Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-04-06

| heard some very angry words pass between
them, which drew my attention. Dame said
he would havs 10 report the destruction Of
emigrant camp and company. Halght said
How, as an Indian massacref'' Dame said
he did not know 80 well about that This
reply seemed 10 irIitatc Haight, who spoke
quite loudly, saying; +" How can you report
II any other way without duplicating your
sclfY At this Dame lowered his voice al
most TO a whisper. ! could not understand
what he said, and the conversation stopped.
] got up, saw the children, and among others
the boy who was pulled by the hair Of his
head out OF the wagon by an Indian, and
saved by me. That boy | took home and
kept at home until DR.. Forncy, Government
Agent,ycame TO gather up the children and
take them East. He took the boy with the
| others. That boys name was VIM Fancher.
His father was Captain OF the train. He
was taken East and adopted by a man in
Nebraska named Richard Sloan. He re-
mained East several years and then returned
to Utah, and Is now convict in the Utah
Penitentlary, having been convicted the past
| year for the crime OF highway robbery. He
| Is now known by the name of Idaho Bill
| His true name Is VIM. Fancher. His little
sister was also taken East aud Is now the
wife OF man working for the Union Pacific
Railroad Company, near Green River Bay.
| The man has yet got q scar on his chin,
caused by the cut on the wagon box, and
those who are curious enough to examine
will find alargc scar on the ball of his left
foot, caused by deep cut made with an AK
while he was with me.
l got breakfast that morning; then all
hands returned to the scene OF the slaughter
10 bury the dead. The bodies were all in a
nude state. The Indians throughout the
night had stripped them OF every yestigc Of
clothing. Many OF the parties were laugh
Ing and talking rs they carried the bodies TO
the ravine for burial. They were just cov-
r,I, I..N Al 4
for the wolves dug them up, and, after cat.
ing the flesh from them, the bones laid upon
the ground until buried some time after by
Government military officer. At the time
OF the buryiDg of the bodies Dame and
Haight got into another quarrel. Dame
seemed to be tcrToT-strickcn, and again said
he would have to publish IL. They were
about two PAGES from me. Dame spoke low
as IL careful to avoid being heard. Haight
spoke loud and said: "You know you coun.
seled IL and ordered me TO have them used up"
Dame said: i did not think there were so
many women and children. l thought they
were nearly all killed by the Indians" !"
II aight said it was too late in the day for
him to back water. you know you ordered
and counscled it, and now you want to back
out Dame said: Z" Have you papers for
that's" This enragcd Haight to the highest
pitch and Dame walked off. Haight said:
"You throw the blame Of this thing on me
and will be revcnged upon YOU"
From this place We rode to the wagons.
We found them stripped of their covers and
every particle Of clothing, even the feather
beds, had been ripped open and the contents
turned out upon the ground in looking for
plumber. | crossed the mountains by the
Indian trail, taking my little Indian boy with
me on my horse. The gathering-up of prop
erty and cattle was left in charge u Bishop
X. Smith. The testimony of Smith in re-
gard to the property and disposition of il
1 II. a
to state that after the attack a messenger
by name James Haslcm, was sent with dis
| patch to President Brigham Young, asking
his advice about interfering with the compa.
ny, but he did not return on time. This |
had no knowledge of until the massacre was
committed
| Some two weeks after the deed was done
Isaac G. Haight sent me to report to Gov.
| Young. l asked him why he did not send a
written report. He replied could tell him
more satisfactorily than he could write, and
il would stand up and shoulder as much OF
the responsibility as 1 could conveniently
| that ii would be feather in my cap some
day, and that would get celestial salvation;
| but that the man who shrank from it now
would 20 to perdition. ! went and did as
was commanded. Brigham asked me II
Isaac G. Haight had sent letter to him.
replied not by me, but ] said he wished me
to report in person. "All right" said
Brigham. "Were you an eyewitness
ITO the most of it," was my reply. Then
l proceeded and gave him full history OF
all except that of my opposition. That
left out entirely. / told him Of the killing OF
the company. That l told him | was op
posed to, but did not say to him to wha
extent was opposed to it, only that was
opposed to shedding innocent blood
"Why," said he, "you differ from Isaac
(Haight), for he said there was not drop oi
innocent blood in the whole company"
When l was through he said it was awful
that he cared nothing about the men, bu
the women and children were what troubled
him. l said: " President Young, you shoulC
either release the men from their obligation
or sustain them, when they do what they
have entered into the most sacred obligation
to do" He replied: ~ will think over tn,
matter and make it the subject of prayer
and you may come back 10 the morning anC
see me-" l did SO. He said: John, fee
iirst-rate. l asked the Lord il il was al
rightfor that deed to DE done to take ava,
the vision of the deed from my mind, an(
the Lord did so, and j feel first-rate. It's al
right. The only fear have is of traitors.
He told me never to lisp to any mortal being
not even to Brother Heber. Prcsden
| Young has always treated me with tn
friendship of a father since, and has mad
mg home his home when in that part Of tn
Territory, until danger has threatened him
|
best of my recollection. JOHN ID. LEE.
This statement have made for publica
tion after my death, and have agreed with
friend 10 have the same, with very man
facts pertaining to other matters connecte,
with crimes of the Mormon people unde
the lead of the priesthood, from period be
fore the butchery Of NauvoO TO the presen
time, published for the benefit of my family
and that the world may know the blacl
deeds that have marked the way Of the Saint
from the organization of the Church of Jesu
Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the perio
when a weak and too-pliable tool lays dow
his pen to face the executioners' guns TO
deeds of which he is not more guilty thai
others who TO day are wearing the garment
of priesthood, and living upon the tithing O
a deluded and priest-ridden people. NJ
autobiography, il published, will open tn
eyes of the world to the monstrous deeds o
the leaders of the Mormon people, and vii
also place in the hands of the attorney 70
the Government the particulars of some O
most blood-curdling crimes that have bee
committed in Utah, which, il properly fol
lowed up, will bring many down from thei
high places in the church to face offended jus