The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-02-06
cndeavored to have her reconsider her
determination to desert the faith.


Miss Dickinscn's Story.
Before l left the Mormon church
there Vas some CUB in my mind that
the Blood Atonement' clause vas in
what the Mormons called the New
Mormonism.' In the light of the Hooper
Young murder, however, and of the
blood-curdling experiences I have gone
through since l have left the Mormon
faith-disgusted and disheartened-I
believe that Blood Atonement' is not
only still the faith of the apostles, but
that I, too, was marked for effacement
by the All Seeing Eye
Il would not talk of these things eX-
cept that | believe my OWL safety lies
in the publicity that is given my unfor-
tunate connection with a sinful re-
ligion. l am convinced the woman l
knew as Miss Nelson in the Mormon
chapel on Twenty-third street, is the
Wretched creature slain September last
in the Mormon church at No. 1913 West
Fifty-eighth street, the home for the
time being of Hooper Young, the muir
derer.
ITO clear up a question that has been
much discussed, l wish to say that /
shall appear at the trial of Hooper
Young, and under oath state that |
know Anna Nelson contemplated join
ing the Mormon church; that at the
same time Hooper Young was a fire.
Quent and ardent w~orshipper in the
same Mormon temple where I first met
Miss Nelson. The home of Hooper
Young at the Clarence was also known
as a Mormon temple.
Il have visited there. and in the same
rooms where the murder occurred my
visiting ard lav side by Size with those
awful quotations OF the Blood Atone
The Elders Threats.
1T vas in that house that Elder Nc
Quarlie, with tlliEly yelled insinuations
of c]alanlitieS that would befall me if l
deserted, tried to induCe me not to leave
the Mormon church.
Il shivcr now with dread when T
think of it all.
The memory of that awful hour in
the very rooms where Mrs. Pulitzer was
afterward murdered Will never leave
me. Elder McQuarrie asked ne why I
was about to give up the faith.
The spiritual marriage I eX-
planned, I do not believe in
DO you know what happens to
backsliders?' he asked.
II do not I replied, a sickening fear
coming Over me.
THE Mormon arose and looked at me
intently.
Then, with an impressive wave of
his arm, said:
Those who leave our faith come to
an awful end. They DIE sometimes.
AT first they lose contentment, awful
diseases overcome them. Any i'll is
liable to overtake those who backslide,
any i'll, any calamity
Think Before 1t is Too Late.
You should not leave the church,
he continued. Think now. before it is
too late, of the evils that may befall
you
The MormOn's eyes We're upon me
and his hands were held out, half in
supp!ication and half in menace.
THE whole story of the Blood Atone
ment had come to me during that in
terVieW, but it was redoubled and in
tensitied when later / heard of the muir
der of Mrs. Pulitzer in those very
rooms.
AS | understand it the BLOOD Atone
ment' mean that when a Mormon
backslides the faith says that his or her
life blood can alone atone for the sin. If
the deserter be slain by an elder of the
church then the deserter's soul is saved
and he slayer is absolved from all
crime.
That was the belief of the Joseph
Smith sect, and in his day the Blood
Atonement' was practiced openly.
To-day in the east the Blood Atone
ment is not taught because the secrets
or the church are kept from the noviti-
ate and are not disclosed until the re-
crult reaches Salt AXE City and be-
comes body and SOU part of the Nor
mon church.
Power of Mormonisn1.
One never appreciates the full
strength Of the Mormon following until