The Dillon tribune., 1885-07-11
MORMON NIISDEEDS.
The Mormon Insult to the Flag of Our
Country,
The American COlors Half-Masted ON the
Fourth, and Kept There by Force.

Saturday morning the national flag hung
at half.mast on the City Hall, county Court
House, the Descyet News Office and the
Mormon tabernacle, or church, the tithing
office, John Taylor's residence, the endow-
ment house, Mormon church offices and
the Salt Lake Theater. That on the last
named building was Put at full mast when
w. Rossiter, the present manager, saw it,
but those on The other buildings hung limp
and dejectedly against their masts. No
one could be found to explain the reason.
About noon a committee composed Of u.
S. Marshal Ireland, G. L. Haines, Major
Wilkes and Captain Evans, the last two
named being .Contederates, went to the
City Hall to ascertain the reason. City
Marshal Phillips said it was the result of
his personal whim. The committee. de-
manded that the flag be raised to full mast,
which demand was met with denial,
wiereupon Captain Evans jumped up and
started out to raise it himself. The door
was shut and locked by a policeman be-
fore he reached it, All present, including
some dozen police officers, made rush for
Evans. Constable Charley Crow raised
his club to strike, and drew his pistol. The
other officers reached for their guns. Quiet
was restored by the U. S. marshal. The
conference went on. The city officials said
the 4th of July was day Of mourning to
them and this people whose best men
were in the penitentiary by virtue Of the
federal officials, perversion of all the prin-
ciplcs of law and liberty; that the flag over
the City Hall did not belong to any ring of
SO called loyal Americans, and intimated
that any man who undertook to disturb the
flag at half.mast would be shot by the Of
fcers. The committee of citizens then
went into the street where small crowd
had gathered, numbers Of whom wanted to
raise the flag at all hazard, but they were
threatened by thelpolice not to attempt it
on pain Of being "dropped." In private
consultation with U. S. Marshal Ireland,
the city marshal consented either to raise
it full mast or take it down within thirty
f minutes. In the meantime Constable Crow
had mustered up a small squad i" to clean
the mob out" The city marshal consulted
with Mayor Sharp who was attending
Mormon priesthood meeting, and in less
than thirty minutes the flag was run down
amid the jeers and sneers Of the city Off.
cials. The Grand Army OF the Republic
who were celebrating near the city were
informed Of the difficulty and came in after
passing resolutions to run the flags to their
proper places, and met the crowd of loyal
and angry citizens at the Walker Opera
House. The crowd wanted to go and by
force put the flags where they belonged,
but the counsel Of Governor Murray pre-
vailed; finally committee of five was sent
to demand OF the Mayor that it should be
done, and few minutes later the flag at
the City Hall was run up to the mast head
The citizens committee made the demand
on Sheriff Groesbeck and he hoisted the
flag at the county Court House from half
to full mast without demurrng. The flag
at the Coop store was also run from half
to full mast at about O'Clock in the even.
ing, but the Others hung out in defiance
until sundown. All who are Immediately
responsible in this reasonable piece of bus.
mess disclaim knowing anything about it,
but it has leaked ont that the order to thus
insult the Nation at large and the Govern
ment in Utah came direct from the heads
OF the church.
The indignation over the Mormon act
continues unabated. Excited groups of
gcntiles have discussed the affairs all dav
| and an old veteran stood in front of the
| City Hall looking at the trailing flag, tears
streaming from his eyes, shaking his fist at
the Mormon policeman guarding to see
that the flag was not raised, exclaimed:
allow long, oh, Lord! How long," lie
declared that he would leave this nest of
treason within forty-eight hours. Horace
Eldredge, president Of the Deseret Nation.
al Bank here, says that half.mast was the
proper place for the flag, as 1--WE have not
more than half our rights" While the
flag was insulted the Mormon brass band
was at the penitentiary serenading the un-
lawful cohab;tation prisoners.
The Provo Enquirer, Mormon paper,
had on tn +th coffin with the inscription,
independence Day died July 4th, 1855"
The Dcserct -Nc.sS, the church organ,
fully justifies the half-masting of the flags
in i've column editorial, conclusively
showing that it was under church author
tiles, claiming !: was right to do it because