Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-26
THAT HORRIBLE HYRUM TALE.

THAT HORRIBLE III ~" ''A''''
We publish today a letter which ap-
peared nearly two weeks ago Ia the
Plttsburg Daily News and signed Mary
Clark DeVore. We received q copy OF
rho paper containing q IN due time, but
pald little attention 10 u then, because
II told such a monstrous and absurd
story that we believed every sensible
reader would perceive It's lmprooaoility
and everybody would recognize II as
sensational and without support by
anything IN the shape Of evidence Also
II bore the impress Of re-yamplns
from old material. long ago proven TO
be false and malicious
Since then we have received other
copies Of the paper containing the let
ter. with requests 10 investigate and
give the facts In the case. as other pa
pers we're copying II, and Il was con-
sldered likely TO DO harm. by stirring
up persecution against the Elders labor
ing as missionaries and arousIng preju-
dice against the "Mormons' generally
We therefore wrote 10 a reliable mer-
chant OF Hyrum Cache county, where
the reported outrages were said TO have
occurred. and now publish the gentle
mans statement with the affidavit OF
officials OF the city. We think when
they are read. the story told by Mrs.
Devore viii not have much weight with
sane people.
One remark that romancer makes IN
her little work Of fiction. ought TO throw
doubt on all her assertions. She says;
"The statements 1 have made / cannot
prove" Just so. It Is impossible to
substantiate them Yet there are
number Of nom "Mormons' IN Hyrum,
whose testimony could, without doubt,
be obtained II her terrible tale were
true. And there are hundreds Of peace
able, law-abidng Mormon citizens,
who would be as much opposed 10 such
dolngs as she relates as she or any
other protesting Christian on earth. She
would not be without witnesses in a
city Ike Hyrum. II there was any solid
foundation for the fabric she has reared
for newspaper notoriety
II she has been subjected to any per
sonal indignities, as she asserts there
are hundreds OF men and women In
Cache county belonging TO different de-
nominations, and several preachers OF
various sects and persuasions, who
would quickly and gladly come 10 her
aid and bring the matter before the
courts She states that Hyrum only
has a population Of $500. Well surely
among an those people she could obtain
some oouoboratlon Of her wild stories,
and some one who would help her To
obtain redress OF her alleged grievances.
Hyrum Is one OF the pleasantest.
Quletest and most prosperous towns In
the beautiful valley Of Cache, It IS
within a very few miles Of the railroad
IS surrounded by other towns and IS
open and free 20 an eomers. The idea
that she is IN any personal danger there
Is ridiculous In the extreme. Il is diff
cult TO believe that however nervous
and apprehensive she may be, even TO
the extent OF monomania or Mormo-
mania. she can seriously entertain the
notion that anybody in Hyrum would
seek her life
Her statement that she has appealed
10 the authorities Is shown 10 be abso-
lutely false. We have no doubt that
her other assertions are Of the same
character They have the appearance
u a plagiarism on the story told by q
Presbyterian dealer IN mendaclty. sew
eral years ago. In Mendon. q town just
across the valley from Hyrum. and
demonstrated 20 have been totally false
such tales are invented, or repeated FOR
the purpose OF gaining sympathy and
pecunlary ala from Christian people In
the East 40 wcll-lnformod paper viii
publish them unless O Is TO make q
sensation There have been too many
visitors 20 Utah from an parts OF the
United States 90 allow such IDLE tales 20
DO their intended work now to any great
extent.
The idea that any Mormon" would
commit murder a crime which the
Mormon faith teaches win not De for.
given him 90 this world nor IN the world
10 come. and DO that deed because OF
anything a sectarian teacher or minister
could accomplish Is but O lunauca
Imagination or the fabrication OF O.
false and malicious mind The whole
letter signed by Mrs DaVore. bears
the impress of manufactured article
FOR The purpose ot pushing the move
mont f1r q constitutional amendment
which IS tho latest Fad 90 certain circles.
whore distant social supposed Irregular
tiles are magnifed and distorted. 20
eyes that are unable 90 see the iniquuas
raek.ng around tha domlcIles OF the
wau'i-bo refomers.
The assertion that Zach Mormon
takes an oath TO DO AN in DIS power 10
destroy the government" IS an old. exc
ploded ana m1uliy tllsehoai. which is
contradictcl By the facts Of history. ana
the attitude Of the Mormon" people
towards the government 10 peace and IN
war. i is one Of the fundamentals Of
'Mormon.sm' 20 uphold civil govern
ments ana obey. honor and sustain the
law The writer OF the letter. we notice,