been heir to the prophets priest
hood, and had he governed his appetite
for astimulants, he. doubtless, would
have been the successor. But for that
he would have outshone the whole
Young family ass it was, he filled an
early grave. asia . zlaAs'@aad siGgis g =.
For some years thereafter the prophet
10 orol h ri 70 cloth o.