Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-27

the Smiths upstairs A lieutenant
was In charge, and the prisoners We're
In the jailer's private room upstairs,
not In the cell room
when the mob reached the jail II
approached to the north side, split
ranks, and completely surrounded y,
capturing the guards. who eVidently
were willing enough to be captured.
An order was given I believe to nre
but ] don't believe Il was ever car
ried out if II had been It would have
done no good as their guns were loaded
with blanks.
"Three or four OF the mob then
rushed upstairs The prisoners triea
TO prevent their entrance. Joseph hred
Into the mob. Hyrum received his
death wound and fell. Then Joseph
rushed for the window. Here Is where
saw the AFFAIR first, At the moment
| heard the firing 1 rushed for the
jail ! was just across the road when
Joseph ran to the window. ! saw him
plainly and recognized him. Just at
the moment he appeared I heard shots
inside, ! saw men outside raise their
guns and fire. and Joseph fell outside
dead. He struck on his side and nip
BY this time | was among the mob
and n rod away from the body
Il saw man go to Joseph, turn him
over and lean him up against the well
he's dead With that the mob put of
at dog trot. scattering with trailing
arms to the woods There Is no truth
in the report that the mob shot into his
body after II was set UP against the
curb
AS the mob started to run one man
bumped into me and called out. Get
/ went straight to the body, passed
my hand over the forehead, raised the
arm and then l knew that Joseph
Smith was dead. | then turned around
the corner. and went upstairs. Hyrum
Smiths body lay In the room all
sprawled out. l put the legs together.
felt his pulse. and saw that he too
was dead. AS passed out OF the room
! heard u noise in the cell room but
did not know what IT was. Then | ran
home to tell my folks what had hap
pened on my way passed the Garth
age Greys coming to the jail and |
called out You're too late, it's all over,
and passed on.
There can be no doubt In my mind
that the Leaders OF the Greys mad
fun understanding with the mob. The
actions OF the captain. the guard and
the other things ! saw convinced me
OF this beyond doubt
Il am not a Mormon. never have
been and never expect To be. but | be-
lieve In giving everyone his just dues.
The history of the Mormons in Han
cock county never has been correctly
written and IL probably never will be.
There were faults on both sides but
this killing of the Smiths was out
rageous. GOV, Ford was a good man in
some ways, but he never understood
human nature. In the first place he
made a blunder In appointing Demlng
To take charge. Deming lnsuted the
Greys and others of the militia by
narading the Smiths and introducing
them as generals. prophets and pat
riarchs. The second blunder was to
leave the vicinity with the Carthage
Greys in charge.
After the tragedy all Carthage was
wild with excitement. The people were
afraid the Mormons would come and
burn the town. / was sent by the
sheriff and others with a wagonload
OF the court records into the woods,
The same team | used was brought
back by men and used to carry one
of the bodies TO Nauvoo. my father
driving the team"
\ YOUNG MEMS MOVEMENT.
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