The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-30
A BLOODY EPISODE
IN THR HISTORY OF rHE WEST
Recalled b. the HurdsF St shs Man who
Revealed It-Ths RsesAt harder
eFCOlIsctOr BFayIOn In south
CaEOllna UnO1piAIed.

CHICAGO, July IA special to the TIM,
gives . sequel to the noted Mountain
Meadow massacre. 1t was previously tel.
sgraphsd from San Francisco, Oal,, that
news had been received there that Bishop
Philip Kliugin Smith, at one time Of high
standing and influence in the Mormon
church, and the sxpOser Of the Mountain
Meadow massacre, and participant there.
In, was dead. His body was found In q
prospect hole in Sonora, Mexico, under
circumstances indicating murder. Bishop
Smith has died as he expected. After con,
victing John D, Lee Of the Mountain
Meadow massacre, he said; ~ know the
church will kill me, sooner or lAtsr-it Ia
only 9 question OF time" After returning
from the trial, by order Of the church, his
vile lelt him, and he started south, and
lived In Arizona. In that territory two
attempta were made tO kill him. Its now
known that he was murdered and the p6r.
pelEatoEs are being traced.
The story oil the Mountain Meadow
massacre assumes renewed interest iFom
this sequel. In the year 1857 some miners
who had gone To California In lS49 and
had prospered, returned to their homes in
Arkansas TO take their families to he new
EldorAdo. They disposed Of their home.
SIeAds, and made up q train OF l48 men,
women and children, and started upon
the return. They were attacked by Indi.
ans, and John D. Lee, Of the head of q
lSrge force Of Mormon militia, went to the
help ot the ssvages with orders that the
whole emigrant party should be destroy.
cd. The OalliornianHmade brave defense,
keeping the Saints Vt bay Tor more than q
week, AT last the emigrants were greatly
overpowered and forced 10 surrender,
The men came out from their on.
nenchments without arms, and at O
given siRnal every one was shot hy Lees
troops, those who were wounded being
given over to the Indians IN be killed by
torture. The women were first Bhametully
treated and then Slaughtered. The spoiis
were sent to Salt Lake, and sold at auction
BY Bishop Higbee aRd purchased by tho
Saints. The Outrage was planned by lead.
ing men In the Mormon church to ayenPs
the death Of Joseph Smith and Elder Per.
Icy Plat. In fendish malice and cruel
execution the massacre by Nena Sahib OF
the English troops at OAWnpoEe, In the
same year, Ia the only one In modern his.
tory 70 compare withit A great effort to
keep the affair secret was made. and w's
BuCcessful for come years, but OF last II be.
came possible to bring the law to bear up.
on the MormGn criminals. Lee wss put ip.
on trial at Beaver, Utah, July %, 1876,
when the facts above summarized were
fully brought out. Altera long trial,
however, the jury-August S-were un.
able 10 agree, aud were discharged, Lee
was again put on trial, and on September
20, 1879, he was at last convicted Of mur.
der 10 the first degree. Having, In Utah
Territory, the right TO choose whether he
should be hanged, behesded or shot, he
chose the latter form oi execution, and
was accordingly sentenced TO be shot on
the 26th Of January, 1877, and on that day
paid the penalty Of his terrible crime.
Philip Klinger Smith sat ID the Mormon
Council held at Cedar Creek which decid.
cd that the emigtant train should be des.
troyed, and was therefore familiar with al!
the details Of the iniquity. A rude heap
Of stones erected upon the desolate Noun.
tain Meadow, the scene ol the massacre In
Southern Utah, is the only monumental
souvenir left to tell the story Of the whole.
sale butOhery. lpH 'H