Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-08-09
MOBBING MORMON ELDERS.
Account Of Beating Elders in Georgia Greatly
Exaggerated,
Hut Mrs. Emily Cunard Was 80 HAD
~ wounded that ~ seemed Inn
possible for Her TO Recover.

Following IS tho account given by tho
Southern Star. published ut tho head
quarters Of the Southern States m.raion
az Chattanooga. Of tho recent mobblng
Of Elders 8. y. Rogers and q. N. Por-
ter. and the shooting of Mrs. Emily Gu
nard. whose husband the Elders were
guests OF at the time Of the iawlcss at
tack on his house;
Last winter Elders Rogers and Kim.
ball We're appointed 90 labor us can
varslug Elders. distributing Gospel lit
craturo and holding meetings In Jan.
uary the Elders visited Monticello. and
with the consent ~ the mayor held
meetings In the court yard Saturday
and Sunday evening, nt the conclusion
~ the latter meeting eggs were thrown
from The court house. hut mo- ono was
hit Many warm friends wore found In
the county. especially IN the neighbour
hood of i3udora.
In writing of the recent trip 20 Jas
per county. Elder Rogers said
mo Elder had been IN the county
since March. when we started Tor con-
ference IN Atlanta. and ns there were
some who We're dcairouH of having tho
sacred ordinance of baptism performed
dent VIM. -. itcnchor. Elder q. NJ.
Porter and myself went over 60
Eudorn.
There were some rumofs afioat what
would be done N we ala not leave be-.
fore the night N the 22nd: we ala
not heed tho warning, but gave out an
appointment for meeting that night
when everything nsHcd on quietly and
good spirit prevailed IN our meeting.
Threats were made " We baptized those
who 70 desired. but this also passed
quietly, ! had the privilege and pleas
ure Of leading i've honest souls into tho
Above river and bnptizlng them. In
the afternoon we held n confirmation
and Sacrament mcetinr.wherc the ncw-
~ baptized converts received the ore
dlnanco Of laying on or hands for 'no
KIT OF tho Holy Ghost and pnrtOok e
the cmhlems 81 tho body and blood
Of Christ which was shed FOR an OF
Adams race. Next morning President
Rcnchcr returned TO Butts county. Eli
der Porter and I remained. spending
the night with a good friend Homer
Smith. Next morning letters were
found left Tor three different families
telling that n mob was coming that
night 20 tnko and. whip u.s. and whore
we could be- found tied. half beaten 20
DEATH Mr. Smith said be- wnH sure
20 protect hls household n they came.
and that We were welcome there, illv-
Ing decided tho night before 90 go 20
| WIN. II. Cunard'H We went. not desiring
any one 10 be hurt We told Mr.. Gun.
ard OF the threats and asked " he
| had any fear Of the mob coming there.
to which he said. Come In. you nrr
welcome at my house any time: this
II my home and I will try and pros
| tcct e. We ate supper and were COM
yersing and singing whom We saw the
mob OF men with hlackened faces. ride
a. - .
/ the Vornndn whom some Of tho mob
seized hold of his arms and started on.
whom the leader said, Oct that other
man..
1.-TWO of tho mob came toward me.
/ Mrs Cunnrd pushed them back with
a chair. saying. This IL my house, you
| keep away. you have no right here
/ They laid hold Of my arms and started
/ on with ~. our friends resisted Home-
/ what. and one ~ the mob said shoot
/ that fellow back there Another nn-
/ awcred \ WILL ana Instantly n shot
was fired. and the women began 10 cry
and weep. Two or three more shots
| were fired, but as we were being
/ marched away we ana not know the re-
suit NJ the nrlnF but heard crying un-
| al we were out of the sound Of the
voices. To our inquiry the leader said
| no one was hurt.
when asked why we were treated
20. We were told very lmpolitcly 20 shut
! our mouths Tor we were going around
| breaking mp churches.
1--WE were hurried through field to-
| ward tho Newton county line not know
! Ing what our fate would be-. a. the
| county line, which is % creek, a halt was
made aud vote taken 10 ascertain
whether they should let AZ 40 without
| further mulestution or not, on n promise
never 90 return. Al who voted We're
| willing 10 turn UH loose.
! Their last words TO ne were. 'Wiu
| you rpturu2 We have an Organization
~ $50 mon and are determined 90 break
| up Mormonlsm In tho county. we won't
have any more OF H. Now u you Will
| promise not 90 come back we viii let
| you rol' ! answered. ~ you don't want
us there, OF course, we viii not come
| back"
July 2sth the Elders wrote the follow
ing to President Rich;
Dear Brothtr-We wrote you quito "a
lengthy letter. giving a sketch Of our
| lnbora IN Jasper county including our
| leaving that county, being forced out by
"a mob on the night OF July 20. We pro-
| cpedcd 10 Iron Springs, Butts county,
| Ga. on July ~ Brothers J, J. Sing
ley ana ]. u. Thomas kindly went over
| nnd got our grips, hats md umbrellas,
and brought tho hnd news that Emily
| Cunard. the wife NJ William II. Cum
ard Uhe place whore We were when the
mob took u.s.. was shot by one Of the
mob with "A double barrelel shot gun.
tearing on tho left side ~ her face,
starting near the ccntcr ~ the mouth,
and lntilctlng n fearful wound, and say
Ing that II would be next TO impossible
| FOR hor TO get well. I understand that
| II was promised by the officials
about twenty months prior 10 our
| Elders coming into Gcorgll. that
they would be protected IN common
with other ministers, Should We not
appeal TO the chief executive OF this
state for redress ~ our grievances and
protection. that the perpetrators NJ such
crimes be brought 10 Justice? Many feel
very Indignant about II. and that every
thing should be done 10 put down such
| luwlcssueHE
"P s. Rumor says there ~ mob or
gnnigpd IN Monticello 20 Eet us. should
we come that way. s.. u. r.
,,nttr rrts ggnkuTN ntggff Apngn