The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-28

inVernont, Ihe former in 1901, the latter
in 1865, and reared in New York; that the
Golden Bible was revealed TO the world
in 1929 and the church organized with six
members April 6, 1890; that their first set
Element was at Kirkland, o., and their
second at Independence, Mo, and that
they were driven from tine latter place IN
November. 1888. From that date theiI
movements vera of national interest. Hav-
ing fed to Clay county, No, they remained
there year and then retreated 10 the I'M
settled region of the northwest, or Platte
country, where they flourished greatly for
four years.
Mormon Tragedies.
In the meantime those left at Kirkland
had become involved with their neighbors
and fed to Missouri, where the whole sect,
now numbering at least u, 600, became in.
volved in a general war with the gentilea
and were driven from the state, with great
loss and terrible suffering In the Hawn s
NH massacre IS Mormons were shot dead
before they could organize for resistance,
and after the surrender Sardius Smith,
aged years, was dragged from behind the
bellows in Q blacksmith shop, where he
had been hidden, and his brains blown
ont by q uissourian. This was in revenge,
as was allegS<, for the death of two gen.
tile children at the time a Mormon mob
burned the town Of Gallatin, but IL is not
likely that we shall ever learn the exact
facts of the Mormon war il Missouri.
Their next settlement was on the Hi
nois side OF the Des hioines rapids of the
Mississippi Here they built Nauvoo, once
the largest city in Illinois, and prospered
greatly for four years QuaTrels among
themselves led tO lhe destruction of a non
Mormon printing press in NeuvoO. War
rants were issued, and Joseph Smith called
out the militia TO resist for which he and
Others We're arrested for treason and lodged
In the Jail at Carthage, capital Of Han
cock county, Ills. There, June 81, 1874
an Illinois mob forced the Jail, killed Jo-
seph Smith and his brother Hiram and
shot three bullets into John Taylor late
president of the Mormon church. Twenty
eight years later l traversed Hancock
county, collecting evidence on the subject,
and interviewed Thomas c. Sharpe, editor
of the Warsaw Signal and one Of several
who were tried for the murder of the
Smiths. 1t was freely admitted by all the
survivors that many cruel things had been
done on both sides, but they We're unani-
nous in declaring that it was impossible
TO enjoy peace and security in a commu-
nifty where the Mormons controlled the
elections, as their fanaticism was such
that they would never convict one of their
own number, even on the clearest evil
dence and all civil suits went against the
gentle as q matter Of course. The Nor
mon war ragged internationally, with many
horrible murders on both sides, till late
in 1915, when the MorI1ons agreed TO
leave. The first band of 2, 600 crossed the
river on the ice, and by the 1st of May
l6, 900 had left. Nevertheless the gentiles
again rose to the number of l, 500 or mora,
committed some atrocious outrages and
drove out the remnant at the point of the
bayonet. About 90, 900 Mormons made a
temporary settlement on the Missouri,
about Council Bluffs and the present
Omaha and early in 1917 started west
ward, the pioneers reaching the present site
of Salt Lake on July 81, which has ever
since been celebrated as Anniversary day.
King Brigham Young.
Late in 1S49 they organized state gov
eminent, naming the state Deseret, but in
the great year of compromise 1850, con-
gress organized the territory of Utah, Of
which President Fillmore appointed Brig
ham Young governor. Many hundred en-
igrants to California wintered in Great
salt lake in 1923, and then the troubles
began again. They gradually increased
until 1857, when the so called Mormon
war came on. All the distant outposts
were called in, and the ambition of the
church leaders vas thereafter directed TO
making Utah financially and industri-
ally independent. They opened the lead
mines and lssnufactured iron with some
success, established cotton and wooden
mills, began the silk culture, and in their
III the south brought the fig
ana other scmitropical fruits to great per-
lection. Cotton was successfully grown
there, and the coarser kinds of manufac-
ture attained great success. All this tine
the government was a pure theocraCy, and
the IniJed States sent q govern
or and Judges. who set up sort of fed
eral image, as it were, it was a very harm
less image indeed. Brigham Young was
king. l have often heard him say that so
long as the saints were faithful no govern
ment could prevail against them, and that
whenever "a move that way was made war
would break out not only between the
north and south, but between the east and
west. Many a time have sat in Mormon
cabins and heard the old folks tell how the
war would soon revive and continue till
the country was desolated and almost de-
populated. and then the saints would re-
turn in triumph to Jackson county. No,
and establish the New Jerusalem, as the
prophet Joseph had foretold. In 1869
Lad my only long talk with the prophet
Brigham and wrote this sketch Of him:
Physically the man is as near perfect
as Is ever allowed TO one of our wrctchedly
developed race. Six feet high and uncom-
monty well muscled, he Is yet so compact
II built that strangers invariably pro-
nounce him smaller than he is. He meas
uUeS Al inches around the chest and weighs
2lo pounds. His hands and feet are rath-
or large, his head extremely so and very
broad across the base, slopinG thence be
fore and behind toward the crown With
very Light or golden hair. a cold. glittering
blue eye and q massive under jaw that
shuts like = wise. he has the firmness and
Vigor that usually 20 with such an or
ganiEstion. and that happy mixture OF the
and bilious teInperamcnrS which
makes one easily believe himself a man OF
destiny
Good American State.
such in appearance was the man whose
statue VIII hold the place Of honor in the
capitol Of our forty-ifth state. and who
viii stand in our history a. the founder Of
Utah The world has heard much OF
crimes and plumbers during the worst pc
riod of Mormon absolutisIn. hut II i not 80
generally known that nearly all these
things occurred in the space Of three years
-lS56-S IN the Mountain Meadows mas
sacre 1S3 EenJiles werc murdered. In the
'' hand cart expedition, " when :. 600 Nor