Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-19
Attempts to Kill Benjamin F.
Johnson for His Religion
Proved Futile.
THE SAINTS PRAYED FOR HIM.
pe,Ief Finally Came Through the Ef-
forts of Faithful Young "Mor-
mon" Girl.

The recent dedtH Oh IdttldfCn Ben1l-
min f. Johnson In Mesa, Ari2., recalls
% the writer an episode of the perse-
,rtons of the Latter-day Saints 10
Missouri in 1885, in which the deceased
vas prominent actor. also, a lady
sreatly beloved by all who knew her
who has also passed to that better
cline.
Mr.. Johnson, then young man OF
N years. had been taken prisoner by
the rufiian horde styled an army, COM
manded by Gen. Clark, and for eignt
DAYS kept under guard at camp fire
IN weather Intensely cold with no shell
Tor from the piercing winds by day Oh
night: rr bed except few boughs be-
tween his body and the snow which
WAS above n foot In depth; no cover
ine of any kind, and his only resource
against freezing at night a constant
replenshing of the camp fire, making
sleep almost impossible. In addition
10 all this, he was denied any food, and
was only kept from starvation by the
pity OF the negro COOK. who stealthily
gave him scraps left from meals when
he could do 50 unODSefNed.
The wretch who at Hauns Mill slew
an old revolutionary soldier was in the
camp carrying the corn-cutter with
which he had murdered the old man,
and which was still dyed with his blood.
Day after day he threatened Johnson's
NE with II. saying he would get more
Mormon" blood upon 1t when he got
ready, and others of the mob frequent
~ told him wen kin you tomorrow,
sure, and In a way to make you yell
right smart
WRETCH KILLED HIMSELF.
White sitting upon log one day A
brute came to him with rifle In hand,
saving, You give up Mormonism right
now. or I'll shoot you Receiving de-
eisiye refusal he exclaimed with fearful
oaths, "lll send you to hell right now"
took deliberate aim not 10 feet distant
and pulled the trigger. No explosion
occurred, and he cursed fearfully say
Ing he had used the gun 20 years and 1t
had never before missed fire. He ex-
amined the lock, put In fresh printing
and again essayed to shoot Johnson
but without effect. and a third time
with the same result. A bystander told
him to fix up his gun a little, and then
said he. You can Kill the cuss al
right" Yes" said the would-be muir.
derer, ''Ill put in fresh load He
did so and again essayed TO kill john
son. THIS time the gun bursted ana
killed the wretch upon the spot. and
by-stander was heard to say, You'd
better not try TO kill that man" And
thus, day after day, Johnson was con-
tlnually threatened with death.
PRAYED FOR HIS RELEASE.
But help was coming, and that by
the compassion of a young girl, who
visited every family In the Mormon
settlement not many miles away and
persuaded men and women To meet at
the log schoolhouse and pray for his
release. They did so, and that night,
next day and the following night kept
increasingly In prayer. AS one ceased
praying another began, and then an
other and another Some went home
10 breakfast dinner or supper and re-
turned again to pray for the release of
their brother.
AT length this unceaslng prayer was
answered. About midnight of the Sec
ond night the general In command
caused Johnson to be brought TO his
tent, and said 60 HIM johnson. !
have had all | could do to save youi
life until now, but | can't save you
from death any longer. The men swear
they will kill you tomorrow. Give VI
your Mormonlsm and ] will adopt you
as my son--I have none-I am wealthy
and you shall inherit all have, and
your life will be saved"
WOULD DIE FIRST.
Jnhpsn, s,ta ri ..1ti,.to,, .,.s,,, ,,,ora "a,
MIN than life, and he would sooner die.
Finding argument could not alter the
young mans decision, the general said,
Well, all can do Is to turn you loose
IN the woods. and for you to escape II
YOU cam He ordered a soldier to con-
quot Johnson to a deserted Mormon
iog house about half a mile from
camp leave him there and RETURN,
which he did, and the young man was
ltee' But what a freedom-in snow two
leet deep, no blanket no arms to kill
game or for self defense and no food
except about two quarts of parched |
corn.
And he must make his way many |
mlles-tor days--as he could not go 10 |
the Mormon village nearest at hand. |
as ne would be sought for there, ba |
felaken, and murdered And 50 he |
plodded through the woods half starved |
anu frozen, having to wade sloughs AMI |
Dtoohs illled with snow or ice, and no |
onanoe to dry his frozen garments and |
nmns. He finally reached a house but |
could not remain. as he found his foes |
we're hunting the whole country for |
nm But here he obtained an old quilt, |
e"o or three ''pones" OF corn bread, a |
nht and steel to make a FIRE with, and |
"lW another man started on their |
weary Journey that night to reach Fort |
heaNenWorth, about 200 miles distant |
ana this refuge, after days OF fearful |
ptNauon, they at last gained. being |
hospitality received and cared for.
THE WHISPERING ANGEL
Ana who was the Angel Of Mercy In
luna" ,,..h lorm--a young girl in her teens
,sno canned his release ana saved his
~ ne through the prayers of the Saints?
~ was sister Eliza Il. Snow. his intl-
mate friend.
~ closing this sketch | viii say |
In9le read the foregoing In Father
4, ,usoh Journal and have also heard
1, rom hls own lips, and have thought
Nei Tor the rising generation, born
I nu hVing In peace and comfort. to
anoW something Of what their fathers
c c]u mothers have had to endure for the
Tospels sake.
JANE H. MARTINEAU.