The Wahpeton times., 1889-08-22

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4EGuRpERso oF. KIN ssTRAlso..
,Sns ph1-wSE'vvrth tsimr wh sdsths
s,siy' s.sy' wfs'' STRUCK Tells sa:''
Capt Alex St. Barnard, ard o.. . !: S.
Clair, now 80 years Of age, recently
gave the writer, The. following account
Of the murder OF the once famous Nor
mon, King Strang:' t''fpts'. eA';:; >. e.
81 was an officer on the United
States steamer = Michigan for twenty
five years. She was the first iron boat
that navigated the lakes, aud she is In
first-rate condition yet During the
war we were kept pretty busy cruising
between Erie and Chicago. We gen.
orally took on wood at Beaver Island.
There were between 1000 and 5000
Mormons living there then, with their;
leader, King Strang, besids the Gem
tiles. who. were mostly. fishermen and
wood.choppers. The. Mormons lived
In comfortable houses Of hewn logs. and
worshiped in q large temple Of the
same material, which they also used
for q theatcr and dance hall. There
was aplatform across one end with the
sceneryat the back, and movable
pulpit which was built on trucks. It
was queer affair-a sort Of circular
platform, with seats around the outside
edge for the twelve apostles, and
high seat in the center for the king.
When they had show OF any kind the
pulpit was rolled behind the scenery.
out of sight.
was well acquainted with the king,
for he often came on board the ship.
He was fine looking, sociable. sort of
a man; but he was not very popular
among the Gentiles. We heard great
many complaints from them when ever
We stopped there. The Mormons were
obliged to turn over one.tenth of their
earnings to the king, and he demand
ed the same from the Gentiles.
Two fishermen, who refused to
surrender their hard-earned money,
were taken to- the woods, stripped
and beaten with beech switch
es; and, the county-treasurer,. who
lived on, the island, was ordered to de-
liver up one-tenth of the public money.
.'The king was arrested and taken to
Detroit. with his twelve apostles,
where he pleaded his own case-and
won 1t, too; and after that things
were Is worse than ever. When we,
stopped as usual on one Of our trips
around the lakes. the complaints were
so bitter that our captain made, up his
mind TO arrest him again, and he told
me to find him and bring him on
board the ship. went to the temple,
first. where-I was told that he had just
gone home. I found him sitting in
his room, with four, Of his wives,
where he received me very cordially,
and when told him my errand,
accompanied me willingly. He linked
arms with me and we walked along
talking pleasantly. just as we stepped
on the dock and started to walk down
the narrow passage between the piles
of wood, two OF his enemies sprang
from some hiding place and shot at
him. He clung to my arm until they
begansto pound him with the butt end
OF their pistols, when he let go and
fell, leaving me covered with blood
from my head to my feet,
'There were no telephones in those
days, but the news spread In a very
short time. and bowling mob of mon,
women and children gathered around
their dying chief. Our surgeon came
on shore and did what he could for the
poor fellow, but nothing could save
him. He died in the arms OF his first
and real wife. whose home was west of
Racine. in Wisconsin.
"The murderers ran aboard the ship
and gave themselves up-the best
thing they could have done, for the
moo would have pulled them in pieces
1t they had caught them. OF course
suspicion fell on me. many thinking 1
had led him to his death, and i re-
ceived many friendly warnings to be
on my guard. but was not molested.
A detachment Of troops were sent to
bring the fishermen and their families
on board the ship. as it was consider
ed unsafe to leave them on the Island
with the excited Mormons.
1.-The murderers were taken to
Mackfnac and given into the custody
Of the County Sheriff, Mr.. Granger,
VINO kept the Grove House at that time
Is now living at Fort Gratiot. But
they were never brought to trial.
THE band scattered soon after,
some returning to their homes west Of
Marine City. and some joining their
fortunes with the Utah element
"Poor King strane. He was a fine
fellow, and deserved a better .fate."-
Detroit Free Press. I
An Exclusive Person. ~
On one occasion a lady called and
presented a check which she wished
caahad Ao che xuou n ,>n.soox .x.