The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-16
MARTYR STANDING.
Ihc Fat and Beartilcss Mormon Who Nns
Shot In Georgia Wbilo PrcachInE tho
Doctrine of Many Wives.

/
Shot in Georgia whilo Preaching tho
Doctrine of Many Wives.
.tDenver Tribune p - e
In the tclcgraphic report of the TIT
d"'.e on the morning of the 22d Of
July, appeareda four line dispatch from
Atlanta, Ga, stating that Joseph Staud-
ing, Mormon preacher, had been shot
and killed by IL mob of ten men in an
adjacent county. The item Of news,
swallowed up in the general tidings
from all parts of the world, would
probably never have boon thought of
here again, had not reporter for the
Tribune been abroad early yesterday
morning and accidentally confrontoA:!
MIR. Standings corpse. That is to
say, tho reporter discovered that tho
body of the dead son Of Zion was in
Denver, awaiting transportation to
Salt Lake City, and that it was in
charge ofElder Itutgcr Clawson, who
had been engaged in the work Of con-
version in Georgia with the dead
Standing, and was with him at the
time an inccnsed and infuriutcd mob
took vengeance into their own hands.
Elder CluwsOn was fonnd at Charpi0t's
Hotel awaiting the arrival of an ex-
press wagon which was to convey the
caskct containing the murdcrcda Nor
mon from the Rio Grandc to the Colo
RADIO Central Depot. Time being limit
cd, thcrcportcr accompanied the Elder
on his trip to the dcpots, and assisted
III transferring tho corpse, succeeding
during the work in obtaining from tho
Apostle an account of his experience
in converting the people Of Gcorgi,. to
the Mormon faith.
Standing, the martyr, was d Young
man Of twcnty-tour years, fat and
bcardlcss. and with not u very bright
look, judging from his picture. He, is
magnetism and powers Of cloqucnce,
and that during his short life in the
church work he has performed great
work. Clawson, his companion, is
only Twenty-Five years old, rather
good looking, Of slight build, ind Of
an apparently nervous temperament.
He is evidently Il man Of courage, will
and passion. These two belong to Il
class or order of the church called
"Scvcntics," and go around evangcl-
| izing, SO to speak. Standing went to
! Georgia some sixteen months ago,
and by indciati9ablc labors and well
attended zeal and enthusiasm had
aroused a general interest in tho doc
trinc of tho Mormon Church in and
about Whitfield county. Ho made his
missionary home at Pnrncl station
LII April last tho work having grown
and the territory Of his influence en-
tended, Standing applied to the grand
Giasticutus at Salt Lake for an assist
ant. The church sent out young Claw
son to aid in the work. After Clawson's
arrival labor among the GontilGs was
prosecuted with great viGor and with
such success that those who withstood
the bancful influence became alarmed
for fear some member Of their family
might fall a victim to the seductive az
gumcnts and plcadings of the young
Mormon apostles. Over one hundred
families were gathered to the arms of
the Mormon Church and assisted on
their journey to the city of Zion. Bo7
sides this a branch Of the Church had
been established at Parncll, and the
services were regularly attended by
those who overy week became more
and more inocuIatcd with the pcrni-
cious creed. And as the interest
among those under the influence i'll
creased, so did the protests and threats
of the outraged Gcntilcs. Numerous
words of warning, and anonymous
threats were sent to tho elders, telling
them that they would be forced to stop.
No attention was paid to this. The
labor, the excitement and the baptisms
continued. Then committee of citi-
Zens called upon the missionaries, and
they were told that the community
intended to be rid Of them, and that un-
less they left or ceased work in the
county, they would be severely dealt
with. But the two Jealous "Sevcnties'
went ahead with their teachings, and
every day their ministry brought forth
results. Then came tho dcnoucmcnt-
The climax. On Monday, July 81, q
meeting was to be held at q farm house,
some few miles from Parncll. It had
been advertised around the ncighbor-
hood and in the town, and crowd
tlockcd to hear "thc word" as spoken
by the sons. Standing and Clawson
proceeded on foot toward the place of
meeting, confident of a large meeting
and of winning converts to the faith.
Alta point about half way on their
journey, however, the elders were sud-
denly brought to a halt by body of
ten or fifteen armed men; and thor
oughly armed, too, with rcvolvers,
knives and knives and rifles. None of
the mob were masked or in any way
disguised. A spokesman stepped to-
ward and informed the Mormons that
they must follow and be taken into the
woods, where at Il point already select
cd they would be stripped and flogged.
The two saw that there was nothing to
do but submit, and surrounded by the
determined company, they marched
bya side road, deep into the woods
to spring, where they were compell-
cd to sit down. They did so, and the
mob withdrew a few PAGES for consulta-
ton. BY accident, or great careless
) ness one of the mob had laid heavy
Colts revolver on tree stump but a
, fcw feet from where Standing was, and
while the men were talking together he
found it all easy matter to reach the
revolver, which he did, and arose to his
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