St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-04
MOUNTAIN MEADOW.
Brief Story Of the Massacre
Which Shocked the
World.
E Butehery Almost Impair
alleled in the Annals Of
Crime.
One Hundred and Twenty I'm
armed Men, Women and
Children Killed.
The Awful Deed Committed
by Indians and Disguised
White Men.

Meadow massacre in 1857, says the
Washington Post. The terrible Slaug hter
uf Innocent women and children, as
well as unarmed men, took place so
long AGO that but few now remember
any of the details surrounding lt.A band
of tmigrants numbering. it is variOuSly
stated, from 100 to $50, had started from
Arkansas to reach the gold fields of
California. Their train consisted of
some G01 head of cattle, 80 wagons and
30 mules and horses. and the total value
Of their possessions was between 100000
and $4,000.
False Charges Against the Emil
grants.
They had proceeded as far as Cedar
CITY. TAN, and it was alleged that dur
ing their Journey from Salt Lake City to
that place the emigrants had been
guilty of poisoning streams and of COM
Uniting other outrages. These charges,
st is believed. had no foundation, but
were brought to cast reflection upon
che emigrants. and to enable the Nor
mons to throw the responsibility of
their crime upon the Indians.
The attack commenced Oh Sunday,
and lhe emigrants at once placed their
wagons in circle, dug a pit in the cen
Ter. in which they placed their wives
and children, and prepared to stand
siege In this way they offered more
resistance than was expected. amt with
stood the attack for four DAYS During
this time their ammunition gave out
and many suffered intensely from
thirst. for water could only be obtained
at night, and the trip to the creek. al
though but a short distance, was at
tended with great peril, as the approach
was covered by the Indians.
/ Finally company Of Mormon militia
appt ard and one of their number was
sent forward with flag of truce.
These MOrmOns agreed to protect the
emigrants if they would lay down their
arms and ammunition to avoid further
exciting the Indians. This was done.
% n d. Lee, who was afterWard eX-
ecuIed for being the principal partlcl-
pator in this horrible crime, in his con-
fessiOn gave the following as the plan
of the massacre. which he asserted was
arranged and ordered by high Mormon
Officials.
Tire Mormon Plan of Massacre.
1t was arranged that Lee should con-
cludc terms with the emigrantS, and as
SOan as they had delivered themselves
into the power of the MOrmOnS, should
start for ranch on the eastern side of
the meadows with the wagons and arms,
the young children and the sick and
wounded. The men and women, the
latter in front, were to follow the wag
ons. 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.
Within 200 yards of the camp the men
were to be brought to a halt until the
women approached a cODse Of scrub
oak, about a mile distant, and near to
which Indians lay in ambush. The men
were now to resume their march, the
militia forming in single file, each one
walking by the side of an emigrant,
and carrying his musket on the left
arm. As soon as the women
were close to the ambuScade,
HigUee, one of the Mormon lead
ers who was in charge of the detach-
ment. was to give the signal by saying
WhereuDon 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 wagonerS, was
to butcher the sick and wounded.
Mounted troops were to be in readi-
ness to pursue and Stay those who at
tempted to escape, so that, with the
exception of infants, no living soul
should be left to tell the tale Of the
massacre.
This diabOical programme was fully
carried out to the letter. All the men,
women and children over seven years
OF age were butchered, and but seven
teen lives were spared. These were Of
children varying in age from two
months to seven years. All the stock
and property were carried off and the
bodies of the dead were stripped and
robbed Of every 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 pray to the wolves aud coy
otes Many of the bodies were fright
fully mutilated, and when two years
afterWard a detachment of United
States troops was sent to decently inter
them skulls and bones were found scat
tered for the space of a 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 dis
membered skeletons were 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
che backs of women and children, still
tiuttered among the bushes, and near
by were masses of human nalr, matted
ami trOdden III the mold.
These bones were carefully gathered
together and buried, and over them vas
built cone-shaped cairn some twelve
feet in height, and leaning against its
northern base was placed rough slab
of granite, with the following inscrlp-
ton: Here 120 men, women and chill
dren were masSacred in cold blood early
in September 1857. They were from
Arkansas The cairn was surmounted
by cross of cedar, on which were in
scribed the words: vengeance is
mine; will repay, saith the Lord"
Justice Asked for the Children.
The seventeen children who were
saved were placed in charge of Mormon
families at Cedar, Harmony and else
where, and were all rescued after about
q years captivity.
Capt. James Lynch, who was in the
Mexican war, atterWard serving under
Albert Sidney Johnson. who was one
of the party of fifty-four who rescued
these children, is now in the city. In
speaking of the occurrence to Star re-
porter he said that in going over the
ground where the massacre took place,
when the bodies were buried, more than
q bushel of human hair was picked up,
and that the sight of bleaching bodies
was CHASTITY i'm the extreme
ii is these children. now grown to
maturity, 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 massa
ere was between 100000 and so, 900, and
it is now believed by those interested il
the project that even at this late day
justice demands that some PREPARATION
be made Oy the government that faileC
to protect the emigrants in their trave
through Q territory supposed to be