The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-07
AN UGLY OUTLOOK IN UTAH.
The C0Wardice Of the Saints the Only
Thing that Prevents an Outbreak.
Ex-Confederates Defending the Flag-An In
mense Bribery Fund to Get the Terri
tory admitted Into the Union
Lake letter in New York Sun.

has its counterpart here in Utah. Since the
studied insult offered to the flag by the Mormons
on the Fourth of July, the animosity between
the Saints and Gentiles has greatly increased.
and the enmity is now so pronounced that it
would rot take much to precipitate trouble of
the most serious character While the more
intelligent Of the Mormons realize chat the half
masting of the flag was a foolish piece OF busl-
ness, the great majority Of the brethren rejoice
in it, and threaten to r0peat the performance at
the first opportunity. Nothing but the the we'll
known sneaAing cowardice of the Saints seems to
stand in the way of hostilities here. The people
are practically at swords points already. The
newspapers bristle with fierce denunciations,
and Individuals are calling each other liars,
thieves, scoundrels and traitors, and threatening
violence in way which is decidedly dspleasing
to people With weak nerves
Whatever the outcome of this most serious
problem may be, it seems certain that something
must take place before long Things cannot 20
on forever in the way they are now going. The
Gentiles have been exasperated to a point where
they may be led into violence at almost any
time, and the local Mormon authorities are suf
fcently ugly to make very quick work Of any
offending outsiders. An aggravated assault and
battery case in the present condition of affairs
might produce disturbance which it would
quira federal troops to quelL One significant
fact in relation to the flag troubles is the atti-
tude of the ex-confederates here. The man who
made the Mormons take down the half masted
banner from the city hall was Major Wilkes
who served under Lee and in the meetings that
been hello SOnthHrTerS
here have been prominent III their denunciation
of the Mormon folly and disloyaIty. When
Major Wilkes was demonstrating with the city
marshal for half mastng the flag he said
II fought for four years to put down that flag
and 1t couldn't be done. 1t is now the flag of
90, 900 of people, and you cannot insult it
with safety
Everything now turns on the flag episode
The Gentiles are no longer the &c miles. They
call themselves the loyallstS, and designate the
Mormons as the dis)oyalsts. The loyalists are
aggressive and threatening, and tho burden Of
their remarks is, TRY 1t again if you dare" The
Mormons are undertaking to belittle the episode
and yet they are aggravatng enough They
have sworn IN seven hundred elders as special
policemen, that if trouble it is likely to
be serious at the very outset. One result Of the
Increasing auimosity has been an assessment by
the church authorities Of $25 each Mormon
family, oStensby 70: the purpose Of completing
the temple, but IL reality to enable the Saints to
conduct a vigorous warfare against the anti
manifest i'll the rigid enforcement Of the Ed
munds law. It is the intention TO raise $500 600
as soon az possible COR use in Washington and
elsewhere i'll influencing legislation and the acts
of officials Of the government The Mormons
belteve that every American has his price, and
that bribery is : of the most effective
weapons that can be used. The plan of the
church campaign is said to be very
si11G5@to 1t inc Includes first Of ALL the
fund. Then in October at the annual confer
ence the doctrine of poygamy s TO be formally
renowned, with mental reservation and when
Congress meets determined effort will b3 made
to secure the admission of the Territory as
State. few of the elders are preaching
defiance Of the government, but the more infiu
entail leaders of the church are said to be
arranging this other plan, and protesting to
believe that it will if adhered to for time.
result in practical solution of all their troubles
The ueliness which prevails in all quarters
was clearly shown the other evening when three
deputy marshals Went to the house of Elder
Edward Brain for tho purpose of serving
a summons on his polygamous wife Brain
refused TO open the door, and When
the officers threatened to batter it
down he got big pistol, and coming around
into the front yard, said he would Kill them if
they did not leave. The officers had him
covered with their own weapons. and
adjournns to the house be declared in the most
positive language that his alleged wife was not
there. The officers searched every room, and
trapdoor in the ceiling. Brain said it was put
there when the house was built, and had been
nailed up, but one Of the officers got an AK. and
after he had tuumped it q few times the door
opened, and a Wonans head was seen looking
down Brain was told to help her down, and in
a moment the young woman was standing on
the floor in tho presence OF the officers. Both
were taken into custody.
On the examination Of Brain he claimed that
he was IN the habit Of keeping large sums Of
money in the hoDse, and as the officers came
after dark he took them for burglars. He had
no intention Of resisting them, and as for using
his weapon on than, he had never thought of
such thing. On his cross examination he was
pretty thoroughly trapped. He was asked: Did
you not know that the marshals were at your
door, and that all they wanted was to serve
summons on woman in your house"
Il didn't know who in the devil they were"
"Now, didn't you believe that they were
marshals! Didn't you know itl'
NO did not l had money in my house,
and thought burglars were after it."
Then why didn't you put your money up in
the loft instead Of your wife"
u saw Deputy Collins through the window,
and knew him"
knew he was an oficer?"
"Well, yes; / knew him"
"And you thought it was moro necessary to
hide your wife than to hide your moneyW
she got up there herself"
Brain held for trial on the charges of IN
lawful cohatitation and resisting officer
AN through Lh9 territory Inc greatest lndlS-
nation prevails over the recent indignity to the
flag IN Salt Lake, and in the smaller communi-
ties the feeling is SO btter.that some people look
for trouble there before it occurs IN Salt Lake
In several small towns the Mormons have, since
the Fourth Of July affair, half-maSted the flag,
and in one they dragged it il the mud and tore
it into rags These occurrences have made the
Mormons in other places where the Gentiles are
numerous decidedly timid. One day last week
two deputies went down to Tooele City to arrest
q man for unlawful cOhabitatiOa. They endeay-
ored to keep the object of their visit secret but
by the time they had made the arrest everybody
in the little town seemed to have discovered who
they We're and every Mormon man, woman, or
SHELTER stampede the officers never saw before
1t could not have been more animated if tribe
of hostile indians had appeared in the streets.
Houses were deserted. and portions Of the town