Mohave County miner., 1894-04-14
Senteneed to Death.

Enoch Davis lies 10 the Utah peniten-
tiary awaiting the de ,,h sentence az an
atonement for the murder OF his wife
He Is poor man, without friends His
case was appealed to the supreme court
of the United Safes, and the decision oi
the lower courts, ordering the infection
OF the death penalty, was sustained
People Of the territory who are conver.
sAnt with the facts connected with the
cruel murder for which he WAS tried, are
anxious to know Why he is not exc ;uted
and are equally concerned about the
cinse ior 50 much assistance having been
rendered 10 attempts to secure an acqrit
tai by prominent men.
1t now comes to light that this is the
ooly known living person who knows
the secret to a great z bid tre ,sure hidden
10 the dark canyons OF the Wahsstch
mountains. The gold field, are supposed
to be the richest in the grea. west. They
are situated in IN aim )st impenetrable
gorge, about sixty-fve miles east Of Salt
LskeCity on the UintAh Indian reserva-
tion. The Indians will no, permit pros.
alleged vaults. The American Asphalt
Company, compose | OF Dsnver and New
York capitalists, almost succeeded last
spring in securing a lease upon those
lands for the ostensible purpose of work.
ing the deposits OF asphaltum. S,me in
terested parties thought the COMPANY
intended to seek for gold, and through
the efforts of Delegate Rawlins, pre-
vented the lease being granted.
The story connected with the discovery
aud partial working of the gold fields is
also strange one. Several wears ago
when Brigham Young held the reins Of
government in all Of Utah, he was visited
by an old California miner named Ed
Rhodes. At the close Of the intervlex
the miner departed quickly into the
E ,st mountains accompanied by his son
John. II is related that the old gentle
IN IN had had some dealing with Brigham
whereby he agree to deliver his weight
in gold to the president within speci
fed time.
In about six weeks from tine time Of
departure the father and son returned
and delivered to Brigham two sacks OF
pure gold, weighing something over 80
pounds each. The man was instructed
not TO attempt to work the claim, nor
1ivulgs the secret to any person. Il was
hen the policy OF Brigham, as leader of
he church, to prevent the opening OF
he mines within the territory. He con-
,nlted the saints to make irrigation
iitches an reclaim the arid nds, leav
ny the development OF mines to further
,
The old miner died and left his secret
unknown to any mortal but his son. In .
1875 the son, John Rhodes, then a m IN, {
iscided TO again visit the gold fields /,
Ie did so AMI vas supposed to have been /
Iilled by the Indians, "a he never re ,
nrned. The matter had almost been
orgotten until E1o:h Davis was arrested I
Or the mnrder OF his wife. In his lonely
,rson cell he relatei how he, In com
ANY with Ri lea. visited an 1 inspected
he gold fields. which ara described as !;
'eing most wonderful. The doomed ,
nan says the Inii,ns killed Rhodes and /,
le escaped. He has kept the m .tter a
ecret till now because psople might .
hink he killed Rhodes. :
Several mining men of Salt Lake City
re very much excited over the story {
| man in Sampete county has the only /,
iagram IN .de by Davis de ,crip,ive Of the /
ountry. The prisoner has offered to go .
n shsckles and chains to the old |;
luices worked by ol IN IN Rhodes years =
go if he is assured protection and his
lie is spared. The old-timers of Utah i
ave looked lon,ingIy at those canyons I
Or manv years in the hope that some
lay they might be permitted to inspect
he supposed rich pockets Of gold.