Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-05
THE TALE OF A SINNER.


Sons friends IN West Virginia are
somewhat exercised over an article In
a paper called the Independent-Her
giving the alleged experience OF one
James Sinner among the "Mormons''
OF Utah. 1t liz mess of trash and nom
sense with here and there grain Of
truth. but on the whole so silly and i'm.
probable that only some country pub.
lication would. In these advanced times,
give 1t place unless very hard up for
reading matter. our friends, however,
say IL has created prejudice In the re-
zion whore II has been printed, and
they ask the Deseret Nows to answer
81. We win therefore briefly notice one
or two Of the falsehoods IL contains.
The author OF the Information"
about the "Mormons" gives his name
as James Sinner, and claims. to have
been "clty editor OF the only Gentle
paper" here twenty years ago. From
reporters then engaged on that paper
we learn that there was no Getty edi-
tor" at that time on the sheet In ques-
tion, nor anyone Of that name employ
nd on II then or since So, to begin
with. the fellow starts out with false
colors. He proceeds to tell OF the re-
porters being compelled to go out in
EARNED squads 10 the Mormon quar-
ters' for news. Every man on the
force he says. carried a revolver and
q knife But this was not necessary
in the Gentle portion Of the city"
The idea that Salt Lake city is or was
divided up into two divisions in the
manner thus Indicated Is humorous,
and displays the ignorance of the writ.
err as TO conditions here. suggesting that
he was making up story from some
innings he had heard, but was probably
never in this city in his life
Here II some more Of his STUPID
story: THE Mormons would not rem,
their houses TO Gentiles. The Mormon
saloons would not even sell a Gentle
n drink unless the GENTLE had several
able bodied men to back up the re.
quest" That was In 1885, remember
and there are many thousands Of nom
"Mormons' who were here at that time
and know how utterly absurd these
statements are. They will serve "a
samples OF the rest OF the TRADE He
tells OF an attempted attack OF the
"Mormons' upon the Office OF the ma
per OF which he was the ''city editor"
lie says the 'Mormons" formed "a
Wild and ungovernable mob extending
n solid block In each direction from
the Office. Every reporter and printer
was stationed at window with n
gun" They had TWENTY-FIVE rifles
and plenty Of ammuEtion," but Sinner
had a brilliant thought, and provided
better means of defence which, with
the result. he thus describes:
Tn our back room we had some big
boilers to run our machinery | had
a pipe put in connection with these
boilers and at the end of the pine !,
rubber hose with nozzle attached. lead
ING 10 the front doors OF the office.
which were barricaded. stood there
WIN some or the other members of the
force ready to turn that steam and hot
water into the crowd IL they should
Iorce the doors. One OF the officers OF
Ihe fort addressed the mob and told
them Just what preparations had been
made to receive them and lust what
tne Dig guns at the fort would do TO
their buildings II they should try TO
start anything. This didn't seem 10
scare them much. II was not until ore
or the head men Of the church came
down and stood In front of our office
and made speech to the mob that
they commenced to dispense. The
prophet was old and feeble and had a
long white beard, but Just as soon as
he raised his hand the mob kept still
and listened as we'll as they could TO
what ne said. AS soon as he finished
talking the mob commenced to scat.
her"
This is all very funny to folks here.
but there are people no doubt in the
rural districts of West Virginia who
will swallow the whole story. rifles,
boiler, pipes hot water and all. The
tale Is made out of hot air and IA
scarcely worth noticing except TO say
that 1t is Just as false as the assertion
that Sinner was city editor of the
paper alluded TO, and which, by the
way, has published stuff quite as base
less as his. lust for the beguilement of
people at a distance who know nothing
bf affairs in Utah.
The final paragraph IN the article by
Sinner states that, 1T was the jnten.
tion OF the Mormons In those DAYS 10
hck the whole United States" That
ought TO be enough to wind up tho
yarn and We need not take the trouble
pr space TO pay further attention to It.
We wish the readers OF the Deseret
News away down east" would not ex-
pect us to answer every fool thing that
appears in print about the "Mormons."
We have referred to this case IN re-
Spouse to an earnest request. But there
are so many people who have visited
this city during the last quarter of
century. most Of whom have seen and
heard for themselves the conditions OK
bting, that some Of them may be found
In every State OF the Union and their
Testimony could be had If sought for
Ind reque-sed.
1t is now pretty well known through
out the land that the "Mormons" are
peaceable, orderly and kindly people.
and that they have never resorted To
overt acts even against their enemies.
nor offered resistance except in self
defense. The author OF the screed in
The West Virginia paper was never
what he has claimed to be. but may
probably have been a shoe Sinner and
we should imagine a very poor one a,
hat