The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-25
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MOB.
Brief Story of the Massacre Which
Shocked the w orld.


Shocked the w orld.
From the Washington Star.
An attempt is now being made to give
congressional aid to those who were saved
at the time of the Mountain Meadow massa-
ere in 1887. That terrible slaughter of in
nocent women and children, as we'll as IN
armed men, took place so long ago that but
few now remember any of the details sur
rounding it. A band of emigrants number
ing, it is variously stated, from 120 to $50
had sta ted from Arkansas to reach the gold
fielos of California. Their train consisted of
some 600 head OF cattle, thirty wagons and
thirty mules and herses, and the tot il value
OF their possession was between sec, 600 and
$50 900.
FALSE CHARGES AGAINST THE MIGRANTS.
They had proceeded as far as Cedar City,
Utah, and it was alleged that during their
journey from Salt Lake City to that place
the emigrants had been guilty of poisoning
streams and of committing other outrages.
These charges, it is believed, had no founda-
ton, but were brought to cast reflection
upon the emigrants and to enable the Nor
mons to throw the responsibility of their
crime upon the Indians.
The attack commenced on Sunday, and
the emigrants at once placed their Wagons
in a circle dug pit in the center, in which
prepared to stand siege. In this " ay they
offered more resistance than was expected,
and withstood the attack for four DAYS.
During this time their ammunition gave
GU and many suffered intensely from
thirst, for water could only be o tanned at
night, and the trip to the creek, although
but short distance, was attended with
great peril as the approach was covered by
the Indians.
Finally company of Mormon militia
appeared, and one of their number was sent
forward with flag of truce. These Nor
mons agreed to protect the emigrants if
they would lay down their arms and ammu-
milton to avoid further exciting the Indians.
This was done.
John D. Lee, who was afterward executed
for being the principal participator in this
horrible crime, in his confession gave the
following as the plan of the massacre, which
n asserted was arranged and ordered by
high Mormon officials:
THE MORMON PLAN OF MASSACRE.
1t was arranged that Lee should conclude
terms with the emigrants, and as soon as
they had delivered themselves into the
power OF the Mormons should start for a
rancho on the eastern side of the meadows
with the wagons and arms, the young chill
dren and the sick aud wounded. The men
and women, the latter in front, were TO fol-
low the wagons, all in single file, and on
each side of them the militia were to be
drawn up, two deep and with twenty PAGES
between their lines.
Withia 200 yards of the camp the men
were to be brought to a halt until the
women approached a copse of scrub oak
about mile distant and near to which In
dians Icy in ambush. The men were now
to resume their march, the militia forming
in single file, each one walking by the side
of an enigrant and carrying his musket on
the left arm. As soon as the women were
close 10 the ambuscade, Higbee, one of the
Mormon leaders. who was in charge of the
detachment, was to give the signal by say
ing to the command: "Do your duty
whereupon the militia were to shoot down
the men, the Indians were to slaughter the
women and children, sparing only those of
tender age, and Lee, with some of the waQ-
oners, was to butcher the sick and wounded.
Mounted troopers we're to be ia readiness
to pursue and Stay those who attempted to
escape, so that, with the exception of in
fants, no living soul should be left to tell
the tale of the massacre.
This dia aolical programme was fully car
ried out to the letter. All the men, women and
children over 7years of age were butchered
and but seventy lives were spared. These
were of children, varying in age from 2
months to Z years. All the stock and prop
erty were carried OFF and the bodies Of the
ornament or money found on them.
THE BODIES BURIED.
But the lamest attempt was made to bury
the victims. A little earth was scattered
over the bodies, but the first rain washed
that away, and the remains became prey
10 the wolves and the coyoses Many OF the
bodies were frightfully mutilated, aud when
two years afterward a detachment of
United States troops were sent to decently
-.
scattered for the space of mile around the
ravine, whence they had been dragged by
wild beasts. Nearly all the bodies had been
gnawed by wolves so that few could be
recognized, and their dismembered skele-
tons we're bleached by long exposure. Many
of the skulls were crushed in with the butt
ends of muskets or cleft with tomahawks.
Others were shattered by firearms dis
charged close to the head.
A few remnants of apparel. torn from the
backs of women and children, still fluttered
among the bushes, and near by we're masses
of human hair, matted and trodden in the
mold.
These bones were carefully gathered TO-
gether and buried, and over them was built
q cone-shaped cairn some twelve feet in
hight, and leaning against its northern base
was placed rough slab of granite, with the
following inscription: "Here 100 men,
women and children were massacred in cold
blood early in September, 1857. They were
from Arkansas." The cairn was surmounted
by cross of cedar, on which we're inscribed
the words: Vengeance is mine, will re-
pay, saith the Lord"
JUSTICE ASKED FOR THE CHILDREN.
The seventeen children who were saved
were placed 10 charge of Mormon families
at Cedar, Harmony and elsewhere and
were ali rescued after about years cap
tivity.
Capt. James Lynch, who was in the Mex
lean war, afterward serving under Albert
Sydney johnson, who was one of the party
of fifty-four who rescued these children, is
now in the city. In speaking of the occur
renee to a Star reporter, he said that in
going over the grouad where the massacre
took place, when the bodies were buried,
more than bushel of human hair was
picked up, and that the sight of bleaching
bodies was CHASTITY In the extreme.
1t is these children, now grown to matur-
ity, married and with families of their own,
that it is proposed to relieve. The value of
the property taken from their parents at
the time of the massacre was between $780,
600 and $40, 900, and it is now believed by
those interested In the project that even at
this late day justice demands that some
PREPARATION be made by the government
that failed to protect the emigrants in their
tarrifrav-xy arrr,w AN he.l