The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-08-31
AN OLD DEBT PAID.
s'Tne Church VIII KdHl tie Sooner or
Later's-ansa lit did. -..
TButte Inter-Mountain. |

TButte Inter-Mountain.1
Mention is made in some of our exchanges
of the finding of the body of Bishop Philip
klingensmith in prospect hole in Sonora.
The body bore marks of violence. The de-
ceased, it will be remembered, was the prime
ipal witness for the prosecution in the first
trial Of John D. Lee, the Mountain Meadows
assassin. He had taken part in the treacher-
Gus murder OF the hapless company of emil
grants, and ingenuously admitted on the wit
ness stand, while undergoing cross -examina-
ton, that he supposed he had killed his
man" The deceased was what is called q
stPennsylyania Dutchnan," heavily built,
sloW-witted, but with the instincts of an hon
est man. In 1856, the year of the massacre,
he was bishop in one of the settlements in
Southern Utah, and also q member of the
Iron County regiment, which was engaged
in the butcher work The tragedy, in which
be had unWittingly taken part, seems to have
rested heavily on his conscience, and when
the Government, after seventeen years delay
took active steps to bring the perpetrators to
justice, he volunteered bis testimony to the
United States Marshal, as a tardy oblation to
God and humanity for his inexpiable crime.
1t may be said that Philip Klingensmith de-
served death equally with the ''butcher Lee,
as his offense was the same in character, diff
fering only in degree. We will repeat the
substance of the deceased's story as told At
the trial, that the reader may judge of the
moral guilt attaching to his infamouse act.
On an order issued from headquarters" the
regiment was mustered with arms and equip
ments, the object of the gathering, as ex-
planned by the officers, being the rescue of
the emigrants then beleaguered by Indians
in their encampment at Mountain Meadows.
Some of the shrewder legionaries, suspectlng
that slaughter and not salvation was the pur-
pose of the muster, found pressing business
at safe distance from their homes; but the
unwary and those blindly obedient, repaired
to the rendezvous, and We're carried in wa
gons, under charge of their officers, to the
scene of the conflict. About 500 or 600 yards
from the emigrants, the Mormon soldiers en-
crmned to the number of three score, and
during two entire days these Saints in arms
witnessed the bombardment OF the famlshlng
emigrants with their wives and children,
without raising hand in their defense.
A bearer of flag Of truce was sent to the
emigrants to offer them rescue and protecton
from the red fiends on condition that they
would surrender their arms. This offer was
refused. A second embassy was sent from
the Mormon camp, this time John U. Lee be-
| ing the flag bearer. This straitor represented
himself as friend to his brother whites, but
| declared that the Indians were angry ana the
appearance of arms in the hands OF the emil
grants if they left their corral, would int1ame
| the red men beyond his control. After .
long and anxious consultation, the ooomeo
Arkansans consented to give up their Weap-
ons. and they submitted themselves to the
| Mormon emissary as their deliverer. The
| Indians were called off and led stealthlly into
| an ambuscade. Wagons were then driven
| up. into which number of men wounded sy
Indian bullets were placed, together with the
small children and the arms of the emlgrants.
| The wagons were started in procession, the
| women followed next, the men bringing up
! the rear. walking in single file and each es-
corted by Mormon legionary. the march
| was pursued for half 3 mile, when the col
umn was halted, the command malt pelng
preconcerted signal for the destruction o1
the company. Each soldier fired, bringing
down his man, and the ambushed Indians
| leapt from their hiding place with terrifying
wells to tomahawk and scalp the women
The drivers of the wagons at the same time
used their revolvers upon the wounded COM
mitted to their care. In few moments, ID
less time than it takes to tell the horrld story,
the whole party of 130 emgrants was obllt-
Grated. except the few children carried IN the
| wagons, numbering some half a score;
This was the story by the witness kllngen-
!, smith at the trial of his brother assassin, ana
his story was corroborated by at least dozen
others more or less implicated IN the
butchery. The penitent Saint had lore OF
boding of the risk he was running Inc
| United States Marshal took the witness INTO
| hie own rooms for safe keeping, ana sent
| denuty with him to and from the courthouse,
ssThe Church will kill me sooner or later,
was the old mans prediction; and THIS sane
/ Mormon assassins came near accomplishing
| a few months after the trial, when they as
sanlted the recusant priest and left him on
the road for dead. Now we have arrived al
the inevitable sequel to this most starting
chanter in Mormon annals The victim vas
nevoted to death by his own vows pledgea ID
he Endowment House 1t is not likely that
;uet;ce will oyertake his murderers, as they
have been following their victim IKE oealn sL.
hounds for seven years, and Wnen tney
/ struck the blow they were careful tha1 i1o nono
| others were present to tell the tae. ven
geance is mne will repay, satin the AoIo.
4 "a yWwGEsassHs