Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-18
IN UTAH.
Mormons In Salt Lake City Threaten a
Serious Outbreak-.The CEusc-1n Re-
spouse to Il Call for Aid, the United
States Dispatches Several Companies of
RenuIarS to the Scene.

Serious Ontbreak-.The CGusc-1n Rec
spouse to II Call for Aid, the United
States Dispatches Several Companies OF
Regulars to the Scene.
OMAHA, Dec. 7.-General Howard on
Friday night received from General Scho-
field a dispatch that caused the greatest
activity in military circles here, and much
speculation as to what 1t might all mean.
The dispatch was at once sent 10 the fort, and
at three O'Clock p. m. SaturdayBattery u, of
the Fifth Artillery composed of fifty men
whit wenty horses, four cannon, ~cnissons and
baggage was loaded into Il special train and
departed for Fort Fred Steele, on the Union
Pacific Railroad, in Wyoming Territory,
between the north fork of the Platte River
| and Rawiins Springs.
OMAHA, Ncb., Dec. THE movement
of troops to Salt Lake continues with the
greatest dispatch, and in addition 10 those
which left here Saturday others are
now being taken in similar dctaclments
from all convenient points of the de-
partnent.
1t is learned that the troops have been
called to Salt Lake City to qucll disturb
ances there. Batteries b and G of the
Fifth Artillery nave gone to Salt Lake City,
and troops from the various posts of the
Platte department have been ordered to fol-
low. The entire garrison Of Fort Omahais
ready to go West at a moments notice.
ut is known that the excitement is due TO
Marshal. one of the officers who has been
conspicuous in the punishment OF polyga-
mists was Deputy Marshal Collin, Every
attempt has been made TO put him out of
the way by Imprisonment, but the attempts
had failed: Finally it was determined that
he should be assassjnatcd, and q villainous
churchmau named McMurrin was assigned
to the work. At 1880 o'clock Collin met Nc
Murrin and three men; They undertook to
When he was about to start home
they took a position, under cover, in an
alley adjoining the hotel. surm sing their in
tention the deputy changed his weapon to his
ovcrcoat pocket on starting home. AS he
was passing the alley the assusslns sprang
out, and. fearing to create alarm by firing Il
pistol, McMurrin tcllcd HIM with a club. The
d, rnWinx ut ni once e,D res aimed his fee,, and,
close quarters. McMurrin received two
wounds i'll the brcast] and abdomen, ard,
though more than u dozen shots were fired,
sleeve pnncturcd by the bullets and his hat
Shot OFT his head. McMur,in tea with the re-
mark that he was killed. His wound did not
A crowd ut once collected, and Collin
fastened to surrender TO the Federal authori-
ties; he was placed in t;lo penitentiary for
safe keeping, and when this became known
the fury Of the Morlnons attained de>pcrn-
ton. The Salt Lake Herald ut once issued an
extra edition calling upon the church TO
avcngc the murder of the saint, and used
every means OF melting mob violence. An
attempt was made to take HIM from the Jail
but the mob found the authorities we'll pre-
pared for their reception. The Mormons then
tried to get Collin tried before the City Mar
shal, but failed
George Carr, a passenger who arrived
yesterday morning from Salt Lake City,
gives this version of the situation:
The Mormons are apparently determined to
avenGe the shooting OF McMurrin, and the Of
ticers of the Government arc greatly alarmed.
The peril OF the Gcntilcs ut Salt Lake is
greater thnn any one can know who has
never been there. There are only about
two thousand ubie-bodied Gcntiles in Salt
Lake and the contiguous territory who
would oppose Il Mormon Uprising, and against
whom it would be directed. On the other
hand. the Mornons have in the Nauvoo
Legion 10000 soldiers, drilled and well
equipped for service, sccrctcd in the encioS-
ure OF the Endowment House. They have, it
is thought, ut least twenty field pieces, equal,
II not superior, to those Of the Government at
Fort Douglas.
Latest advices arc that no battle has
taken place, but that the excitement con-
tinues at the highest point, and bloodshed
is momentarily expected. Both sides are
massing their forces. The soldiers say that
if it were known to the Mormons that
troops were assembling the Legion would
at once act, and the Gentilcs Of the city
would be in peril Of a massacre.