Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-06
IN UrAn's EARLY DAYS.
An Entertaining Narrative Furnished
by Elder Andrew Jensen.


This morning, as called on Judge
Samuel smith tone OF the early settlers
" Brigham City, and now n Patriarch
In the Church), for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning historical information, he re-.
lated to me In plain and interesting
manner the following incident, which
IA characteristic u Utah's earlier days
and also ola man who on several other
occasions has stakoi his life In the de-
fense Of his friends aud the cause Of
Justice ana truthi
at was In the fall Of 1851, about the
time the Johnston army sent out
against Utah had arrived near Fort
Bridger, that all tho able-boilcd neu Of
Brigham CITY were mustered Into ser.
vice, In order 10 defend their homes,
their wives and children and sacred
rights n ircemen. Col. CIV. West, Of
Ogden, had been placed In command OF
nil the forces In Southern Utah, and
acted under hi, direction as command.
Ing officer Of tho Brigham City post,
holding tho rank Of major. All the
boys had gone out with Colonel West
on accommodating expedition through
Cache valley and the mountains north
and east. ~ watch tho movements Of
the soldiers aud the Indians, and I, To-
gethcr with Sheriff Joseph Grover,
were tho only two ahle.bodici men left
In Brigham City, whom an express ar
Rived from our brethren who were ~.
turning IN Utah from their Missions 10
Carson valley, informing US that six
drspcrndues. lent on murder and plum.
der, would arrive In Brigham City the
following day. We wofc further In.
formed that these men hsd Travelled
with the brethren for some distance,
had camped with them several night-,
and had laid plans 10 plumber the com.
| pany, In which, however, they had
not been succevlil. At first did not
know what TO do under the circum.
stances. My orders from my supcfiofs
were not Ia let any body OF armed men
pass the post, but how 10 hinder their
men going through, or even pro.
venting them from committing depro.
dntlons upon our settlement, was "A
matter Of considerable anxiety on my
part. All nj once 4 feasible but dan.
gerous plan presenHd itself 10 my
mind, and soon made Sheriff Grover
my cenfidAnt. Ho was n man OF i'm.
posing stature, standing over tx FEET
In his stocklngs-boli and fearless, aud
| with n coun,cnance that showed "A
determination and vill.power that
would cause any ordinary mortal 10
shrink from crossing his path a- an
enemy.n
Said 10 Brother Grover ~ have
Just received an express telling me that
u company of despcradoes il about 10
arrive nero, aud NJ my orders are ~ let
no armed forces pass, have concluded
TO take them prisoners; but there
are only you and 10 do IL.
Now do you think you will be abi, 10
do Just ns tell you without flinchlng
or In any way showing tho white
feather For we will have 10 take
desperate chances; and II your courage
should fail you, II may cost us our
lives. Brother Grover thought he
would be able TO carry out my order,
strictly and seemed 10 have no fears,
Consequently, when We saw the men
approaching | sent the sheriff down
with Instructions 10 persuade them 10
come Into town and into my
oiiic, by presenting To them
that by 10 doing they might perhaps
secure n permit from the commander
OF the post TO pass through; otherwise
they might be interfered with and
stopped by armed forces.
"Brothrr Growers appearance anu
grur voice had the desired effect aud
they came. Hitcbing their horses 10
the fence In front Of my house, they
soon filed Into my Office, where seats
had already been provided for them,
aud after being Introduced to mo
ms Major smith, tho commander
OF tue post, engaged In a.
conversation with them, during
which soon learned that they were
profes.ed gamblers and wera going 10
meet the soldiers 10 ply their profession.
Thcy also Acknowledged that they were
no friends Of the "Alornons," but In
sympathy with the crusade innugurated
against them. They were indeed
hard looking set. Everything Ia their
countenAnce, manners and convcrsa.
lion indicated that they were dospcra.
does OF tho worst type. Each OF Tho
six men was also armed with ualr
-Ff'f7'ftfoA 'f'th ffhhtNNATF bftlNN~
rifles and other arms, which wer,
fastened 10 their saddles and horses.
by and by, however, Informed them
quietly, but In q manner that was cal.
oulated 10 impress them with tho idea
that was In earnest, that under the
orders had from my superlors would
have u stop their further progress for
tue time being, and also that 1 was
nlAGtl nnuRr Tim nRHtaatfN If L.
manding from them their arms. Upon
hearing this one OF them,who appeared
10 be the loader and looked rather
mora desperate than the rest, jumped
to his feet aud declared with terrible
oath that no vowed never 10 allow any
mortal man 10 dlsarm HIM. "phat +
enough" l interrupted, Us rose to my
ieet aud presented bold appearance;
'hand me them pistols, sir.0 "Do yo,,
really mean thal?" said he. "Yes.