The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-02-13
endeavored to have her reconsider her
determination to desert the faith.
Miss Dickinson's Story.

Miss Dickinson's Story.
Before I left the Mormon church
there was some doubt in my mine that
the Blood Atonement' clause was in
what the Mormons called the New
Mormonism.' In the light of the Hooper
Young murder, however, II Of the
blood-curdling experiences I have gone
through since I 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
81 would not talk Of these things ex-
cept that I believe my own safety lies
in the publicity that is given my unfor-
innate connection with a sinful re-
ligion. I 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. 103 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, 1 wish to say that I
shall appear at the trial Of Hooper
Young, and under oath state that I
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 drst met
Miss Nelson. The home of Hooper
Young at the Clarence was also known
as a Mormon temple.
II have visited there, and in the SAM
rooms where the murder occurred my
visiting lard lay side by side with those
awful quotations on the Blood Atone
ment.'
The Elders Threats.
cit was in hat house that Elder Nc
Quarrie, with thinly yelled insinuetions
Of calamities that would befall me If I
deserted, tried to induce me not to leave
the Mormon church.
II shiver now with dread -yhen I
think Of it all.
THE of that awful hour in
the very rooms where Mrs. Pulitzer, vas
afterward murdered will never leave
me. Elder McQuarrie asked me why I
was about to give UP the faith.
The spiritual marriage I ex-
planned, I do not believe in
lido you know what happens to
b~acksliders?' he asked.
81 do not I replied, a sickening fear
coming over me.
1.-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 backsiide,
any ill, any calamity
Think Before It. 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 n
"The Mormon's eyes were upon me
and his hands were held out, half in
supplication and half in menace.
The whole story Of the Blood Atone
ment a come TO lie during that in
terview, but it was redoubled and in
tensified when later I heard of the muir
der Of Mrs. Pulitzer in those very
rooms.
A I understand it the Blood Atone
ment' means thai when a Mormon
backslides the faith says that his or her
life blood can alone atone for the sin. II
the deserter be slain by al elder of the
church then the deserter's soul is saved
and the slayer is absolved from all
crime.
THAT was the belief Of the Joseph
Smith sect, and in his day the Blood
Atonement' vas practiced openly.
To-day in the east the Blood Atone
ment' Is not taught because the secrets
ate and are not disclosed until the re-
,cruit reaches Salt Lake City and be-
comes body and soul part of the Nor
MOI church.
Power of M~ormonism.
zone never appreciates the full
strength of h Mormon following until